I am much less cool than I used to be, so we ended up at Dr. Clark for after dinner drinks that took place before most people here ended up coming in for dinner. #parenthood What we discovered is a lamb-heavy menu, some interesting-sounding cocktails, and an apathetic server who occasionally verged on rude. I'm a weirdo and immediately wanted to order the Lamb Shot (nikka vodka, lamb consomme, yuzu, served in a highball) but they didn't have it available. Instead, I drank a wasabi margarita that was too heavy on the lime (something I never thought I'd say). We stayed for another round and ordered some dessert just because; the basque cheesecake was solid, albeit a tiny portion, and I preferred it over the matcha chocolates. The crowd that filtered in as we sat there was fascinating, with some folks dressed in literal ballgowns, and some (in the same party) looking unhoused. When it was time to vacate our table to find another bar, we found that our server had added gratuity, which I suppose is a good move if you're going to be rude to your customers. I'm not sure I'll make it back, but the menu does look interesting. read more

Hokkaido food is rare to find and I was excited to try this but unfortunately I left a bit disappointed and still hungry. I got the Jingisukan and uni risotto as well as a drink. I thought overall the prices were quite high and not reflective of what was given. The uni risotto was definitely my favorite as it had a nice smokiness but even then, the uni itself tasted a bit soapy and not very fresh. It's also a small portion for the price of $32. The Jingisukan is a minimum of 2 orders and I decided to get the lamb and mushroom. The mushrooms cost $18 and it was a small bowl of chopped mushrooms that were definitely not $18 worth. The lamb was only a few pieces as well. I thought the concept was interesting and would definitely try it again, but in Hokkaido. I would personally not return unless changes are made. I had really wanted to come out excited but unfortunately I did not. read more

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A rare find and a great spot for some unique Japanese fare. You wouldn't know by the name or the minimal signage... But inside is a cool casual dining atmosphere and full bar. That explains the really dark lighting. I had not expected it to be that dark when I stepped in (I felt awkward since I was with two older guests that really could've preferred a better lit restaurant). Oops But the experience more than made up for that. They were eager to try this place as none of us had been before. I only found it on a web search and was excited to try after reading about the menu and the Chef. I didn't get to meet the Chef this visit since we didn't order the lamb specialty where they cook it at your table. Instead we did try the delicious lamb chops (3 PC order). Those were very delicious and not gamey. Well seasoned and had a great sear. We also wanted sashimi so we tried the jalapeno yellowtail with garlic, scallops sashimi, and salmon as well. All were great quality. Super fresh and tasty. Perfect on a summer evening since the sashimi is a cooler temperature and it's light fare. My must try order was the mushroom stir fry udon and the uni pasta. Both were very different flavors and good in it's own category. The mushrooms in particular were very flavorful. Great umami. Udon was the perfect texture (no soggy noodles here)! And the uni pasta was definitely rich and creamy. I only wished the uni was not just on top. Was hoping for extra uni flavor in the noodles. But no matter, I still enjoyed it. It was a heavy pasta dish compared to everything else we ordered. Our favorite dish was the bang bang salmon. Moist and baked to perfection in the foil. The sauce is the star of this dish. Must have! (Skip the burnt basque cheesecake...it was not memorable and too little cherry jam). Service was great and while the place was not packed, it did get busier as the night went on. We dined early at 6:30pm on a Saturday but I'd imagine more people later in the night, especially for the bar. Beautifully stocked bar with all the right Japanese Whisky and Bitters. read more

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Hokkaido Cuisine on the Spotlight @drclarkhouse Found in the most unusual place one would find an authentic Japanese restaurant, the corner of Baxter and Bayard Streets in Chinatown, is this spot named after an American scholar who was hired by the Japanese government to establish an agricultural college in Hokkaido. Dr. Clark may have been instrumental in bringing lamb to the island. In this restaurant, the lamb BBQ is a surprise favorite and perfect treat for the suddenly freezing New York. Post dinner treat is fittingly nostalgic, it's a revival of karaoke in a former singalong bar. Then bar serves cocktails that are made to Japanese perfection with prices that are pleasantly stuck in the year 2000s. Also, it's the only dining trip where I willingly finished two kinds of noodles because they were so delicious. Representing the West is the generous heaping of uni spaghetti ( And if you have ever eaten your way to Japan, you will know that the Japanese are fond of their Italian restaurants, and if you have been to Italy, you will see many young Japanese chefs in working and learning in celebrated Italian kitchens.) and representing the East is the smoky lamb bbq and curry-ish udon. They are both umami bombs I can't stop eating. Oishi, @drclarkhouse ! #curious_eater #hokkaidofood #hokkaidoisnotjapan read more

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Amazing chill vibe, ok food. I was really excited to try this place but it wasnt a great experience. The staff was nice enough but very absent, also not helpful when it comes to recommendations which felt odd. I will say that lamb chops SLAPPED! Really good. read more

I came here with some friends for my birthday and had a great time! Food was kind of pricier but since it's Hokkaido food I don't feel bad paying more for it because I think this is the only place with that theme. We had the table top grill for mushrooms and jingisukan lamb & yaki udon. This is pretty mediocre for the price- I wouldn't get this again. Everything else was really good - the chawanmushi, Hokkaido kaisen, uni French fries (these were not fried but I really enjoyed the flavor since it is uni tasting), veggie yaki soba and lastly the best was the ramen salad. I would definitely come back regularly for the ramen salad and I'm going to try the addictive cabbage next time! I love that it opens late everyday and this is the only place still open with an open kitchen for late nights in Chinatown. read more

