Izanami

10/08/2026

🍶 next round of second sunday sake sessions 🍶

🍶 october 11th, the big squeeze—how sake gets its final shape

🍶 november 8th, the okan hour—warm sake is not always cheap sake

🍶 december 13th, clouds in the glass—nigori, texture, and the sweetness trap

🍶 to find out more & see availability, click the link in our bio

09/27/2026

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 🍷🍇👑

til next year, mark your calendars for september 2027 for our most fun event of the year 🥂

09/23/2026

🍶 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 kiko’s japanese street food & so much more!

🍶 thank you to Bluefiná Blake Ito Russ King the floating world SIPT and our incredible team for making this all happen!

🍶 KANPAI, till next year!

09/19/2026

izanami’s 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

“Hard 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 journey—especially 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 we’ve come, and even more grateful for the team that continues to walk beside me.” Jose Kiko Rodriguez

09/15/2026

we asked our master sake sommelier how he chose his sake selection for W**E VS SAKE!

‘Hi, I’m 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: “Why these sake?”

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 you’ll 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.

I’ve 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 I’ve 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 you’ve even taken a bite. And two come from the same brewery, which means I’ve used half my team on a family resemblance I think you’ll 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?

That’s what I’m betting on. Let me introduce the team.’

Russ King

-continued in comments

09/07/2026

izanami’s 11th annual w**e vs. sake challenge!

🍷 Wednesday, September 23th

🍶 Floating World Sake vs. The Great W**es of France

🍷 A 4-course pairing dinner by Chef Kiko Rodriguez: each course is paired with one sake and one w**e

👑 The winner is decided by popular vote at the end

🍶Includes pre-event cocktails & mocktails, assigned seating, passed hors d’oeuvres & live mariachi music

🍷Groups must purchase tickets together in order to 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

🍷🍶 w**e vs sake menu is live! 🍶🍷

🍶izanami’s 11th annual w**e vs. sake challenge!

🍷 wednesday, september 23th

🍶 Floating World Sake vs. The Great W**es of France

🍷 a 4-course pairing dinner by Chef Kiko Rodriguez: each course is paired with one sake and one w**e

👑 the winner is decided by popular vote at the end

🍶includes pre-event cocktails & mocktails, assigned seating, passed hors d’oeuvres & live mariachi music

🍷groups must purchase tickets together in order to be seated together

🍶 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 couldn’t have done it without our hardworking team, our incredible guests, and our beautiful new mexico community! KANPAI! 🍶🥰🍶

08/27/2026

in the words of chef kiko:
We made it into the Guide! 🙌
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 couldn’t 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!

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