The steak set literally my death row meal. Our server Maya was also super attentive (and cute)!

When we first showed up for happy hour, I was worried we made a bad decision because no one was in the restaurant! But I was wrong - this place is great and was busy by the end of the night! Happy hour drinks were great - despite being out of two of the cocktails, we enjoyed wine and a peach highball. The food was also really great. We loved the pork belly, the katsu don, and the beef curry (all the meats were great!). Service was quick, food was hot, and everything was flavorful! I definitely recommend, especially for the happy hour. read more

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Vibe/ambiance: casual Service: standard Reservation: walked in Items ordered: tuna tatami: 8.9/10 karaage 8.7/10, chicken was so tender and big pieces! burdock: 6.4/10, not shredded burdock - tough to chew unago don: 8/10: so much unagi, good quality read more

Major dining pet peeve: Restaurants that are stingy with AC on hot summer days. Come on, we all have electric bills to pay, and we all know how high they get from May to Sept. But no one wants to sweat like they're doing HIIT while trying to enjoy a plate of hot food. Oooo, weak pee in my gnocchi....tasty. Benemon is another stingy-with-AC restaurant. On a sweltering day with 251,000% humidity, the air conditioner was barely on, the fan was non-existent, and perhaps most insulting of all, they served us tepid, room temperature water. We had to ask for ice, which they (begrudgingly) gave in small cubes that melted instantly. The food was fine, but not worth the suffering. We started with Beef Carpaccio that was a bit too cooked for my liking, and Tuna Tataki likely drowned a painful death in the too-sweet miso-nut sauce. The Soft Shell Crab was pretty good, but I could've used more than six tiny legs. My Katsu Curry featured cute, sausage-shaped cutlets, but most of the dish was just sticky rice and gravy that I could've made myself. In attempt to avoid feeling feverish, I also got Yuzu Shiso Spritzer to wash everything down. It was fine, but if I hadn't desperately needed more ice than the staff wanted to give, I wouldn't have bothered ordering this. Not worth the sweat or the schlep. read more

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Not the best service we had to wave down the server to take our order she was just chatting at the bar then the table thay was sat after us got there food before us app and main before we even got our food. The drinks were good those came out fast and we're delicious. The food was alright not that great for the pricing and portions small. read more

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I was visiting NYC for a second time and was going to omakase with my coworker and knew we'd be hungry after so we walked by this place and stopped in. We had never heard of it before and decided to give it a try! We came in right before happy hour ended but by the time we ordered, happy hour had just passed. Jhon, our server, was so nice! He made note that we were able to order from the menu still. I got a shochu ginger highball and my coworker got an await the moon. I loved the ginger in my drink and my coworker really enjoyed her matcha drink. The seared tuna was delicious. Super fresh & light. The miso chicken was nice and retained its crunchiness even in the yummy miso sauce. We would definitely come back here and was glad we stumbled upon it. We would try other items for a full meal. It is a nice date spot. Washroom is clean and there is plenty of seating for various parties. My coworker, who is a NYC local, will be recommending this place to future visitors! read more

Benemon - Black Miso Chicken - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Cute spot, food doesn't quite do it for me. Decent happy hour deals & the tuna is the standout dish. Service is ok read more

Benemon - Oyako Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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This intimate, cozy space was perfect for our Reservation of 16 people for our daughter's birthday! It's a beautiful space that's comfortably lit. We had two long tables and a cocktail table together for us and glad Happy Hour goes to 7pm! The staff were highly attentive and pleasant. We enjoyed the ginger shochu Highball specials and delicious draft beers! I had delicious Sousen sake and we ordered just about everything (small plates) starters including Kara-age chicken, black miso chicken (do not miss this! Get double!!), salty pork belly, and garlic beef steak (also get double!). Also ordered tuna tataki and squid and they were so good! I couldn't order a main, but everyone else did and enjoyed oyakodon, and katsu chicken and pork curry, perfectly sauced with fluffy egg, rice bowls as entrees. And the Tofu Hijiki salad was amazing. The only dish we all agreed we didn't enjoy much were the anchovy potatoes which felt needed more anchovy flavor and be crispier. On offer were matcha and red bean ice cream but we brought in our own birthday cake which we appreciated! Thank you for a wonderful evening for our family! We came here for a birthday celebration and left with a wonderful experience that would be hard to forget! Our daughter said, this was probably her best birthday celebration so far! Wish I took more photos of the food and drinks but we were so hungry and having a lot of fun being together we all missed the food pic opps, sorry! But, definitely don't miss this beautiful gem of a restaurant! read more

