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We passed along the restaurant in the neighborhood and the inside looked so cozy and vibey with warm lighting. Luckily it was happy hour and got to have a couple cocktails $2 off each and shared some appetizers. I loved the salmon crispy rice (great portion sizing) and my friend loved the roasted carrots with the honey ginger yogurt. The only thing we had a comment on was the ramen was too salty but otherwise the pork in it tasted like carnitas. Service was wonderful and checked up frequently, with some great dessert recommendations.
This place looks more like a bar than a restaurant with the kind of wooden interior and dim lighting you'd see at a pub rather than a ramen restaurant. It's kind of a surprise twist that they have a full menu of Hawaiian and Asian fusion food, including ramen, which is what I came here seeking. I was just turned away from the perpetually packed Yuji Ramen down the block so I reluctantly settled on Suzume as plan B. The place wasn't empty, but the distinct lack of a wait time felt telling. My veggie mazemen arrived looking pretty promising. It was a photogenic bowl with fried tofu, edamame, pickled red onions, scallions, fried cauliflower, and a poached egg. The colorful components seemed prepared with some level of care, but looks can be deceiving. Maybe without the foundation of a broth, the bowl lacked umami and felt flavorless. I'm not exactly characterizing Suzume as bad, but it's firmly in the realm of perfectly fine.
A friend suggested Suzume on the way home from a long trip and a savory, starchy meal was exactly what I needed. The interior surprised me from the second I walked in, because it had more of a hipster bar feel than that of a ramen spot which was enticing. I was also thankful the restaurant wasn't particularly crowded on a Sunday afternoon so there was no wait to be seated as a group. The crispy chicken bao buns already gave me insight into how good of a meal I was in for, in that they had just the right amount of mingling of flavors while also staying very juicy. For my main dish, I ordered the pork ramen with garlic sesame oil and it did not disappoint. It's one of those meals that's so satisfying and comforting, you wish you never had to stop eating it. I'll definitely be coming back to Suzume for lunch.
A moody and intimate spot for dinner last night with the girlfriend! Cocktail program was phenomenal. Ordered the Plum Velvet & Jiggly Caliente -- both really great. For food, we ordered the Salmon Crispy rice, Shrimp & Avocado Salad, & the Togarashi Tofu dry noodles. Everything was tasty & well portioned. Wish there was a touch more salt in the crispy rice, felt a little flat. My only complaint was the service. There was only one server taking orders and running food out. Had to wait a while and ask multiple times for a side of chili oil, stood up to ask for the bill, etc. . Nonetheless, delicious, intimate and tasty!
A close, tight space--you're like three feet away from the table next to you. Long hanging lights create a really dim, low-light ambiance. If you like eating in the dark, this place fits the bill, but most places are like that. We went around 7-8 PM. First thing they ask is if you have reservations. We didn't, but we got lucky because it wasn't too packed. They gave us the option of sitting by the door or at the door--we chose the door, where the table is right next to the entrance. Luckily, it was a warmer day in February. For appetizers, they only offered their special that day which were: calamari or tofu. We went with the calamari. It wasn't anything too special--the sauce made the experience--but it wasn't worth $12. For the main course, we picked the popular items: salmon and pork ramen. At first, it looks like a small portion, but the deep bowl is misleading--it's actually filling. The broth was well-seasoned and hit the spot. There's a good amount of salmon which is great. We added a poached egg each for $2.50. We spent around $80 after tip and tax for two people. Note they charge 4% for card. The biggest downside? The wait. It took almost 30 minutes for our ramen to arrive, and the table next to us (who sat down 15 minutes after us) got theirs right after we did.
