Yamaya's Seafood

This is the best Japanese food I've had in a long time. It is very simple, but it is always excellent. The family who own this place are nice people too, and don't be surprised if they bring random stuff out for you to try. This is a favorite spot for the international air crews, so it's not unusual to have the place filled with native Japanese speakers.


The restaurant is in an old house off 6th Ave. in downtown Anchorage. It is very informal and the menus are written on the walls, so be sure and look around everywhere before you order. The prices are good, too, especially considering their focus on fresh seafood.

We had:

shrimp tempura udon soup
fish cake
grilled whole squid
gyoza
fried idiot fish

and some dried king salmon fin sake...

...which was as nasty as it sounds.

Big Al's Wings and Wings

The best hot wings in town aren't found at the locally renowned Wings and Things, but at a little dumpy place located on Spenard Avenue.


Big Al's Wings and Wings uses a chili powder heavy rub on their wings which is hot and flavorful. Their wings are a bit small but the skin is crispy, and the motif of the restaurant (Al Pacino's Scarface seems to be the primary theme) makes for an interesting experience.

Most Anchorage residents will tell you to go to the reopened Wings and Things, but they use nutmeg and some other seasonings that I don't care for on hot wings, and they are extremely greasy with the wings resting in deep pools of oil in each order. W&T is almost Caribbean in taste, whereas Big Al's is Mexican influenced. Also, the 2 hour wait for Wings and Things is a bit much.


So, go to Big Al's instead for the ghetto-chic atmosphere and fast, spicy hot wings.