Eat Up Havana: Leezakaya Levels Up With Japanese Pub Fare

Over a decade ago, former Westword food editor Mark Antonation began his food-writing career by eating his way up Federal Boulevard. Now, we're turning our attention to another vibrant culinary corridor.

The four-plus mile stretch of Havana Street between Dartmouth and Sixth Avenue in Aurora is home to the most diverse array of international cuisine available in the metro area. From restaurants and markets to take-and-go shops and stands, food lovers of nearly any ethnicity or interest can find a place that will remind them of home or open new culinary doors. In Eat Up Havana, Westword contributor Antony Bruno will visit them all, one by one, week by week.

Revisit the first stop, Old Town Hot Pot.

Next up: Leezakaya, part of restaurateur JW Lee’s Seoul Hospitality Group, who was one of Westword’s 22 People to Watch back in 2022.
At the corner of Havana and Yale sits Leezakaya, an establishment that clearly seeks to rise above its humble surroundings, both figuratively and literally.

Tucked conspicuously between a brightly lit Maverik gas station and a weathered strip mall full of hole-in-the-wall shops and restaurants, Leezakaya stands apart as one of the few establishments in the area that occupies its own building.

But it may as well be in its own little world.

While nearby eateries and their patrons embrace a simple, no-frills approach to dining, Leezakaya takes a decidedly different approach, which is obvious before even setting foot inside. The building’s trim is accented by thin strands of white string lights that illuminate the entryway and the patio deck, and faint trip hop beats waft through the windowed walls.

It all projects a hip, sleek, and modern atmosphere that sticks out like a clean thumb.
Inside is much the same, with a combination of traditional Japanese pub themes and modern Western influence scattered throughout. Treated wooden rafters and beams frame the space and Japanese paper lanterns hang from them; there are traditional sake barrels and bamboo plants, and the occasional minimalist brushstroke artwork spaced between.

Then there’s the multi-panel big-screen TV, neon lighting, and fancy display cases housing rows upon rows of high-end sake, wine and whiskey. This is supposed to be a bar, after all.

The name Leezakaya is a mashup of izakaya (the concept on which it is based) and the name of owner JW Lee, the driving force behind Seoul Hospitality Group, which operates several dining establishments both along Havana Street and elsewhere including Tofu Story, Seoul Mandoo, Mochinut, and about a dozen other restaurants across the metro area.
An izakaya is Japan’s version of a gastropub, where both drinks and food share center stage — think booze n’ bites. And while some Japanese izakaya focus only on specific dishes (like, say, yakatori, grilled-meat-on-a-stick), Leezakaya offers a far more expansive list of options.

Dining at Leezakaya is meant to be a rambling, adventurous affair. You could order multiple dishes at once and fill your table with plate upon plate of bite-sized appetizers and tray-sized bento boxes. Or you can order in rounds, like drinks. (There’s even a doorbell-like button on each table to summon a server when you’re ready to reorder.)

There’s no rush. The servers almost encourage you to take your time and are happy to place your order in whatever stages you like. Which is fortunate, because the options are many.

Start out with a few simple bites, like the aforementioned yakitori, chicken karaage (fried chicken), seaweed cucumber salad and miso soup. Try an uni oyster shooter: a singly raw oyster topped with sea urchin roe and a light sauce, paired on ice with a shot of sake.
Get adventurous and sample some of the dishes rarely found at other Denver establishments, like natto (a fermented, funky, goopy soy bean dish that polarizes even Japanese eaters) or monkfish liver. Or keep it simple with sushi, ramen and bento boxes. The sushi variety here is less than you’d find at a dedicated sushi restaurant but the options available are both high quality and creative (see the Surf & Turf roll which includes tempura lobster topped with sliced wagyu).

And of course, don’t forget your drinks. The beer and whiskey options are relatively short but curated to offer both familiar favorites and new discoveries. The wine list is presented by attributes (there are "Light & Refreshing Whites” and “Smooth & Elegant Reds”) for easier navigation if you’re not familiar with specific varietals. And the forty-something sake options are the most diverse you’ll find anywhere and include the high-end polished rice Daiginjo style sake.

Invariably the question arises whether Leezakaya offers “traditional” izakaya fare. And that’s a particularly difficult question to answer because, well, there really is no single format even in Japan for what an izakaya “should” be.

Izakayas began as a place to buy drinks and later evolved to serve food. Some serve just a few dishes, others a wide variety. Some even serve pizza and fries. So determining whether a U.S. izakaya can be considered “traditional” is more in the environment than the menu. And while you won’t hear the welcoming cry of “irasshaimase” when entering Leezakaya, you’ll likely find something you’ll enjoy eating and drinking in line with that expectation.

Leezakaya is located at 2710 South Havana Street in Aurora and is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit leezakaya.com.