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This place serves the homiest rice bowls. I've been here twice now and each time, I've really enjoyed the don's and appetizers. You can't go wrong with the options. Oyako don and Tsukimi Tori Don are my favorites, but I'm confident the flavor for everything is solid. This place also has a wonderful atmosphere and I would recommend coming here if you want a vibey, relaxing night. read more

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Tuna Tataki was soooo tender! Una-Tama Don was flavorful and sizable but could use more mushrooms! The Await The Moon cocktail was delicious. Relatively small restaurant, so the spacing between tables is very tight. Noise level rather high so be prepared to yell a bit lol. read more

Checked out this spot in East Village for a weekday dinner. I noticed the una tama don was popular so I decided to try it out. It was delicious! The eel and mushroom was well marinated with soy sauce and the rice was also seasoned. The portion was also generous! The ambiance was on the darker side but my friend and I both loved our dishes and chatted for a while. Will definitely be returning to try some of their other dishes read more

Benemon - Una Tama Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Benemon is such a gem. Cozy, romantic, and full of flavor. We had a perfect little corner to ourselves and everything we ordered hit just right. My Matcha Cocktail, "Await on the Moon" was divine. Earthy, bitter-sweet, and smooth. The karaage was juicy and crisp, the tuna tataki super refreshing, and the squid tender and flavorful. The beef carpaccio came seared instead of raw, which surprised me, but it was still delicious. Soft shell crab was the only letdown. Tasty but underwhelming with just three small pieces. My skirt steak don was the star of the night. Savory, satisfying, and completely devoured. Great service, great food, and date-night vibes. I'll definitely be back. read more

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best edamame ever, so hot and flavorful, and really good chicken kaarage.. so juicy and the aioli was so good. the miso soup was quite rich and good but perhaps a little bit too concentrated and salty for me. the una-tama don was pretty decent. i like that they came out with the appetizers first before the main! great service and lovely interior and vibes inside. read more

I was walking across fourth Street and discovered this intimate gem. Everything about this place is meticulous yet relaxed. It's the perfect place to enjoy home spun yet artfully prepared Japanese food and drinks along with a nice conversation. The ambience is serene, but at no point does it feel stuffy. The service was attentive and warm. read more

Benemon - Shrimp Tempura, Tofu Fire - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Absolutely fabulous! Benemon served up delicious Japanese food. Everything we ordered was just wonderful. The small interior is very intimate and well styled. The servers are very nice and our evening here was just perfect from start to finish. We ordered a number of small plates and entrees. I loved the Tofu Fire. It was so flavorful and cooked to perfection. The Black Miso Chicken was also among the favorite items of the table. The Edamame cooked in garlic and chili flakes had the most amazing aroma. For dinner, I ordered the Tsunami Tori Don. It was outstanding. I absolutely devoured it. Our group included Katsu Curry fans and they found the entree here to be among the best they have tried! Highly recommend this restaurant. For NYC, the prices were so reasonable. Overall, so good!! read more

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Benemon is a Japanese restaurant located on the Lower East Side. It's located a few blocks from the F train. The restaurant is a cozy place you can take your friends or a date to for a meal or sake based cocktails. I came here since it was my friend's birthday and appreciated the food they had to offer. The salty pork belly was soft and worked very well with the sauce. The tofu fire was a little spin on agedashi tofu, except it was thicker and created with a chili sauce. It had a slight kick to it but was not spicy at all, despite the name. The karaage was perfectly seasoned, and I liked the sauce that came with it, but eating it by itself was also delicious. For the entree, I chose the Yakiniku Don. It's basically a Gyudon, which is made from thinly sliced beef and created with a sweet soy sauce base. The portion was decent, and I had some leftovers to take home. Staff were friendly and checked up on us to see whether we needed anything many times. If I'm nearby, I would like to visit again to try the other dishes and cocktails they have to offer. read more

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The Unagi Don was phenomenal! Maybe that's just me loving unagi but I loved it so much. Everyone else in our party loved their food as well. The appetizers fantastic. The Hot Squid, Beef Tataki, and Tuna Tataki were all so good and the perfect lead in to the later bowls. The service was great. We accidentally made a reservation for not enough people and the staff were very quick to figure out how to seat us. They were very kind and attentive with water. The atmosphere was really pleasant and comfortable. Perfect for the warm, cozy food that is served. Overall a great place. Highly recommend! read more

