IZAKAYA by Komo – The Best Sushi We’ve Had in Sweden (And Why You’ll Love It Too)

I walked in expecting to post a quick Instagram story. Just a few snapshots, maybe a reel. A casual visit to a new Japanese restaurant in Göteborg, a nice gesture from the team at IZAKAYA by Komo, who invited me in for a sushi dinner. But somewhere between the first bite of salmon nigiri and the last sip of cucumber mocktail, something shifted. This wasn’t just another trendy opening. This was something else entirely.

There’s a quiet confidence to IZAKAYA by Komo. A deep respect for Japanese culinary tradition, delivered with precision and heart. The kind of place where each dish arrives when it’s ready, designed to go hand in hand with conversation, drinks, and the pace of the evening. Where a meal isn’t just food on a plate, but a shared experience.

This was meant to be a quick visit.
Instead, it turned into an experience I couldn’t stop thinking about.
So I wrote about it.

Here’s everything you need to know about the newest, and possibly most exciting, Japanese restaurant in Göteborg.

A new gem in Göteborg: IZAKAYA by Komo

Göteborg’s food scene is growing fast, but it’s not every day that a new place opens and instantly feels like it belongs. IZAKAYA by Komo is one of those places. It’s not loud or flashy. It’s calm, beautifully designed, and focused on what really matters: good food and a good time.

The restaurant sits right in the city center, and if the name sounds familiar, that’s because the team behind it also runs KOMO, one of Göteborg’s most loved Korean restaurants. With IZAKAYA, they’ve taken their experience and poured it into something completely different, this time focusing on Japanese food and the kind of atmosphere where you can actually slow down and enjoy it.

The whole idea is inspired by the Japanese way of going out for food and drinks: you don’t order everything at once. You start small, maybe a drink and one or two dishes, and then you see where the evening takes you. It’s a relaxed kind of dining that doesn’t follow rules. You eat what you feel like, when you feel like it. And the staff are great at guiding you through it if you want suggestions.

It’s the kind of place where you don’t look at the time. You just enjoy what’s in front of you, and you keep wanting more.

Authentic Japanese roots — no fuss, just real skill

One of the first things I noticed at IZAKAYA by Komo was how natural everything felt. No overexplaining, no pretending to be something it’s not. Just good food, made by people who clearly know what they’re doing.

The kitchen is run by a team with serious experience, and you can tell from the very first bite. There’s a calm confidence in how the dishes are prepared and served. Nothing is rushed, but nothing sits around either. As soon as something is ready, it goes straight from the kitchen to your table. No waiting, no warming lamps. That makes a huge difference. Everything tastes fresh, balanced, and full of life.

You’re not expected to order your whole meal at once. You begin with a drink and a couple of small dishes, and keep building from there. The food and drinks play off each other as the evening flows. It’s easy, relaxed, and makes the entire night feel like a shared experience rather than a scheduled event.

The best part? It doesn’t feel like the restaurant is trying to impress you. It’s just doing what it does really well and letting the food speak for itself.

What’s on the menu? Honest flavours, done right

Before any of the dishes we ordered arrived, we were served a small bowl of miso soup – and it deserves its own mention. This wasn’t your usual miso. It had a twist: a subtle hint of citrus, thin slices of red onion, and just a touch of heat that made it stand out. Light, warming, and full of umami, with a little unexpected edge. It set the tone perfectly for everything that followed – familiar, but with its own personality.

We started simple. Just a few small plates to set the tone: spinach with truffle-yuzu dressing and parmesan, and the hamachi carpaccio. Both were light, fresh, and full of flavour. That spinach dish might not sound exciting on paper, but it absolutely worked: creamy, citrusy, and gone in seconds. And the carpaccio? A real highlight. Thinly sliced yellowtail with mango salsa and a little wasabi heat, fresh and bright without trying too hard.

After that came the IZAKAYAS Garden Platter, and it was… a lot. In the best way. A mix of nigiri, premium maki rolls, and two beautifully served oysters. I’d never had oysters before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but these were perfectly chilled, with a sharp, clean taste and no weird texture surprises. I actually loved them. To be honest, I’m a bit scared to try oysters anywhere else now, because the bar was set so high.