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It's ok, but for the price of some dishes it should be better. Ramen salad is $18, and is literally cold ramen noodles over some lettuce with a hard boiled egg. Stuffed squid (rings) with rice $25. Squid is a cheap protein so the price seemed high for an app. Lamb chops with tempura string beans was good. The tempura string beans were delicious! Space in this little restaurant was tight and sound levels were high. This place is hip for Chinatown , therefore attracts a younger crowd. read more

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I've walked pass their outdoor setup a few times where people had thick blankets and a tabletop grills. Then by chance, a friend selected Dr. Clark to celebrate our birthdays. The interior space is trendy and the booth we got was cosy. We got the Hokkaido set course - a 9 course meal for $85pp. The staff was friendly and spaced out our courses well. The fish courses were the highlights IMO. The grilled king salmon was buttery and silky. The sashimi was fresh and the chinmi platter was a mix of textures with a unique salmon jerky. The lamb based dishes were a bit overdone so it was a bit of a miss. For the dessert course, we had a strawberry cream harumaki, which was light and crispy but a weak end to the meal. I think I would give them a 3.5, but rounded up as it may be a better spot with overflowing drinks and I appreciate the glassware aesthetics on our table. read more

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I was impressed with the aesthetics of the place and was intrigued by their menu, so I dined here on a whim during my visit to NY. Unfortunately, neither the food nor the service lived up to the expectations. The lamb grill was quite mediocre and extremely salty. We were advised to try their grilled udon noodles with the lamb so we opted to do so. The udon noodles definitely helped, but the overall dish was still super salty. I ended up having to order an additional bowl of white rice to help ease the saltiness, which, took asking for 3 times to 2 separate waiters and waitresses. It didn't help that our dining experience was definitely furthered ruined by another table seated near us that talked at a ridiculously loud volume. That had nothing to do with the wait staff or restaurant, but it did take away from our experience overall. read more

Dr. Clark - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Came here for a friend's birthday and made reservations ahead of time. We were seating promptly and service is very friendly! I think it is pretty pricey for the quantity and quality. I got the hakkido kaisen (basically raw fish over rice- kind of like a poke bowl)- it was $35. I feel like for $35 I would get more fish at other places. It was a pretty small portion. My friend got the uni pasta, risotto, ramen salad, and fried chicken. The fried chicken came with 4 decent sized pieces. They said the ramen salad and uni pasta were pretty good. Portions are not that large so if you are hungry you should prob order a few more dishes. For drinks I got the oolong Hi - it was not very good so I would not recommend this. I think the place is decent but the portions just are on the smaller side and not satisfying. read more

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The outdoor setup is what intrigued my friend and I to check out this place. They're known for their "Kotatsu" tables, a Northern Japanese tradition where there's a low table with a heated bottom, then covered with a blanket. You'll be expected to take off your shoes, sit directly on the floor, with the blanket covering you. These tables are heating your lower body, controlled by your own remote. There are no additional heaters for your upper body, so I'd bring something for those cold NYC chilly days if you're the type that gets cold easily. They have a great concept but unfortunately the entire meal and experience was subpar at best. I decided to try their Jingisukan alc, and other alc items. Jingisukan ALC: I was so disappointed to find what "served with chives, onions, and bean sprouts" meant. I had an expectation that I was getting some flavorful grilled meat, with a side of chives, onions, and bean sprouts but that wasn't the case. The grill came, and it was only some mushroom on top of a lot of those veggies, then some lamb on top of lot of those veggies. And by some, I mean a little. The ratio was off and ruined my meal. The grilled mushrooms and lamb was soaked in the water the veggies were producing. The lamb and mushroom I was anticipating was actually just overly peppered, bland, wet, and overcooked. What the point of the table top grill? Risotto Omelette w. Crab & Caviar: risotto filling wrapped with a dry outer egg 'omlette' exterior, topped with lots of ikura 'caviar', and a bite or two of crab meat. It was unappetizing and difficult to finish off the plate. Uni Pasta: Pasta - cooked al dente, just right with a good punch of umami flavor Sauce - light layer, right amount of creaminess, very mild uni flavor uni - uni in the pasta seemed like some low grade uni from Chile, it was super small, and had many specks of black whereas the uni on top was bright orange and seemed like it was a mid grade uni from Maine. taste? no brine, no sweetness, mediocre creaminess, none to flat uni flavor. Overall, I was disappointed by the lack of flavors, and would've never been interested in a wet bbq. I walked in starving and that still didn't cut it. It could've been possible that I had ordered all the wrong things because the flavors just didn't make sense to me. read more

Came here tonight for a friends birthday and lovedddd this place so much! The staff was super friendly, very knowledgeable of the menu, and took their time to answer our questions. The vibe and layout of the restaurant also made it very easy to chat amongst a larger group, which is hard when coming to a place for a birthday party sometimes! I really appreciated that! We ordered a few orders of the uni fries which were delicious and then I ordered the lamb yakisoba but subbed for udon noodles. Decently tasty dish but I wish the portion was just a bit bigger! I honestly left still feeling kinda hungry. For drinks I grabbed the Sakura Sour which I thought was perfect. Definitely recommend that one! read more