Benemon - Yakiniku Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Benemon is one of my new favorite NYC restaurants. It's cozy, comforting, and nourishing, and most importantly... it doesn't require an arm and a leg to get a reservation! Tucked away in the East Village, this is a true hidden gem. For starters, we ordered the Soft Shell Crab and the Salty Pork Belly. The Salty Pork Belly was honestly one of my favorite bites of the night! It came served with blistered shishito peppers and a spicy black kaimi sauce. I'm not too sure what that is but I do know that I absolutely LOVED it. The fatty, smoky, juicy pork belly literally just melts in your mouth... and when it's dipped in the savory umami kaimi sauce-- wow!!!!! This is a must-get! I enjoyed the Soft Shell Crab but didn't find it as memorable (especially when compared to the pork belly). For our mains, we ordered the Una-Tama Don and the Katsu Curry with Chicken. I absolutely loved both. Japanese curry is always such a reliable and comforting meal. The curry was on the thinner side and didn't have any vegetables (ie carrots, potatoes, onions, etc.) that some Japanese curries have. The fried chicken katsu was also good! The Una-Tama Don is a bed of white rice with a deliciously melt-in-your-mouth eel, on top of a soft-cooked runny egg with onions and mushrooms. This dish was so savory and delicious and warming. I can't speak highly enough about it. I highly recommend this dish as well! The service was also kind, very patient with our slower eating speed, and attentive. The ambiance at dinner time was also very nice-- dimly lit lights, stone chopstick holders, etc. Also fun fact: they have happy hour daily from 5-7pm! If you are ever craving some comforting Japanese food in NYC, then definitely check out Benemon! read more

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I've never felt more drawn to a dish on a menu than here at Benemon with the Una-tama don. Not just eel but eel and egg and onion and mushroom and rice?? Sign me up. I was so happy to receive that nice warm bowl, with a solid amount of eel. Every bite was perfect. I thought the portion was great, but some in my group would've preferred a bit more rice. Overall, great spot. I'm always craving donburi. read more

Benemon - Una Tama Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I came in here as a walk in on a Saturday evening with a party of 5. To my surprise this place is now taking reservations. But luckily we were able to be seated! I was recommended to come here by various friends, and this place did not disappoint! We ordered a few tapa styled dishes to start: - Beef Tataki - Tofu Hijiki Salad - Pork Belly - Chicken Kaarage - Shrimp Tempura And then we each ordered a donburi bowl! We shared the chicken and beef bowl. One of my friends got unagi bowl which he loved. All the tapas were really good! Highly recommend splitting a bunch of tapa dishes if you have the numbers! The donburi was good as well. We were so full towards the end struggling to finish the meal. Would come back here! read more

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I ordered from this place ages ago and got the Uni Tama Don and remembered it being very tasty. More recently/several months ago, I stopped here one night. It was quiet with friendly service. I don't remember what I drank but I presume it was either shochu or sake. I started with the Black Miso Chicken for $15 consisting of broiled dark meat chicken in a savory black miso sauce, with crushed walnuts and black sesame, topped with scallions. The dish came out very hot and the portion was decent. The sauce is sweet with strong savory notes and the nuts added some crunch with the dish in general having a sesame and nutty flavor from the black miso. The chicken was flavorful. I would almost prefer if a karaage/fried chicken style was added as I think the sauce would make a good dip. My main was as last time, the Una-Tama (or Eel-Egg) Don for $21 consisting of marinated grilled eel, onions, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and soft cooked eggs simmered in a rich soy sauce broth served over rice.The dish isn't the largest donburi I have had but there was enough. The egg had a soft texture and the sweet mixture between the egg, shiitake, and the rest reminded me of a slightly sweeter oyakodon which makes sense as the description is very similar to said other dish. There could have been more eel but the eel that was there was cooked nicely and it's essentially a $3 supplement over the normal oyakodon. Overall it was tasty. Solid little spot. Quaint with tasty good. Low 4/upper 3. read more

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Benemon might just be the best donburi spot in the city. The flavors are rich, comforting, and incredibly balanced--every bite of the oyakodon was silky, savory perfection. That said, the portions are definitely on the smaller side, so come hungry but maybe plan to order a few things. The fried tofu appetizer was a standout--crispy on the outside, soft and delicate inside, all drenched in a spicy, umami-rich sauce that made it impossible to stop eating. Cozy, casual atmosphere, and service was on point. Will absolutely be back. read more

