Really good, Asian approved. The ramen is delicious, and the tuna is great. Nothing beats a warm bowl of ramen in a cold rainy day in NYC

Had reservations for 3 on a Tuesday afternoon, and were seated at a booth on the left hand side of the izakaya soon after we arrived. (There's regular tables on the right hand side and a bar in the back.) The food and drink menu is available through QR codes at the table. We selected 6 dishes and 3 desserts to share. The Ankimo came with three pieces of monkfish liver and scallions in a ponzu wasabi sauce. It was a nice start to the meal, with its creamy texture and rich flavor. The Age Tofu came with three cubes of fried tofu that had a slightly chewy exterior and a pillowy soft interior. The bonito flakes and dashi broth gave it a punch of flavor. It was my first time ever having Mentaiko Pasta, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was creamy and the spiciness of the cod roe sauce was subtle--it kind of creeps up on you after a few bites and gives the dish a little kick. I felt like the cod roe flavor shone through, and the bacon added another dimension to it. The Hotate Carpaccio came with 6 slices of Hokkaido scallops, ikura, and a mustard soy dressing. It was a delicate dish that I enjoyed, especially after the heavier Mentaiko. The Cold Soba Green Tea was my favorite dish. It was so refreshing. All the ingredients went very well together--the green tea noodles had a good bite, the salmon sashimi was very fresh, the ikura added a nice brininess when you pop them, and the dashi broth provided a nice backdrop to the dish. The sashimi in the Kaisen Don was fresh, and came with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, octopus, and ikura. The dessert menu is found at the end of the drinks menu. We got one of each dessert: the sweet potato balls with hojicha ice cream, cheesecake with yuzu sorbet, and black sesame ice cream with red beans. The sweet potato balls were SOOO GOOD--crispy exterior and chewy interior, with just the right touch of sweetness. The hojicha ice cream was so good. We regret not having ordered an extra set of the sweet potato balls. The cheesecake was a little dry, but had these little rice crispies on top that gave a nice textural change. The yuzu sorbet was a good palate cleanser. The black sesame ice cream was rich and creamy, and the red bean sauce added an extra layer of sweetness. Sozai is a great place to share a few dishes. I definitely want to come back to check out the lunch specials. read more

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Ambiance (5/5): The restaurant has dark lighting with private dining booths, bar seating, floor seating. The overall noise level was moderate but within the private booths it wasn't so bad. Service (4/5): We were immediately seated at our reservation time. We found it difficult to get attention when we needed it. The warm sake was not timed very well as we had to ask for it again when the food had already come out. However, the food came out fairly quickly and we were out of there within an hour. Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen (5/5): The broth was super rich with tons of flavor. I enjoyed the pork belly pieces which were large, tender, good blend of meat to fat. The ramen also had a handful of toppings including a half egg, dehydrated lotus root (cool!), mushrooms, green onions. I loved the bounce of the noodles as well. It also felt like a sizable portion. Spicy Tuna roll (3/5): Not a fan of the cut or flavor but my partner seemed to enjoy it. Curry Udon: I liked the taste of the curry udon which similarly had tons of flavor and large portion size. read more

Sozai - Spicy Ty - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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3.5 stars The good: cold green tea soba with salmon and ikura. They used a cold dashi soy sauce based broth and it worked well where I may have to make this at home after a visit to Mitsuwa. Mentaiko don tasted good, but I have had better. Chicken karaage was cooked perfectly and had a delicious aioli with citrus. Tako wasa was fresh and good. HH until 6pm with $10 apps and highball drinks I liked the yuzu highball it was refreshing! The not so good: the fried squid legs and kibinago were both under seasoned. I usually love fried squid legs at all Japanese izakaya style restaurants but this one was really mediocre and I wouldn't order it again. Maybe even a touch more salt could do the trick for both. Also, the place was tight in seating and you may have to sit right next to others. Since there are many other Izakaya spots in the city, I think I can't give a full four stars. It's decent but I've also had better not far from here! read more