This place is worth checking out for the heated seats alone. During covid winter, being able to eat outside without frostbite is a luxury! Based on the kotatsu style table, you sit in a shallow alcove heated from the bottom up. There are wool blankets and pillows to add to your comfort...although I don't think they wash the blankets between patrons. As long as you don't sneeze into the blanket or lick them, you should be good. Ambiance: 5/5 The food, although pricey, is very good. We had spicy lamb jingisukan, a type of Japanese bbq adopted from Ghenghis Khan. The dish had a good balance of spice/flavor, and it didn't have that gamey taste, and also left a nice flavor on the grill for the soba noodles afterward. We also had the sashimi and holy cow...some of the best yellowfin I've ever had! It wasn't cheap but you get quality for the effort. Finally, the scallop risotto was truly decadent; creamy yet firm, the rice served as the ideal vehicle for the seared scallop. Food: 4.5/5 The drinks were the most average part of the meal; I had the ume sour, made with rice-distilled Shochu. Crisp and light, it was a good palette cleanser but not remarkable. My partner had the Clark's remedy: a whiskey, tea, and ginger drink; it was strong and not as smooth as one would like. Still both were fine with the meal. Drinks: 3.5/5 The waiter gave excellent and polite service; they didn't hurry us and checked on our table often. Service: 4.5/5 Overall this is a great place to try during winter, and the place has a nice interior that included original touches and flare...too bad covid prevents indoor dining. It's a nice look on the way to the bathroom! read more

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TLDR: If you want to do the outdoor dining, this is definitely one of the more unique options out there. Food is okay but definitely on the pricier side. Go knowing that you are paying more for the experience. Yes, I had to see what all the fuss was about. Went on a week night that was quite cold - we reserved the kotatsu dining so we were seated on the sidewalk. It is a cool setup to see in-person. The footwells are warmed and the blankets do help. If you used to hang out in CT, Dr. Clark has taken over what was previously Winnie's. Food. "Zangi" Hokkaido fried chicken. Didn't like this, not crispy, batter was kind of soft and flavor was lacking. There was a light dressing of kewpie, nori and sesame seeds. From what I know about this style of fried chicken, it's closer in prep to a tatsuta age. I would not try this again. Scallop risotto. Awfully small portion size but tasty. Not risotto-y in the traditional sense. It was not very creamy, tasted more of a buttered fried race with an obvious addition of sake. If looking at taste alone, solid. Lamb curry. This was the clear winner for me. Probably the tiniest curry portion I've ever seen for $18 but there was incredible flavor and real heat here. Best dish of the night. Jingisukan. Yes, what makes this place a Hokkaido style restaurant is the grill that resembles Genghis Khan's helmet. We did a classic/spicy. Lamb was not gamey, thin-sliced so it is small portions with the BBQ too. You can skip the classic, the spicy had a solid marinade. Udon was decent but nothing I'd go out of my way for. All in all, it is cool to experience the kotatsu. Food-wise, I think there are many other options out there. The lamb curry was the clear winner for me. If I were to come back to Dr. Clark again, it wouldn't be for the kotatsu and certainly not the BBQ. The lamb curry was good enough that I'd perhaps try it again. Also odd for such a pricy restaurant in the heart of CT which is home to some of the city's best cheap eats. read more

This place is all about the aesthetic and nothing else. Went there with 3 people as a walk in and waited 5 minutes for a table. It's a lot of fun sitting at a kotatsu with your friends and you're even able to make reservation online. Covid precautions are a bit questionable since you are sitting at a kotatsu and they can't exactly clean it after each group leaves. My friend said the bedding definitely smelled. However, they change the table cloth to a new one after each party and they have sanitizer at the table. We ordered the classic jingisukan lamb x 2, ground lamb curry rice and scallop risotto. The lamb was decent but really salty, which seeped into the udon. My group was surprised by how small the meat portions were for two orders. It was a nice experience to eat meat off the grill outdoors but the flavor didn't pass for us and was subpar. The risotto scallop was good with the first bite and was a nice appetizer to start with but again, the same problem persisted with it being overly salty. It was one scallop chopped into 3 pieces served with rice on the shell. The highlight was definitely the ground lamb curry rice. It was a table favorite with great balance in the flavor. 10/10 would recommend this dish. Overall, this place has a great aesthetic but the food is mediocre. I'm hoping that maybe the sashimi cuts are better if we ever decide to come back. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to try the drinks since everyone was driving. Another thing to note was that the servers were rushing us out as we were coming to the end of our meal. Apparently, they needed the table for a reservation that was made and they have a 90 minute limit, but we were probably only there for an hour. We ended up just quickly eating whatever we had left and paying the check early to help them out with their situation. However, they should probably be more organized about the seating situation in the future. read more

Dr. Clark - Lamb Curry Rice and Scallop Risotto - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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We came here for my friends birthday because she is Japanese and also miss the kotatsu from back home. The kotatsu are amazing especially during the cold months in Japan and seeing them here brought back nostalgia but with this coziness unfortunately it could not help with overpriced less than average food, tiny portions and meh service. Food order: Jingisukan Yakisoba: it was less than average, very small portion, and high price for a street stall food for 18 dollars Ramen Salad: very small portion, and exactly what you think for 12 bucks eek! Zangi Fried Chicken: average chicken karaage for 14 bucks French Fries Uni: we could not find any uni flavor... it was just soggy fries for 14 bucks Lamp chop marinated: a complete rip off, tiny portion and for 18 bucks Smoke Salmon Onigiri: probably the biggest disappointment of them all... super salty and 7 bucks each! You could get better service, food, value for price, and service at actual Japanese restaurants on St. Marc place... hard skip unless you want to experience a kotatsu, order one item of food and then leave. read more