Benemon - Tofu Fire - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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My friends and I tried this place for dinner. We shared the Tofu Fire which was yummy (a little hard to eat). For my main, I got the Katsu Curry which was sooo good. My only complaint was that they barely give you any curry sauce. We had to ask for additional sauce which they charged us for. When I think of Katsu Curry, I think like lathered in curry but I felt like I was trying to use the curry so sparingly. Other than that, still a good spot! read more

Benemon - Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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We visited Benemon over the weekend and really liked both the vibe and food. Benemon is located on the lower east side, and it's about a 10 minute walk from Washington Square Park. The neighborhood around the restaurant is really picturesque and I definitely would like to walk around there again the next time I have a chance. Since Benemon has great reviews online, we initially were worried about getting a table. But in the end it wasn't an issue at all. We arrived at around 5 pm and we're almost immediately seated. They even let us choose a larger table since foot traffic was relatively light when we came. Inside Benemon there are these very exotic looking lamps and the lighting creates a somewhat surreal atmosphere. The food was all very good. But I particularly liked the karaage and the tsukimi tori don, my main. All in all, Benemon was a great experience and I will definitely go again. read more

Benemon - Outside - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I was really missing the amazing Izakayas in Japan so decided to stop by (Thursday for dinner - no wait) this cute place I've passed by, do yourself a favor and stop by too!! Nomz: Started off with the karkage fried chicken and tuna tataki, finished with the pork katsu curry. The fried chicken came out nice and hot, perfectly fried and very flavorful, I really enjoyed eating it! The tuna, another masterpiece, plenty of pieces, delicious and the outside seasoning provided some spice and saltiness to it. The pork katsu was a bit overcooked, however the plentiful and delicious curry saved it. Drinks: You can get sake flights! My partner enjoyed some. I went for the warm sake per usual, did not disappoint! Service: Very good service, nice and courteous. Ambiance: Really cozy and cute inside, nicely lit, can see it being romantic for some, loved the lights at every tables with crystals around them. Nope or Dope: Dope! Would love to go back and try more food and sake, nomzzzz read more

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Had a very nice time at benemon. No reservations, but we were able to locate a table on a Saturday night at 7:30pm. Great spot to go to before hitting a night out on the town in east village or Noho. Nice ambiance. Waitress was nice but did not speak English well (was still able to help us quite a bit). We ordered the following: Tuna Tataki - a must get menu item. Insanely delicious flavor Black Miso Chicken Una Tama Don Yakiniku Don Await the Moon Sapporo read more

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The vegetable curry was good. The ambiance inside is very nice and can be a little loud, so just be prepared for that (there is limited outdoor seating). The food came out very fast, which is good because there are no reservations so the turnaround time works since people are waiting. The vegan options are a few appetizers and the two entrees, one of which is the vegetable curry. It was good but nothing amazing. The staff was helpful and friendly and the overall experience was nice. read more

Benemon - Vegetable Curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

This place is a great little spot with a nice vibe and have an extensive menu of sake. The tuna tataki was amazing and melty. Kaarage was well fried, and the soft shell crab was also a great dish to share. I think the Donburi was just average, but well priced and probably better to share. I would go here just for the apps and sake since there's a great selection. read more

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Got the tuna app and the pork Katsu. The curry is amazing and loved they made the Katsu individual fried fingers. Was really great. read more

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This restaurant deserves its reputation as the ultimate example. I found the dessert options particularly excellent. The restaurant crew shows exceptional attention to needs. This place is situated perfectly. We'll make time to return. read more

This Japanese place is sweet. It's kind of small but cozy. Its casual vibe help you relax and enjoy their food. I had the Japanese curry chicken. Creamy and sweet with a little spice. Its was sensational. It came with a side of delicious rice. Not what I expected from a Japanese place but I enjoyed it. read more

The aesthetics here is unreal!! Such a cute date spot. If you are looking for some Japanese comfort food, you have to come here! They have some really yummy donburi! I got the una-tama don and my boyfriend got the yakiniku. Both where so good! But I definitely love the una-tama more! If you love the fluffy egg and eel, you have to get the una-tama. The egg is so fluffy and soft and they give you the perfect amount of eel. The sauce broth is amazing and goes nicely on the rice. I also love the sake selection here! Highly recommend this place! read more

Benemon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Interesting cocktails with welcoming and unfamiliar flavors. Oily yet deliciously flavored beef with rice. Not too fatty eel but a bit too sweet. I prefer dashi tofu but what they offer was an interesting take, the mushy/sticky fried tofu in sweet sticky sauce really peaked my tastebuds. The creamy salmon with some type of aioli which wasn't awful but far too much of was slopped on making it hard to enjoy the fish but if you push the slop aside the dish is quite tasty. Overall I'd definitely go back for the explosion of flavors and people watching (sit by the window:). read more