Service: 3.9/5 Food: 3.7/5 Confused by the vibe. The bar takes up too much space for it to feel like a proper restaurant, however the menu begs to differ. Very dark inside, had to read by candlelight/phone flashlight. Not enough tables to accommodate their popularity. Would really only come back for the lunch special (seems like a really good deal!) + to try their 1 mocktail. What I Ordered: - Spicy Butter Wings: interesting flavor combo. not super spicy, just a little kick + having the yogurt dipping sauce helped - Pork ramen: not too greasy or salty, good broth, filling - Mazeman: like a bibimbap with noodles, though it wasn't clear from the beginning nor did it mix as well. Fried tofu was good
Nice little dinner place with tasty drinks. We had the mazemen, the desert island cocktail (very much recommend!!), the fried chicken (very flavorful giant karaage), and the butter wings. The mazemen wasn't my favorite (salty and the cream of mushroom sauce was kind of an odd touch) but everything else was very tasty. Wanted to try the miso cod but they were unfortunately out! Service was a bit slow but it was height of dinner time. Overall we had a great time!
Best happy hour deal in Williamsburg; bar none. Came here with a friend, who is a regular, after months of him practically screaming at me to go here for the happy hour. 2 fried chicken baos with a shot and a beer for $18. INSANE. The servers are cool and the bartenders are great. Good beer selection and great cocktails to boot. The chicken baos are so dang good. Perfectly fried chicken with the soft and spongey bao, pickled jalapenos and fresh lettuce, and a spicy and tangy sauce. It was so good, my friend and I did the deal twice. It's such an unassuming spot that does fill up later in the evening, but a cool interior and good amount of seating. Great for dates, early happy hour, or just a place to get a drink! Will absolutely go back and I will probably write another review about HOW GOOD THE HAPPY HOUR DEAL IS HERE.
Very excited to grab a walk in table but apparently RSVPs would be better! Very cute and intimate place, great service. The food was great, especially the chicken and pork spring rolls. The ramen was a good filling and flavorful broth although the pork was a bit interesting to taste for me.. the margarita was great-strong and tasty!
This is a cute place but a little pricey for the portion size. As far as the menu goes, the place leans more Hawaiian than it does Japanese. They still have some great Japanese staples like sushi and ramen. When we walked in all the tables had been reserved but there was plenty of seating at the bar. Initially I only ordered the crispy rice salmon, which was good, but I definitely needed more for dinner. After that I also ordered the poke salmon bowl which was delicious but also wished I had more of. Service was kind and very prompt since we sat at the bar. Atmosphere is dark and cozy and would be a cute date spot. Small note - they charge a 4% credit card fee.
Wanted to love it, but Suzume came up short. We had a reservation and it still took time for us to sit down. The service we got that followed was incredibly slow - seemed like there was only one server for the whole restaurant? Doesn't work. Our server didn't come by our table for long periods of time when we wanted to order, and the food took FOREVER to come out, even the drinks too. I ordered the salmon ramen. Loved the broth and the soy egg (though I was it was not $3), but the salmon filet...great size, and at first I liked it, but I was SO thrown off by it being almost half raw. Like a piece of practically rare salmon. They didn't ask how I wanted it cooked, which perhaps they should...I just think that if you're intentionally serving partially raw salmon, there should be a note on the menu or a verbal notice. It was incredibly off putting. Another person at my table ordered it as well, and his filet seemed to be much less raw than mine. It was incredible jarring and weird to bit into a medium rare filet without warning. So...odd. Not a great overall experience, with such slow service and wait times.
Came here on a Friday night with friends for dinner and overall, I loved it. It is a cute small restaurant on the corner of a block in Williamsburg. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars rather than 5 is because I think the prices are rather high for the food. Still a place that I would recommend going to at least once if you are looking to try a new place for dinner. I would recommend ordering their spring rolls and chicken wings. I think out of everything that we got, those two were the most unique and worth it. I also tried their Hawaiian chicken rice bowl and it was good, but not as great as I thought it would be. The flavors didn't mesh that well and the sauce of the chicken just tasted salty to me. Note: Make sure to try to make a reservation on Resy if you don't want to wait and they charge a 4% credit card fee.