By the time we got through the platter, we were pretty full. But still curious, so we ordered one more thing to share: the Salmon Furai Roll. Warm, crispy on the outside, soft inside, with avocado and a hint of sauce that pulled everything together. It was the perfect “just one more bite” moment.

To finish, we shared the matcha tiramisu. Creamy, light, and not too sweet, with just the right amount of matcha to keep it interesting without being overpowering. Even if you’re not a big dessert person, this one’s worth trying.

As for drinks, I went for a cucumber-based mocktail with a splash of ginger beer. Super refreshing, lightly sweet, with just a little ginger kick. Tomasz chose a mango-coconut mocktail that was tropical, sweet, and very much his vibe (not mine — I’m not a coconut girl, but he loved it). He also had a glass of wine recommended by our server, which paired well with the platter, and I finished the evening with a simple tonic water with ice.

Everything felt thoughtfully matched, both food and drink. Nothing felt random or rushed. Just one well-paced, delicious moment after another.

Drinks, atmosphere, and all the little things that made it feel special

Beyond the food, what really made the evening stand out was how well everything came together, not just what we ate, but how we felt while being there.

The atmosphere at IZAKAYA by Komo is warm and inviting. The lighting is soft and slightly dimmed, which makes the whole place feel calm and cosy without being too dark. Music plays in the background: upbeat and modern, just lively enough to give the place energy but never too loud. You can have a proper conversation without raising your voice, and still feel the vibe around you.

The staff were fantastic throughout the evening. Friendly, helpful, and always one step ahead. They noticed when we were running low on drinks, made great suggestions from the menu, and explained every dish clearly when it arrived. You could tell they really knew the food and cared about the experience. It felt like we were in good hands the whole time, but never like anyone was hovering over us.

One thing that really stood out to us was the pricing. With sushi, you often expect much higher prices than at restaurants serving other types of cuisine — and honestly, based on how beautifully the dishes were presented, we were prepared for that. But the final bill came as a pleasant surprise. For the quality, the setting, and the entire experience, the prices at IZAKAYA by Komo felt more than reasonable. It’s rare to leave a sushi restaurant in Sweden feeling like you got excellent value, but here, that’s exactly what happened.

It’s these kinds of details — the small things you don’t always notice until they’re missing — that made the evening feel complete. IZAKAYA by Komo isn’t trying to be flashy. It’s just doing everything right, with care and intention. And that shows.

Practical Information – IZAKAYA by Komo

If you’ve been to KOMO, you already know exactly where to find IZAKAYA by Komo — they’re in the same building. Just head upstairs to discover the new Japanese concept.

The address is Sankt Eriksgatan 5, 411 05 Göteborg. The nearest stop is Lilla Bommen, served by buses 18 and 25, and trams 5, 6, 10, and X. If you’re driving, there are plenty of public parking spots available nearby, however it may happen you need to circle around to find a free spot.

The restaurant is open Tuesday to Thursday from 16:00 to 22:00, Fridays from 16:00 to 23:00, and Saturdays from 12:00 to 23:00.

You can book your table in advance directly on the restaurant’s website.

Is it worth the hype? 100% yes.

We eat Japanese food a lot, not just in Sweden, but pretty much anywhere we travel. It’s one of those cuisines we actively seek out, especially sushi. And while we haven’t made it to Japan yet, we’ve tried enough to know when something feels close to the real thing.

IZAKAYA by Komo is easily one of the best Japanese dining experiences we’ve ever had. And without question, it’s the best sushi we’ve had in Sweden.

What made it special wasn’t just the quality of the ingredients or how beautifully everything was prepared, though that was definitely part of it. It was the full experience. The relaxed way of ordering, the perfect pacing, the attention to detail, and the feeling that nothing was forced or overly designed.

There wasn’t a single moment during the evening when we felt like something was “just okay.” Every dish, every drink, every interaction with the staff felt like it mattered.

If you’re into Japanese food, or even just curious to try it done right, this is a place you’ll want to visit. And probably revisit.