Benemon - White clouds - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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We stopped by on a rainy afternoon and could not have chosen a better place! The mood of the restaurant is perfect. A little dark but just the right amount for a meal. We got the black miso chicken this time, which was fantastic, but the karrage is amazing too. The katsu don is an amazing sweet salty savory and the unagi is huuuuge. 10/10 would always go again read more

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20/10 im in tears thinking about her. This spot is now in my top 3 for Izakaya. Me and bf wanted to look for an izakaya but with a more romantic and chill ambiance versus a more lively one, and decided to try this place out. Completely blew us away. The drinks were creative and delicious. The food was INSANE! -Smoked Pork Belly: must get this, we ordered twice of this, absolutely delicious - smoky, tender -Anchovy Fried Potatoes: I always get potato when I visit iazakayas so of course I highly anticipated for how the dish would be like. Awesome- this potato was excellent, we also ordered twice lol -Beef tataki: not pictured but also very good, thinly sliced, well season, a little tangy -Miso chicken was ok I would highly recommend for a chill night/date night. Can't wait to visit again! read more

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You don't see many Japanese restaurants that aren't either sushi joints or ramen houses. It's been years since I've been to a restaurant that only serves traditional Japanese entrees like donburi bowls and curries. The Fried Anchovy Potatoes were delicious. They are both garlicky and perfectly salty from the Parmesan and anchovies. I could have had more anchovy flavor, but I'd definitely recommend. It was so cold and rainy, so I ordered one of my favorite Japanese comfort foods. Oyakodon. It translates to "parent and child" because it contains eggs and chicken. Oyakodon is cooked in one pan where onions, chicken, and egg are simmered in an umami-rich, dashi-based sauce. It is then poured over a bowl of rice. It's a simple dish, but I love it. Benemon's did not disappoint. The Curry with Katsu Chicken is really good. Often times, restaurants serve pre breaded, prepackaged katsu chicken that has been frozen and then fried. Disappointing. Getting curry right is something many restaurants can do, but a really good katsu chicken is rare. I liked Benemon. It was authentic and the service was good. read more

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I have to give this place a three. A couple hours later I kinda feel a bit sick, but it's not because of poisoning, it's just that there is a LOT of oil in the food. We got three small plates and two main plates for two people - I think it's too much. Size down because the heaviness will hit you later! The taste of this place is fine, it's solid, but I didn't like the texture of some foods (karaage and unagi) and and the slight fishiness of some of the foods (soft shell and unagi). I hate to question the maintenance of the foods, as the restaurant seems clean and well-organized. Maybe I was just unlucky with the proteins that were given by their provider. I did like the shrimp tempura, and I like that it came with a dipping salt and ponzu sauce. The chicken karaage was not really my thing. Inside the exterior was some fatty tissue/skin which was unpleasant to me. The soft shell crab kinda tasted funky, not what I am used to...like honestly the legs were fine, but the body of it tasted a bit funky. Like too seafoody and off, I wasn't sure what to make of it. The unagi don was not my favorite either. I've had eel preparations that are tender and soft, but this one was in comparison chewy, and it came out a bit lukewarm. I did not like the texture...but it looks gorgeous. The chicken katsu curry was my favorite, I really liked the sauce and the pickled veggie. I wasn't in love with the presentation though, I would have preferred a more traditional look (slices of chicken, not nuggets). Service was good, ambiance is lovely. I don't think I would come back though :( I hovered between a 3 and a 4 but I ultimately decided on a 3 because I don't see myself returning. I also don't live super close by though! read more

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Cozy spot with delicious Japanese comfort food. The flavors are rich and authentic, and the service is always kind and attentive. Great for a quiet meal. read more

So glad I found this place! They dont take reservations but we were able to get a table around 8 on a Friday. Service was very friendly and quick, and the ambiance inside is super cute. We ordered the baked Salmon, Karage, and Chicken Katsu Curry. Everything was DELICIOUS and came out piping hot. Will definitely need to come back to try to Unagi bowl (grilled eel). They also had a very fun and creative cocktail menu which I would be open to trying next time! read more

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Delicious food! Ordered the tempura appetizer, yakiniku don (generous portion), sudachi spritz, and Suigei Junmai Koiku 54 sake. All were superlative, along with the small touches on the table and place settings. Arrive early (6-ish) for a quiet catch up -- it gets crowded starting around 7pm. read more