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The newest restaurant from Yudai Kanayama, the man behind lots of other great spots like Izakaya and Hanon, just opened in the former Lalito locaiton on Bayard. This one is a Japanese style BBQ restaurant focused on lamb, which is popular in a region of Hokkaido. It will eventually have tabletop cooking it seems, from poking my head in and seeing tables strewn about the not yet ready space, as it just opened in the middle of the pandemic. As such, the menu is probably very different right now than it will be, offering a short list of choices, mostly involving lamb. Try the lamb over rice or the lamb curry for an excellent, satisfying meal. The Raman Salad is also a great way to start. read more

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I was really excited to try this place! I thought the idea of kotatsu outside with friends was fun and new and I had high expectations, especially from what I saw on tik tok. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype for me. The food was okay. Nothing made me feel compelled to come back. Perhaps I didn't order the correct things or perhaps it was an off day. I even came hungry. We had the classic jingisukan and yakiudon add-on, risotto omelette, zangi, basque cheesecake, and vanilla soft serve. I think the best thing we had was the vanilla soft serve. While I did enjoy conversation with the staff, it often seemed as though the staff were disorganized. Several times it seemed like there was a lack of communication between the staff- a couple times things were forgotten or two/three people would come to check whether or not we got the same thing. It also took us a while to get their attention for water, plates, and the check. This ultimately extended our stay at the restaurant a lot longer than planned. I want to give this place another shot but for now, I'd advise others to only come if you feel truly compelled to try the outdoor kotatsu experience and you have ample time. read more

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Came early and the restaurant was empty. Sat at the bar. Vibe felt kind of dead and the servers were nice, but also seemed kind of uninterested in being there. The cocktails were excellent. I remember getting something gingery with whiskey and quite liked it. After reading mixed reviews, I stuck to the popular dishes and they didn't disappoint. The addictive cabbage had a sweet, salty mayo with little crunchy bits and was delicious. I just wish this dish was a little colder. The Uni pasta was amazing. So rich from the sea urchin with Al dente pasta. My husband wanted one of these all to himself. We also had the rack of lamb, which was three pieces of lamb grilled with a sweet soy glaze served with green bean tempura. The glaze had a perfect balance of sweet and savory with a nice char on the tender lamb morsels. Tempura was perfectly cracklingly crisp. Great execution all around. read more

Giving this place 4 stars purely on the basis of the addictive cabbage. That dish is incredible, six dollars, and I would eat it every day if I could. To step back for a moment, there was a lot of hype around Dr. Clark before we went, I would say it both did and did not live up to it. The atmosphere was okay, a little dark and a little cramped (especially in covid times), but the cocktails were good and the prices are fair. The food consisted of both hits and misses: we got the cabbage (outrageous), the squid stuffed with uni rice (some bites were incredible and some were a little too fishy), the risotto omelette with crab (I liked it but some of my friends didn't), and the classic lamb jingisukan with udon noodles (yuuuuuum). On the whole, I thought the food was good and the prices were fair, but the restaurant as a whole was probably a little overrated. Will go back with more refined ordering (just the jingisukan and the cabbage) read more

Dr. Clark - Risotto Omelette with Crab and Ikura - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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What WORLD am I living in, if this is considered ok to serve people low grade food and charge astronomical prices. From top to bottom, every single dish off their prix fixe was horrendous. I'm not even exaggerating. We kept looking around the restaurant to gauge the reactions from other patrons, because every bite we had, we were wincing. Leaving food untouched even though their portions were bite sized. Right off the bat, we were unhappy the moment we were seated indoors- because we were forced to order prix fixe. And not only that, but every person in your party had to order the SAME prix fixe. Why wasn't this a disclaimer when we made reservations online? We stayed, because how bad could it be? & Lo and behold..... We ordered the cheapest option: Dr. Clarks Choice ($65) First course- the Sashimi. Good presentation but small portions. Fresh (ish) and no real complaints. It was whatever. We didn't have much to comment. And then.... Second course- Lamb Tataki. Cold and tasted like it was washed in soap. A chemical taste and foul. My face scrunched up and scoured. What is this?!?! What did I just eat??? Third course- jingisukan table-top grill with udon. While my sister received the vegetarian option of mushrooms. Let me tell you- this was the biggest joke of all. Our lamb this time was TOUGH as leather. As if they got the absolute cheapest part of the lamb and did absolute nothing to make it taste otherwise. And the portions were actually comical! But hey, we were thankful they didn't try to give us more. It was so inedible. While my sisters mushrooms had absolute zero flavor. They cut up the mushrooms and cooked it on the grill. No seasoning, nothing. Why did I come out and pay $65 for something I can do for $1? Then the udon!!! We took a bite and looked at each other. Why does it taste like the cheap udon you find at supermarkets that's been over cooked and just tossed in soy sauce? This can't be real.... Fourth course- if you can even call it a course. The Scallop Risotto. Why was it called a risotto? It was NOT in the least bit creamy. And the flavors were so weird. All I tasted was the last minute addition of freshly cracked pepper on top. And it was legit served in a tiny condiment cup. Please refer to my photo for accurate depiction of this "course". Fifth course- dessert. Burnt basque cheesecake. At this point we just took a teeny bite and wanted to leave. It was the most dense and driest cheesecake New York City has ever seen. The vegetarian counterpart was this vegan chocolate cake. It was the most grainy piece of cake we've ever had. Oddly- we were given the Zangi Fried Chicken. Perhaps they were mistaken to give us as it was not listed as part of the Dr. Clark's Choice. But it was the toughest and STRINGY-EST chicken we've ever had. How exactly does one mess up fried chicken? It seemed like it was a chicken thigh but it was not juicy or moist, but tough and so hard to chew. Entire meal was 0/10 stars. Covid or not- you can't serve this to people and get away with it. Seeing their outdoor tables, they were packed to the brim. Their outdoor kotatsu was definitely unique but reading the other reviews- it did not seem to be COVID friendly. Please spend your money on the hardworking mom and pop shops in Chinatown instead. read more