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I was at this Izakaya while walking around a good while ago. They were pretty crowded, so I sat at the bar. The inside was a tad dim, and the bartender was friendly. To drink, I got a pretty reasonably priced highball, one of my typical drinks at izakayas. This was a Chu-Hi, or a highball made with shochu, and it was $14. For the same price or a buck more, there were also options made with whiskey, Toki whiskey, vodka plus yuzu, umeshu, or a paloma with tequila, umami, and grapefruit. Outside of highballs, there was also a pretty sizeable selection of cocktails, sake, and some other drinks, as is typical for an izakaya. My appetizer was the very tasty Hotate Carpaccio for $18, with Hokkaido scallop, ikura, and a mustard soy dressing. This had six relatively large scallop pieces, each topped with a couple of pieces of salmon, and some microgreens for presentation. It was good-quality scallops with a bit of sweetness and a firm texture. The ikura added a pop of fishiness, and the slightly salty and umami-forward soy dressing thankfully did not have too much mustard, which would have overpowered the remaining ingredients. I liked this and would recommend it. The other dish was the Mentaiko Pasta for $17, consisting of spaghetti mixed with creamy spicy cod roe and topped with bacon and seaweed. I have had this wafu pasta dish from a bunch of different places, and this version was alright. Some other spots have more mentaiko, but this spot went the other disappointing way, with the spicy mayo a bit stronger. Therefore, it was a bit less fishy than usual. The pasta was cooked decently, and the bits of bacon were nice and crunchy, but they made the already salty dish saltier. This was fine, but there are several other places where I would recommend this dish much more. The food here was pretty good. It's reasonably priced, at least for Midtown West, and certainly better than many other restaurants in the surrounding area. I would go back here and try some other dishes. read more

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The ambiance in this restaurant is so cute with the dim lights and intimate, minimalist design of the booths. Sunny working at the bar was so kind!! I had a really long jacket but the hooks were too low so my jacket would've dragged on the floor. I sat on it instead and he offered to hang my jacket up for me on the hooks near the front. Very attentive staff and the food came out super quick! The seafood is so so so fresh. I was most excited for the cold soba green tea and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!!!!!! The soba was perfectly al dente and the thickness of each piece of salmon sashimi were perfect. The dashi broth was not excessively salty and I loved the addition of the wasabi. It gave a nice kick to each bite The hotate carpaccio was really good as well. I really liked the mustard soy dressing. I've recently been eating more scallops at different establishments and I'm blown away by the presentations each time!! The hamachi Kama is such a staple for me. I remember going to Japanese restaurants with my parents when I was younger and they would always get this. It tasted exactly like how I remember. It was grilled to perfection. The skin was so crispy. Squeeze a little bit of the lemon and add some radish, perfect bite I recommend making a resy, it was packed on a Friday night! They also have happy hour from 2-6pm, who doesn't love happy hour?????? read more

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Stopped by on a Saturday night without reservation and got seated right away! Host was really nice and service was speedy through the night. Food was excellent! Sake clam miso 10/10 every clam was cooked perfectly, except 1, didn't matter. Broth was delicious, sake flavor subtle, savory and a touch of spice. Very memorable dish. Cold soba green tea 10/10 soba cooked perfectly, salmon sashimi and roe was excellent. Pork katsu 10/10 perfectly cooked. read more

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Really enjoyed Sozai in midtown. Sushi was super fresh and they have interesting different izakaya dishes like green tea soba noodles, curries, fried rice etc. So many options to choose from. Will definitely come back next time we are in NYC. We all loved it. read more

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Loved this hidden gem in midtown where you can find traditional as well as innovative Japanese dishes. We tried the salmon skin salad which was a first for me, tasted quite fresh and the salmon skin was crispy. Everything else we tried was also delicious and amazing. The service staff here are friendly and tentative. From ambiance perspective, I would say this is a cozy and bright spot, perfect for seeing friends, hanging out with family, or even a quick work lunch. read more