9 years ago
One of my favorite ramen spots! I've been here a few times but every time I can't help but get the yao yao ramen! Smaller portions but still filling. The broth is very flavorful but doesn't leave me feeling a little nauseous like some other fattier ramen broths do. The braised pork is very tender and melts in your mouth. The noodles are always cooked perfectly al dente. Boyfriend got the grilled salmon ramen which is one of his favorites! It's a small and cozy spot with an extremely friendly staff!! Love this place! read more
11 years ago
Decent bowl of salmon ramen, portion is good, you get what you pay for. The unique salmon flavor makes this a really good alternative from the traditional pork bowl. The ramen was $11, and $2 extra for a poached egg. I would probably gave it 5 stars if the $11 came with the poached egg. Overall, good neighborhood gem. read more
Came here and tried a few of the dishes over sake. The chicken adobo and pork tacos were amazing. Not traditional by any means but very well seasoned and balanced. Also tried the tuna poke sushi which was good but not that special. The thing that I would not recommend was a mushroom from the special menu which fell really flat. I wanted the spam musubi, but my friend wasn't interested. Maybe it's time to find a new friend. read more
8 years ago
Cute little corner spot with a casual but elevated vibe thanks to the dark wooden decor. I had the yaoyao ramen which was actually quite different from most ramen I've tasted, but satisfying and quite filling. The broth itself was rich and thick, though I thought it could have been spicier, and the thin noodles al dente perfection. I say if you're expecting a traditional Japanese tonkotsu, you might be surprised, but overall worth trying and coming back for. read more
11 years ago
Good job Sue I got that ramen and it was fancy. Good fucking job. Me and Morgan got that yaoyao ramen. Good job. Gwynna got that fried chicken thing. Good job. Dan got that salmon ramen. He said it was okay. Tried it myself and tasted pretty fishy and he's right--it was okay. I think I'm sick but this was good. Good boy, Sue. read more
Delicious food. Tiny portions. That was probably the main takeaway from dinner at Suzume. I came here for dinner not too hungry but with a friend who was ravenous. We ordered: Spam Musubi ($5): Probably the first time I've had spam in almost a decade and boy did i miss it. That nostalgic processed flavor that coats your tongue in saltiness was mellowed out by the rice and sweetness from the pineapple jam. I would definitely come back to order this again! Spicy Scallop Sushi ($3.50 per piece): Super fresh scallop and avocado. Also aesthetically pleasing since everything was cut proportionally! Didn't notice much spice though and for $3.50 for each small piece was not really worth it. Yao Yao Ramen ($11): Pretty darn perfect. A thick pork shoulder broth that was super flavorful yet at the same time not overwhelmingly salty. Noodles were perfectly cooked to a little more than an al dente consistency. Portion size was perfect since I wasn't really hungry and am also a tiny 4'10 person but probably not enough for someone that was actually hungry. Hawaiian Chicken Rice Bowl ($11+$2 egg): Really unique and tasty! Had a few bites but was a big fan of the macaroni salad. Would definitely recommend for a light dinner. No credit cards though - cash only! read more
13 years ago
Arriving in Brooklyn on a cold October night, we just wanted a nice hot bowl of soup. Thank goodness we decided to go for ramen and not pho, or else we will never discover this wonderful place called Suzume. We were automatically sold when we saw outside that they have happy hour and SPAM! What a perfect combo! We normally don't see spam in the menu, so for spam lovers like us, we were instantaneously hook. (Can you sense my excitement?!) The place is small. Tables and chairs are close together. You can see the bar, the soup making corner, and the kitchen from the front window seats. If you have a big group, they don't take reservation and it's cash only. I have never been to a lot of ramen place and I am not a ramen expert but by far, this is the best ramen I ever had. I ordered the YaoYao Ramen. The broth is so succulent, it's nothing I have ever tasted before. The pork is so tender and the veggies are perfectly cooked. I think the ramen maybe too soft for my taste but it's is still delicious. Hubby got the Roasted Salmon Ramen and wow! The broth tasted like it was made from fish head boiled all day to get that wonderful seafood broth essence. This ramen is also spicy, perfect for fall weather. We also tried the peashooter bok choy salad with calamansi shallot vin and cashew tuile. Really refreshing salad and you can taste the calamansi flavor. Yum! Never thought bok choy can be eaten as a salad. We always cooked this veggie. I know I said the spam attracted us, but we can always cook spam at home so we didn't bother ordering this time. Besides the spam, I think next time we will try the chicken adobo, San Miguel dark beer and of course the spam musubi. Till then ..... read more