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First of all, I have been dying to try out the outdoor kotatsu, traditional Japanese tables with a built in heater, this whole winter! I also really love Hokkaido style food which Dr. Clark is known for. I went with a group of 3 total. It was a sunny warm day (60s) so we kept the heater off but it was such a fun experience all the same! I felt relatively safe thanks to the outdoor nature of the kotatsu. The experience itself was really nice-- you take your shoes off, don't worry if you don't/can't sit cross legged for a long period of time, there's actually a bench hidden by the attached quilt/table so you're just sitting normally. The food was pretty good! Like I said it's all Hokkaido style. Hokkaido is known for its lamb especially its lamb yakiniku, jingusukan, but we chose not to do yakiniku this time. Once we're all vaccinated I'd love to come back for the all you can eat yakiniku indoors! We instead got the lamb yakisoba which was delicious and a good portion. My boyfriend ordered the lamb tataki which was good but pretty steeply priced at $20 for 5 pieces with no other side dishes or rice. That might be my one issue with the restaurant. Not sure if they meant the tataki as a whole meal (which it cannot be) but it was merely separated into types of meat such as lamb, chicken, fish, etc. I would've liked to see it under a different category perhaps appetizers or to share. We did order appetizers though and they were good! I got the uni fries. I have nothing bad to say about fries. Couldn't really taste the uni in the mayo cream but it tasted good? My boyfriend did not go hungry because he ordered the Hokkaido fried chicken which was an extremely generous portion and we all approved of! Overall can't wait to come back, but it is a bit pricey for what you get. read more

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You wont miss it, even if you can't see it, you'll definitely smell it! Ambiance 5/5 I would say if theres a reason why I would come back, it's definitely the setting and the service. Heated blankets and nice music in a true outdoor dining area. Very cute hut and japanese style seats. Service 5/5 Impeccable! Eveyrone was wearing a mask Food 5/5 We got the tasting menu. We think the price of $65 per pax is very reasonable for the quality and amount of food you're getting. I love the sashimi and scallop fried rice. I hate to say this but the infmaous lamb bbq was good... but I did also had better ones. I would definitely recommend for a cute date night! we had a very enjoyable dinner! read more

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We came here for a friend's birthday and were seated promptly with a reservation. The outdoor seating is very spacious with the large booths. The table ordered a variety of food and drinks, but the service was very slow and not attentive. When we needed more water or a drink refill, we had to flag our waitress down to order it. It got pretty bad. The food itself was delicious and there is a good variety of options on the menu. The meals came out slowly and staggered, which left some of us already done with our meals before others' food even arrived at the table. We also had an entree forgotten, so we had to remind our waitress about it while we continued to wait. The portion sizes were disappointing, so we had some people in our party still hungry at the end of the meal. The prices here don't seem to correlate with the amount of food for the value. read more

Having tried Hokkaidan ramen before in Japan, I was excited to see a Hokkaidan restaurant in New York with hopes that it would be authentic. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I had originally been allured by the outdoor kotatsu tables where you sit under blankets on a mat, Japanese style but no reservations were available 1.5 weeks out so we opted to sit inside. Unfortunately, the only options for sitting inside were a mandatory pre fix menu or all you can eat on a limited 4 tables. I was excited to try the Dr. Clark's choice which is $65/pp and has all the fixings - what you'd probably order anyways. Here was my experience with the food: sashimi - smoked salmon, yellowtail and scallop. First off, smoked salmon isn't sashimi so don't even try. Yellowtail was hard, almost as if it hadn't defrosted all the way. Scallop was doused in an unappetizing sour sauce that I tried to wash off but still reeks of tartness lamb tataki - 2 unseasoned medium rare cooked pieces of lamb (1 per person). Hotpot meat would have been better Zangi - fried chicken, perk was that it was dark meat but honestly, we had Jolibee earlier that day and it was 10x better .. jingisukan table-top grill with udon - aka a small butane flame where the waitress places bean sprouts, chives and onions on a grill that hasn't been preheated, she walks away to serve another table, only to come back and place thin slices of lamb on the grill for almost 7 mins (aka OVERCOOKED) - not one word to us the whole time. She put all in a bowl, then spread some udon out and left again. I couldn't watch anymore and started cooking it myself, when she came back 3-5 mins later she looked surprised that I had taken initiative and seemed to try to appear more attentive after that.. scallop risotto - the sake butter is very potent, not sure if it was supposed to be cooked off but after some dousing of water and after asking the kitchen for some salt, it was ok but I shouldn't have to fix anything from a prefix menu Dessert - red bean slapped on burnt style cheesecake, hard AF and was also sitting on the counter - IN FRONT OF OUR TABLE on the bar for 10 minutes. Self serve would've been more appropriate in my opinion. Our booth was opposite the bar and I found it unprofessional for food preparation to be happening right in front of customers, literally 5 feet away. So we saw everytime they filled up new water pitchers and placed it on the bar as reserve, but still somehow took 10 mins to get us a new water pitcher? And at one point we heard a waiter ask "how many pieces are in the sashimi" i know they opened right before COVID shut down last year and are experiencing many financial difficulties, but their kotatsu tables are booked out for weeks and every table indoors is spending at least $120+ so that will recover soon. However, I fear if their customer service, authenticity, ingredients don't improve, it will simply become an overhyped restaurant that people Instagram for the kotatsu table experience and nothing more. I really wanted to give it a higher rating but I can't - I literally ran to Paris baguette afterwards to cleanse my palate of this mediocrity. read more