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This restaurant has been added to myself and coworkers' top 5 list for lunch orders. We ordered from here on Monday and everyone complimented their entree. Everything from here was delicious. I had the Lemon Miso Salmon and it was cooked to perfection. Definitely a unique entree because who wraps the salmon in potato slices like that? THAT IS GENIUS ! Other coworkers had the fatty tuna and compared it to their experience from Japan. Everybody said this is somewhere they would love to order from again in the near future. The prices for this place, on point, affordable for delicious, fulfilling entrees and gives them a reason to receive 5 stars. I will be ordering from this place and dining in soon with friends/family! Shoutout to Sozai for being a great restaurant with delicious entrees ! read more

This was my second time dining here, and unfortunately it didn't live up to my first visit. The much-hyped clams in miso broth were a letdown. The clams were overcooked, and the broth wasn't savory enough for our liking. The salmon donburi, cod dish, and sake were solid and definitely the highlights of the meal. That said, the experience was off to a bad start when the host immediately told us we had a one hour and thirty minute time limit for the table, which we did not appreciate. Overall, this visit was disappointing, and I won't be returning. read more

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Overview: Overall, the food was good! The interior and ambience is super cute as well. The service was really great too. Very attentive and kind. I would definitely recommend getting a reservation, as it seems to fill up super fast. We got there right before 5pm on a Saturday and by 5:30pm they were packed and people waiting. Definitely want to come back to try the other dishes! What was ordered: Crispy salmon skin salad, kakuni, crab croquette, lemon miso salmon, beef sukiyaki udon, dessert Stand outs: Crab croquette, crispy skin salad, kakuni, beef sukiyaki udon Would I come back/recommend: Yes - I would come back Yes - I would recommend read more

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Udon was really good! The sukiyaki was super flavorful and would def go back for it, only downside is it's a little pricey. Service was fast and ambiance is nice but a bit small inside. Had to wait for 15 min but it wasn't too bad. read more

Sozai - Sukiyaki Beef Udon - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

Sozai is an elevated Japanese izakaya restaurant. Upon entering, the restaurant ambiance is charming and warm. My family and I walked in without knowing many tables were reserved. Although we were unable to dine at a table, we sat at the bar. The menu had a great variety of dishes from hot appetizers to refreshing sashimi and drinks. I got the Mentaiko pasta and enjoyed it! It was creamy, savory, and had an asian twist on beloved carbonara. My mom had the Green Tea Cold Soba and loved it. It was vibrant, light, and refreshing. My sisters had a mushroom miso ramen and shrimp sukiyaki. Overall, this place is wonderful. My family and I highly recommend to visit this restaurant in NYC. The staff is kind and friendly. And lastly, the quality in their food is speaks for itself. read more

Sozai - Cold Soba Green Tea - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Stumbled into Sozai on a weekday night, and we were seated immediately. I love that there's tons of booths to make the restaurant feel so cozy and intimate. We ordered the hamachi miso roll, agedashi tofu, uni sushi, rk curry katsu rice, and miso black cod. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The standouts were for sure the hamachi miso roll and the katsu. Would definitely love to come back! read more

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Who says you can only have izakaya food at night? This place was totally buzzing during Sunday lunch! All the dishes were pretty small so we didn't feel that full afterwards. I really liked the fried potato balls + hojicha ice cream dessert. Definitely get that one if you go! read more

Sozai - Salmon Cold Soba Green Tea - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

We walked into sozai for an early dinner, and we were able to be seated at the bar. I got the raw tako appetizer, which had a strong wasabi fresh flavor. I love the texture and it was really well done and fresh. We also each got a Ramen my go to is always a tonkatsu broth which was amazing on a cold day. We also headed to a show right after and it was the perfect place to go before the theater. The ambience of the place was fantastic. I felt like I was being transported to Japan. I loved their cozy booths that they had. read more

Sozai - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Second visit for Happy Hour! 4/5 Cocktails - Yuzu Highball and Gin Umeshu, very standard flavors. 5/5 Spicy Ebi Roll - we loved this! Crispy shrimp tempura, with generous tuna on top. The textural components added a great sensorial experience. Would definitely order again. 3/5 Mentaiko Pasta -- I was so excited to order this again because I enjoyed it so much during my last visit. Unfortunately, this time it was very salty and "fishy, but not in a good way" as my friend put it. The smokiness it had during my first visit wasnt there this time as well. Unsure I'd order again. read more