5 years ago
11 years ago
Only few items on menu so it should be perfection?.. Salmon ramen, salmon was good but soup base was bland, no flavors, noodles tasted like the ones you buy in the fridge in the supermarket. Same for pork ramen. Soup no flavors. Tacos, pork was not tasty. Spam ap..u can make at home. read more
7 years ago
Delicious flavor, nice atmosphere, friendly service. Very pleasant experience! Would come back read more
11 years ago
I really wanted to like this place more, but the ramen isn't the best I've had. Maybe I've just been spoiled, but I didn't find anything too special about their selection. I tried both the salmon and the pork shoulder. The salmon had better broth, but the fish itself was pretty tasteless. The pork broth wasn't as full in flavor (a little sour), but the pork shoulder was so tender and melty. The noodles were more reminiscent of wonton noodles in terms of texture, size, and lack of springiness. Up to you to decide if that's good or bad. I also tried the spicy scallop roll. It wasn't spicy at all, but it was pretty fresh. We also ordered the spam musubi, but it never came (we weren't charged for it). The space itself is a bit uncomfortable. If you sit at the tables against the store front window, you have limited elbow room between tables. If you're in the middle table, you have nowhere to put your coat (if the coat rack all the way in the back is full). The backless stools are also uncomfortable and I hit my head on the overhead light twice (okay, maybe that last one was my fault). Service was good, and I really want this place to exist since it's so conveniently located off the Lorimer/Metropolitan stop. Maybe next time I'll sit at the bar. It's also cheaper than a lot of Western-style ramen places, but it's also cash only. Bowls are also a bit smaller than I'm used to. read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
5 years ago
A small dimly lit bar that happens to serve ramen on their small menu. The bartender also brings out the food to all the tables as well as the bar and also serve drinks at the bar and tables and take food orders so if you are sitting at the bar, it takes a long time to get her attention to take the order and when you're closing out especially when it is busy. I had the Yaoyao ramen $11 with a poached egg add on +$2. The pork shoulder was shredded and tender, bok choy nicely blanched, noodles a bit too soft, egg well poached, with lots of sesame seeds sprinkled over the top. The broth was thick and I expected a lot more flavor but seemed very bland. It also needed some salt. Overall, a cute neighborhood spot but not somewhere I would make the trip out to. read more
11 years ago
Attentive staffs, average food. went to williamsburg to find a nice spot to have dinner with friend. We ended up coming here because the originally picked spot had a long waiting list. I like this place, even though it s very small, but it's cozy. Tried their scallop sushi, it was not as fresh as I had at other sushi places, bad choice. We had a roll, and and the other appetizer. I tried the today special, chicken ramen, the chicken was tender, but the broth tasted like, braised chicken with hot water soup base, i was not amazed but rather bored. It is a good hang out/happy hour/tappas spot.....just to chill and chat. It's not a great place to have dinner for real food craving though. read more
13 years ago
Best pork ramen and very tasty sushi/sashimi.. It is our new neighborhood sushi place. I love their bar, very stylish but also comfy. Try crispy tuna roll!! read more
7 years ago
6 years ago
Very solid. Cool, small space. Chill, laid back atmosphere. Bar and table seating. Dark and quiet. Would be a nice date spot. I went here with my brother though, funny enough. We started with the Kalifornia roll, which was decent. It has kani, cucumber, and avocado. I think there was some roe placed on it? I'm not quite sure. I got the yaoyao ramen and my brother got the grilled salmon. I thought the yaoyao ramen was really great. It's what you want out of a ramen. The broth was flavorful, and the noodles were prime. The salmon ramen was ok in my opinion. My brother enjoyed it more than I did. I found it to be slightly lacking in flavor, a little more bland. But hey, if that's what you want, go for it. Adding some hot sauce made it better. I didn't like the noodles in the salmon ramen as much, but that is personal preference. We ended up ordering an extra side of the noodles (no broth) that was in the yaoyao ramen to eat with the leftover broth. It was a good move for sure. Suzume isn't a very authentic ramen spot but it still has great food! read more
8 years ago
9 years ago
9 years ago