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Had super high expectations for this place after hearing rave reviews from multiple friends, but was quite honestly a tad disappointed. Giving Dr Clark a solid 3.75/5 for the price you pay considering the very small portion size. I would come if you were a smaller party (4 or less) and definitely once the sun is down to fully experience the atmosphere and ambience of the restaurant. The Uni Bottarga pasta was the star of the night, leaving me wanting more after every bite. The quality is great and the restaurant concept is evident throughout all the little touches; Bode uniforms, really lovely dried flowers hanging in the interior. But, if you're seeking out great food, you can probably find it elsewhere and at a much more reasonable price. read more

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I really wanted to love my experience here, they seem to have a good kitchen and their heated outside tables are a brilliant idea but even though we made a reservation it still took them 35 minutes to seat us, after which we had to wait over an hour to receive any food at the tables. Our waitress was very nice but definitely had too much to drink that night, and she wasn't the only one, several guests were ignoring the face mask rules and walking in and out of the restaurant without any cover, someone even knocked over a glass flower pot in the bathroom so the floor was covered in shards. They need new management ASAP and to stop receiving so many reservations because they clearly can't handle them. I'd also recommend putting signs up and telling costumers that they can only stay at the tables for 90 minutes (unless it's not busy). read more

Dr. Clark - Took us an hour to get this sashimi combo and they used the wrong fish - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

TL;DR: + Nice Ambiance (Kotatsu Tables!) + Authentic Hokkaido style Japanese Food + Delicious Jingisukan cooked by a Japanese cook + Food tasted fresh - Servers often forgot orders - Pricey for small portions As a Japanese American, I was curious to try this place after watching a video about this place on TikTok. We went without a reservation on a Friday and asked for a table of 3 and they were able to seat us a non-kotatsu table. All the kotatsu (tables that are heated underneath so that it keeps your legs warm) were booked up so unfortunately, we didn't get to try sitting in one. I'll highly suggest making a reservation so that you can experience dining in a Kotatsu. I ordered the Ume Sour for my drink and I liked it a lot. It was refreshing and easy to drink. I think some people might be confused because Shochu Sours aren't the same thing as traditional Sour cocktails. My girlfriend got the Sapporo draft which is also a good option that goes well with Japanese food. We had the Sashimi Combo to start with and we were surprised at how small the portion was. For $33 we were expecting a lot more, there were 2 types of sashimi and maybe 3-5 slices of each. It was also dressed in a more Western way than Japanese as it used olive oil which was interesting. Don't get me wrong, it was very tasty and fresh tasting so in terms of taste it was fantastic. It just felt a bit small for the price. And then we get to the star of the show which was the Jingisukan. We ordered both the normal and spicy with the Yaki Udon. I'll also suggest getting rice on the side as it goes well with the Jingisukan. We had a Japanese staff cook in front of us. We had a nice conversation and it was pleasant to talk to him. He cooked the Jingisukan very well and the lamb and leeks, onions, bean sprouts just all tasted fresh. Definitely get the Jingisukan if you go here! We finished off with the Zangi (Hokkaido style fried chicken) and the Addictive Cabbage and the servers forgot to bring out one of the dish as well as some of our drink orders. Both dishes were very good. You'll like it if you like mayo based dishes. Overall I really liked the restaurant. The Kotatsu idea is clever and original. The food was fresh and tasty. And I think they really try to bring authentic Hokkaido dishes to NYC. Yes, the servers could be more attentive but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt because it has been a crazy year with COVID. If you don't mind the slightly high prices for small dishes I highly suggest checking this restaurant out. read more

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Fried chicken: I'll preface this by saying i had jolibee several hours prior. The fry on the chicken was poor. It was soft without a crunch. The greens under the chicken fortunately soaked up the oil, but they probably should it rest longer. My other issue was the sauce, which was seemingly inert. Even the sauce, which is supposed to ADD flavors just made the chicken soggier. Sashimi: smoked salmon was one of the three items plated, but we were shocked this was part of the meal. We literally have had a better taste from Costco. The bbq items were either too salty or bland. We asked for salt. Front service: what front service? In our 90 minutes, we saw countless patrons enter nearly the bar to find someone to ask for a reservation or check in. read more