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The lemon miso salmon was really good - super tender and not fishy at all. I like the booth seating. Noise level is surprisingly high, but don't bother me as much. read more

We went on a Saturday without a reservation and were seated at the bar after about a 30 min wait. It gets busy so I recommend making a reservation. The ambience is dim and classy. I ordered the Wafu Mushroom Pasta. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing because the flavor were a bit too sweet and for a mushroom dish, there wasn't much mushroom flavor. It was more of an afterthought. We also got the grilled eggplant as an appetizer and that was very sweet. read more

Sozai - Wafu Mushroom - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Walked in without a reservation on a Monday and we were seated within 20 mins. Not pictured but we ordered both of the dinner sushi rolls which were tasty. The fried ube was a good appetizer, however there was not enough dipping sauce to go with the amount of fried ube we were given. Need to improve the sauce ratio. Oddly, there was a spaghetti and bacon dish on the menu, it was creamy with a little spice kick. Unexpected but surprisingly good like getting a parking ticket but realizing it's someone else's car. read more

Sozai - Ube Fried - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Loved this place! Pork katsu curry was cooked perfectly and had a nice crunch. Curry was amazing and the rice was standard. Overall would come back! read more

Sozai - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

I enjoyed lunch at Sozai. It was really busy when I arrived so I had to wait for a table. I ordered the Sake Clams as an appetizer and the set meal of soup and katsu. Everything was tasty. Only thing that could be improved would be to make sure not to cook the katsu too long. The edges were overcooked and so I had to trim each piece and not eat the overcooked. Great service and I like the ambiance read more

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We stopped by here with our 2 kids after touring around New York. It was a bit late around 9pm but we were able to get a booth after 5 minutes. Drinks and food here were really good. The bowl I got was so good. Tuna was super fresh. Would definitely recommend this place and make reservations beforehand. read more

Sozai - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

I got a lunch reservation and got the black miso cod. Very silky and good flavor but there were still a lot of bones left - 6 or so. The portion isn't too big and comes with rice. I also got the genmaicha which was good. The service was pretty rushed. I do want to come back and try their lunch sets - the shrimp curry rice is apparently very good. There are hangers along the wall for coats and such. read more

My family and I dined here after a Broadway show. We were so hungry at that point, and this spot was conveniently close by. Service was pretty good. Our food came at varying times - one of us was half way done with her ramen bowl before my sukiyaki was served! Food was decent overall. My partner and his dad ordered katsudon bowls which were tasty. I wasn't a big fan of the shrimp tempura that came with the sukiyaki (which I asked to have on the side). The batter wasn't cooked all the way because it was mushy/not crispy in the middle. I'd rank it as a 3.7 if I could, but will round up to a 4 considering most of the food was good and it was good service even at 9-10pm on a week day. read more

Sozai - Sukiyaki Shrimp Udon - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

Lovely little izakaya in the middle of a bustling neighborhood filled of tourist traps and bad experiences. The server Farrer (I forgot how to spell it!:( !!) was a darling, always helped us out with ordering and was always available when needed. My favorite dish and the one I will be coming back for was the cold green tea soba noodles with salmon. The fish was so fresh and the broth was so perfectly seasoned. I also ordered a mushroom curry which, for someone who's a curry lover would enjoy. Me, less so but the coating on the mushroom was so delicious although the mushroom itself has a hard to bite texture and without a knife, was impossible to eat. We also ordered a hamachi don, again very fresh and would recommend. We ended the meal with a nice sesame ice cream that paired really nice with the sweet red bean. Overall I would come back if I'm in the area. Really happy with this meal! read more