I love the Japanese-Hawaiian influence of the food at Suzume. I saw it on an episode of Munchies, and had to come and try their spam musubi. We sat at the bar on a busy Monday night, but had a very pleasant experience nonetheless. It's a quaint neighborhood spot and the dim lighting lends a nice, intimate setting. The service was great, and the food came out in a relatively short amount of time. The musubi did not disappoint, but that's because SPAM, aka, the food of the gods, was one of the ingredients (hard to go wrong here). I will say, I didn't care for the small chunks of pineapple, and the scallion rice could have used a bit more scallion, something about it was missing for me. I guess it just could not compare to supermarket spam musubi (from the Pono Market in Kapaa, Kauai'i, Hawaii. Their rice is mind-blowing!!). The musubi is listed under "snacks" ($6 for two pieces). We also ordered the "Hawaiian Fried Chicken Rice Bowl" ($13 - pineapple mac salad, market greens), and the "Ginger Scallion Noodle" ($13-pickled red onion, tofu, market veggies). I started with the chicken bowl, and then switched with my husband for the noodle bowl. I preferred the latter over the rice bowl. It was a little dark at the restaurant, so I couldn't tell if the chicken was slightly under-cooked, because it looked a little pink to me. The noodles were a much safer bet, so I enjoyed eating that instead. A few gripes about the noodle dish was it being a bit too oily and kind of too salty, as well. The pickled red onion really help cut the grease and helped save this dish for me. The noodles were superb as well, the flavor and texture were spot on. I would give this place 3 stars, but I think the value exceeded my under-met expectations of this place, and, I also liked the vibe a lot, and would definitely come back again. P.S. FYI - This is a CASH ONLY place, which is kind of a rarity (and an annoyance) in hipstery Brooklyn locales, but nevertheless, be prepared, or have a debit card with you, because they have an ATM machine located at the back, near the bathroom. read more
3 years ago
Business owner information
Jill J.
Thank you, Madelyn! We are always happy to see you. We appreciate you!
9 years ago
This place is so cute and cozy. I got here before 7 on a Thursday and it was already pretty crowded and people coming in after us were given a 15-20 minute wait time. (We were sitting right next to the door which is how I know that). It is cash only, which I don't like. But they have an ATM in the back. I had the Ginanjuice cocktail which I loved. I love beets in general, but having that flavor in a cocktail with some ginger was so unique and refreshing. I had the musubi and a salmon and avocado roll. The presentation of the sushi was really pretty, and everything was delicious. read more
12 years ago
This tiny place is just a killer!! Totally entered there by pure hazard and really loved it! It's really small, but cozy and warm atmosphere inside. Quite a hipster place ! The menu is simple and easy. The California rolls are really good and fresh. But the real part is their delicious ramen/soup bowls. Incredibly tasty and full of flavors! A shame that they weren't bigger! Prices are pretty acceptable and definitely make you leave the place happy and with a warm belly! Loved it! read more
8 years ago
I stopped by for a quick bite since I was in the area. Managed to snag a bar spot. The space is relatively small and there's no real place to wait inside before you're seated. The place is super cozy and a great spot to take a date. I got the crispy spicy tuna roll and the spicy butter wings. Everything was great, but not incredibly mind blowing. I would recommend the spicy butter wings, which come with a yogurt dip. Stop by if you're in the area! read more
4 years ago
Cute little Japanese place in Brooklyn. Tables are small so no large parties and the wait can sometimes be long but it's super good and delicious. Their poke sushi and fried chicken bowl is amazing. The pork belly bao - divine! Skip the ramen, you can get better elsewhere. Also the spam musubi with pineapple teriyaki is sooooo good!! Converted one of my friends who talked crap about spam and then he ordered his own after trying ours read more
6 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
9 years ago
Ordered Vegetarian Ramen and Yao Yao as well as chicken wings, the chicken wings were nice but cold which was strange the ramen was noting o write home about over all the place is not worth visiting if you are in the mood for a good ramen. read more
9 years ago
9 years ago
The Ramen here was exactly what I needed and the staff was extremely friendly. A great neighborhood staple. read more
7 years ago
More info about Suzume
545 Lorimer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Williamsburg - North Side
Directions
(718) 957-2853
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https://suzumebk.com
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