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I was a little wary of trying this place as the reviews on Yelp weren't great (citing poor service and small portions). Fortunately, we had a great time. The service was attentive - and our waiters Luis and Kate checked in often and were super friendly. On a cold day when our table wasn't quite ready when we arrived, they went above and beyond to make sure we were seated as promptly as possible and that the food stayed warm (even bringing an extra plate to help us cover the rice so it didn't lose heat). The food itself was tasty. The fried chicken was a nice big portion and we were a little regretful that we had eaten so much of it when the lamb came (as the lamb was plentiful and filling, especially with the udon noodles and a side of rice). We definitely didn't need the chicken on top of that but it was all tasty. The cocktails were also quite good. Is it a little pricier? Yes, but the kotatsu table experience combined with the quality of the food made it all worthwhile. We would definitely return. read more

One of the coolest AND warmest outdoor dining setups. The Kotatsus (Japanese heated tables) + blankets were incredibly warm and at one point my legs were getting hot even though it was 30 degrees outside. The service was incredible. It was extremely busy, but the entire staff was very attentive, helpful and all around fantastic. 10 out of 10. The food was frankly mediocre at best though. I think the best thing we ate was the addictive cabbage. The uni rice stuffed squid was interesting. Everything else was kinda meh. Either too bland or too salty or not particularly memorable. I would still recommend it though based on the cool set up and service. Perhaps the other dishes like uni pasta sashimi, etc are better. read more

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Cozy trendy home style tasting menu. Comfortable kotatsu heated table. Service is good and fast. Food is amazing for the price point. Good location because its close to nice bars. The scallop risotto is the best. read more

Dr. Clark - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

We were attracted here by the kotatsu (heated blanket seating) with little expectation of the food because of prejudices from 3.5 star review, location of Chinatown, and a very non-japanese sounding name of the restaurant. However we were pleasantly surprised by the cordial service and the taste of the food! We ordered two orders of the spicy jingisukan lamb, which I found out actually is Hokkaido specialty. The bbq style is named after genkisghan because the domed skillet it uses is shaped like his helmet. The lamb is gamey and spcied slightly similar to northeastern Chinese food but milder. It is unlike any Japanese food I have had so far, in an unexpected good way. They serve the udon following the lamb also grilled on the skillet and its quite tasty with good balance of bounciness and thickness not like the fake stuff you sometimes get at hotpot places. We are definitely coming back next time and would try their cabbage and fried chicken at some point! read more

Dr. Clark - Jingisukan (Hokkaido style bbq) lamb - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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The uniqueness of Dr. Clark is in its Outdoor Kakatsu, where you take off your shoes and sit on an outdoor table, family-style. However, upon getting there, I wouldn't say it lived up to its hype - the experience was not wicked cool because we just took our shoes off to sit on a bench... it felt the same as any regular outdoor dining except with socks! We got a Ume Shochu Sour which was quite a unique drink & tasty and a fancy-looking Money Gato cocktail (would order both again). I was looking forward to the Jingisukan Table-top Grill food, as they cooked the Mushroom, Vegetables, and Udon in front of us. However, while it was nice to watch the process unfold, the food itself was pretty mild and not incredibly tasty. Overall, this was just a fine experience at Dr. Clark. read more

Dr. Clark - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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This spot is honestly mediocre. I'm really sad to say this, but I would have to rate this place a 3 out of 5. We started off with uni french fries, which is supposed to have uni mixed into the sauce and drizzled onto the fries which tasted like literally just French fries. My friends and I could not taste the sauce nor the uni. Then we moved onto the ramen salad which, we should've avoided from the name itself. I have nothing to say about that. The Jamison lamb tasted bland. And the mushroom yakisoba was decent. Overall, I was disappointed by the food. Service was decent. Our waiter was friendly but he did NOT know how to read the table which got my friends and I somewhat annoyed towards the end as he stopped by pretty often and stood at the end of the table awkwardly. (My friends and I were slightly bothered by this because we were all servers and felt as if he didn't know how to read the table / know when to step in and out) read more

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My friends and I came to Dr. Clark on a Saturday at noon. We had made reservations for outdoor dining with the kotatsu. Unfortunately, we were counting on colder weather, but were hit with the spring of deception! Dr. Clark's location and ambiance is also not aligned with their price point. Perhaps the interior is different, but we only saw the outside. The sectioning of the kotatsu area allowed for social distancing, so it was covid-safe. For food, we ordered the jingisukan yakisoba ($18), lamb tataki ($20), uni french fries ($14), and the zangi fried chicken ($14). For lunch, these prices are already really expensive, in my opinion, but I could see the use of lamb pushing up the price point. The yakisoba was a lamb yakisoba, and it was just lamb and noodles, nothing special. The lamb tataki was listed under entrees, but all you get is a few pieces of lamb (see picture)! So DO NOT order this as your entrée! It also was average, so definitely not worth the price. All I could taste with the fries was the mayo, which should not be $14. Finally, the fried chicken was moist, which I find rare, but the skin was flavorless and doused in mayo. I understand that this is a Japanese thing, but I just prefer crispy, flavorful skin. The one saving grace of the chicken was the portion size, which was great due to the tiny tataki portion! Overall, I thought the food here was nowhere near worth it. There were no stand out dishes for a meal that was $100 for 3 people. Service was also nothing special. Our server did one checkback, but nothing notable. I would only recommend coming here if you were in the area and wanted to try out the kotatsu, but definitely would not recommend for the food. read more