Sozai - Hamachi Don (GF) - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Expected to spend a lot of money in New York for a good meal on a Friday night, but $20 per ramen bowl this great was a steal for me! My group of 3 got really lucky stopping in at 5:15pm and was able to sit without a reservation, but 10 minutes after we sat there were people being told the bar was a 1 hour wait itself and the tables were booked up with reservations. Please make a reservation, I think I heard something about 2 weeks in advance when the host was talking to another party. Food: was craving ramen and definitely found the right spot for this! Spicy tonkotsu ramen was very flavorful and was not too spicy. The chashu miso had just the right amount of body in the broth without being too salty. 2 large, well-cooked pieces of pork and great toppings, notably the fried lotus piece. Takoyaki was delicious as well. Service: kind, efficient service and food came out quick! Sat down and left in less than 45 minutes including bathroom stops after dinner for my party of 3. Happy hour had a physical menu, and the normal menu was a QR code. Ambiance: there were approx. 8 booths seating 2-4 and a few tables seating up to 4, with a booth and another table up front to accommodate a party of 6-ish. There is bar seating as well. Lighting is dim. Calm environment, can hear your party just fine. 3 bathroom stalls that are very clean, 2 person sink is set outside of the bathroom stall. read more

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Great service, fun and accommodating atmosphere for small groups (4 or less), and delish food. The waitress was on it, fast with drinks, recommendations, and dinner. The don meals were fresh, ramen was good, and sushi roll was great. Nice fresh fish! read more

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Sozai has been on my list for a while and I finally got to check it out! It definitely gets busy, so I'd recommend making a reservation. They also have a happy hour from 5-7 PM. Here's what I ordered: - Tako Wasa (raw octopus with wasabi): I liked this, but just a heads up--the wasabi is strong and can be overpowering. This is a personal preference! - Ankimo (monkfish liver): One of my favorites! Very fresh, rich, and delicious. Very fishy, but again personal preference! - Sake Clams: Light and tasty, and not spicy at all. - Ika Geso (fried squid legs): Crispy, though I didn't care for the wasabi sauce. Tartar would've worked better. Poor pairing... - Kaki Fry (fried oyster): Just okay--nothing special. Probably could've skipped this one. - Hamachi Crudo with truffle: So fresh and refreshing--absolutely loved it. - Salmon Carpaccio: A must order! The dressing was perfectly balanced and not overpowering. - Gyu Tan (grilled beef tongue): Usually a favorite of mine, but this was overcooked and way too chewy. Disappointing :( - Mentaiko Pasta: Flavor was good, but I wish they used udon instead of pasta. They were unable to accommodate. It also wasn't as creamy as I hoped. Slight letdown. - Black Sesame & Hojicha Ice Cream: A nice way to end the meal. Not too sweet. Definitely recommend it! Overall, Sozai is solid and I'd definitely come back to try more of their menu. That said, I'd skip the cocktails--they're weak and a bit boring. read more

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There were 7 of us looking for a nice place to have dinner and luckily this place had openings! We had a wonderful meal here, all the food we ordered was excellent. I so wanted to order more items just to try more dishes, but luckily I was able to see a lot of other people's orders on our table, and there were no misses, every dish was a winner. The ONLY downside to this place was the noise, it was extremely loud to a point where we had a hard time having a conversation and even hearing the staff. read more

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Beautifully designed restaurant. Good spot close to theater district. Warm and inviting. Extensive menu with Japanese favorites. Everything came out very quickly. You might think that with such a large menu, that some of the dishes might not be very good, or the food might not be so fresh. But we tried maybe 10 to 12 different menu items, and everything was beautifully prepared and delicious. I was upset that there was no more Hamachi collar, but we did try the salmon collar and that was good. Everything was delicious, but I'd have to say my favorites were the scallop carpaccio, the miso Seabass, and the mentaiko fried rice. read more

Sozai - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

Came for lunch on a Sunday with a reservation for 4 at 11:30. Here is everything we ordered to share: -Tako Wasa (raw octopus with wasabi) - I usually don't like this dish because the wasabi tends to be overpowering but they didn't put too much here, so it wasn't bad -Hotate Carpaccio (Hokkaido scallop, ikura with mustard soy dressing) - no complaints. I always love a good raw scallop -Sake Clam Miso (steamed clams with miso broth, sesame oil, dried chili, and pea shoots) - flavorful but the clams were small -Salmon Skin Salad (salmon skin, frisee,kale, endive, cappers with wasabi dressing) - I love salmon skin and endives, so this was the perfect salad for me -Kaki Fry (Fried oysters with tartar sauce) - the oysters were good but the coating was a bit oily -Hamachi Kama (grilled hamachi collar) - this was dry and kind of fishy. Some sauce of some sort would have helped -Ton Toro Yaki (Grilled pork neck marinated in soy sauce served with pickled wasabi) - the texture was weird - almost leathery -Miso Black Cod (Grilled black cod marinated with sake lees) - you can't go wrong with miso black cod. This dish was very flavorful and the fish was tender -Mentaiko Pasta (spaghetti with creamy spicy cod roe and bacon topped with seaweed) - this wasn't bad but it was served more warm instead of hot, which makes creamy pasta go clumpy Overall, I think there were too many dishes to choose from. I get that it's an izakaya but if you have too many dishes, I don't think you can focus on making anything really good. None of the dishes we had were outstanding to me or made me think "Wow, that tastes really good!" Everything was just kind of okay and there was nothing you couldn't find at another restaurant. Don't think I'd come back but if you come with a group, you'll probably find a dish for everyone - it just won't be anything amazing. read more

Sozai - Scallops - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Went here for lunch on a weekday and got a delicious salmon donburi! Lots of fresh and buttery fish and I loved the addition of ikura. It was $26 but I also got a miso soup. Service was very prompt and the waitress was nice. read more

I was with my sister who recommended the place to me. We got a collection of plates: Salmon skin salad - crunchy and refreshing Eel rice bowl - shareable and tasty Beef tongue - tasted like beef, no complex texture Octopus sewers - tasty, individual pieces on a sewer The server was very knowledgeable on the menu and gave some recommendations. The food came out quickly. We were sitting in one of the side wooden tables sections. The way the space is curated to be a hall like, it's hard to hear the people at your table since there lots of sound and no place for it to go. Overall the food was delicious and definitely a place to check out. I would not bring groups of people due to the hard of hearing aspect. read more

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I've been wanting to try Sozai for a while and I FINALLY came! This place did not disappoint at all! Drinks were delicious and the yuzu vodka highball was SO refreshing! The soba green tea with sashimi salmon on top was SO good. The tako wasa definitely cleared my friend's sinuses. The ambiance of the place was bright and clean, I can definitely see this as a date spot. But a great spot for just everyday dining or even special occasions. Our waitress/ server Farlarr was super duper nice and attentive. Always checked up on us if the food was good, ready to take our orders and always had a keen eye on cleaning the dishes and refilling our water cups. Come check out Sozai when u can!! Definitely a cute spot! read more

Sozai - Mentaiko Pasta - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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It's a cute restaurant with plenty of seating. The staff was great and friendly. We didn't have a reservation but they accommodated us and informed us that happy hour was still on. We picked a couple of items from the happy hour menu. The tofu appetizer was great. The miso salmon was delicious but the portion was very, very small. The spicy Ramon was wonderful and spicy. The baos were disappointing. The pork tasted good but the baos were rubbery, like they were warmed up with a microwave, not fresh. read more

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Surprisingly authentic as fresh. Prices aren't crazy for the area. Did not expect this for Time Square. Our server Farlarr treated us with first-class service. We come to TS for work every year and will be back next year but with a reservation next time. read more

Japanese izakaya- food was just ok... Here is what we ordered: - sake clam miso (one of their most popular dishes, while the soup is very flavorful, it doesn't really soak into the clams - pork belly (very hard and chewy, and not tender and soft like typical pork belly dishes -beef tongue is decent, but very chewy as well (almost hard to chew). Feels a bit overcooked - black cod is the best out of the ones we ordered, but feel like one can't really screw miso black cod up... Portions are quite small! read more

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Highly recommend getting reservations especially for dinner. I booked 2 weeks in advance and times were very limited. Once checked in we were seated promptly in a booth. We ordered the a bunch of food and we were stuffed. It was pricey but we felt it was worth it. Waitress was very nice as well. read more

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