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Nice vegan options: The beet and radish carpaccio was pretty delish, especially for a salad. Tangy, well seasoned dressing, fresh tofu. The beets had absorbed some of the dressing so they weren't too beety and might have actually been the star of the salad, a shock. The jingisukan mushrooms and Yaki udon weren't super special in flavor or texture, but they were tasty in a basic way and a satisfying vegan combo. The flavors I picked up on were sesame oil, soy sauce, maybe ginger. And I enjoyed the Chardonnay. And good service. read more

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NYC has really stepped up its outdoor dining game due to the pandemic, and Dr. Clark has one of the most unique set ups I've seen thus far. They have kotatsus which can seat 2-6 people, and they are reservation only! This special table has a Japanese heater with remote control underneath it so your lower body stays super warm. You also must remove your shoes before entering the kotatsu. We started off with the Uni French Fries (~$14). These French fries are mixed with their house-made cream sauce. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The cream sauce was very light and tasty, although I didn't get much uni flavor. We also got the Zangi (~$14) which is Hokkaido-style fried chicken. Now this, wow. The chicken was so juicy yet so crispy on the outside. I was impressed. It was topped with a cream sauce and also served with a salty/citrusy sauce. The portion size for this one is great for sharing! The Scallop Risotto (~$7) was rather unique so we decided to give it a try too. This one was my favorite! It is served in a shell and cooked with sake butter. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the sake buttery was well incorporated into the scallops and risotto. The portion is a bit small. I almost got another one because of how good it was. Now onto the Jingisukan Table Top Grill. For this option, they require a minimum of two orders per table. We got the Classic Jingisukan Lamb (~$18) and the Spicy Jingisukan Lamb (~$20). The jingisukan is thinly sliced lamb marinated for several days. It is served with bean sprouts, onions, and chives. We also added Yaki Udon (~$5) to be served after the jingisukan is cooked at the table. They come around and cook it for you which is nice but not necessary, in my opinion. Especially during dinner when they were busy with other tables, we kind of had to wait there and hope they got back to remove the meat off the grill. Overall, the customer service was lacking. It seemed like they didn't have enough workers to accommodate for all the tables they were serving. Both the classic and spicy jingisukan lambs were good, but nothing special. I liked the added bean sprouts, onions, chives, and Yaki Udon at the end but the meats could use a lot more flavor or at least a dipping sauce. It was a good try but again, nothing special. All in all, Dr. Clark was a nice outdoor dining experience. Despite sitting outside, we were warm the whole time! It was a unique sitting arrangement but I really enjoyed it. Majority of the food we got was good but this is a one-time try for me. The menu isn't huge so you can try a good amount of items in one visit. The flavors could be a lot better for the price paid. Nonetheless, it was a fun try! read more

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I wish I could give them 3.5 stars. I think this would be a fun place to bring a big group, especially with their winter dining setup, but everything about this place was just fine. We showed up on time for our reservation and still had to wait. Service wasn't the fastest, food and drinks were just ok, not the most flavorful or well made. All the plates were super small which meant you had to order a ton for a party with more than two people. I would order the preset menu for simplicity as it wasn't the easiest menu to navigate. Overall I was just underwhelmed. They have such a cool concept and seating area that I wanted to love, but a lot of it fell flat Follow me on Instagram @eatenbysteph read more

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Overpriced, Overrated (Considering it's three stars lol. I mean....Maybe good.), Not authentic. I found out about this place, because someone stuck a poster on a pole a few blocks down. It intrigued me so much, I instantly had to go. They have a cook kotatsu set up outside, which made it perfect for COVID. They get a little annoying and posh about reservations in the afternoon. But if you're just coming for a drink they may let you in. Aren't places that act like they're doing YOU a favour so annoying? Anyway, this review is for drinks and the service. It was around 7 when I arrived. There was a small group of three sat at a table inside. They were arguing intensely with the manager lmao. I don't know what about but I should have taken that for a sign. I waited about ten minutes, and then bartender showed up. He asked what I wanted. I ordered a lemon drop shochu. Average. Weak. Not worth 8 dollars. The bartender then disappeared. The group behind me was still shouting at the manager about their bill or service or something. I decided the whole thing wasn't worth the experience and waited around looking for a bartender. Another guy showed up, and closed me out. I gave him twenty dollars for my eight dollar drink. He gave me ten dollars back. Not processing, I apologised and asked for change to leave him a tip. He says, Oh yeah. I don't have any. This place-- like ugh. I always ask for change and we just don't have any ever." Again, not processing I apologise for the lack of tip and leave. Then I realise actually HOL' UP. I ordered an eight dollar drink, so YOU just took the change and tipped yourself two dollars lmao. WHAT??? It's the principle and the brazenness of this dude that just throws me for a loop I was gonna leave this place two stars, but thinking about the whole experience has made me annoyed again. I wondered why the score was so low, but I understand now. Also shout out to the manager, and rest of the staff shit talking the group of three. I wouldn't recommend this place, especially now that find cheaper and authentic Japanese food more readily available in NYC (With way better service lol) This place is a mess. read more