Honestly, I really enjoyed my time at Izakaya Mew. I love the underground vibe because it gives it…read morethat cozy dim vibe. The servers were pretty attentive and funny, they'd check on us regularly, somehow managing to convince us to get even more items based on what we liked. As a big fan of seafood, I really enjoyed the Scallop Uni Butter Scallop and the Shishamo Fritters. A lot of the items didn't feel heavy which is always a plus with Izakayas, and allowed us to order and try even more items on the menu. Definitely the perfect place to come with a group of friends after work !

Came here for dinner right before a concert. The restaurant was lively and packed, but we had a…read morereservation (which I highly recommend doing!) Got the following dishes: - Hotate (seared scallop) carpaccio (4.5/5) - Chicken nanban (3.5/5) - Kimchi cream udon (4/5) - Mew special roll (4.5/5) - Mochi ice cream (3.5/5) Food came out very quickly, and service was good! Since the restaurant was very busy and had a wait from the moment we entered and left, this is definitely a restaurant you'd spend 1 - 1.5 hr max at with the high table turnover (so avoid if you want a quiet date night). Overall, Izakaya Mew has been a reliable staple for years and will likely continue to be with its great food quality and lively ambiance. (4.5/5)

This location in particular is very small…read more Niku udon - super chewy and flavorful noodles! Broth had a lot of flavor this time too! Meat had one good piece but rest was too dry and/or too fatty 4.5/5 Shrimp tempura - a bit oily but still good! Shrimp is soft and bouncy but wish it was bigger in comparison to the tempura 2.75/5

I was skeptical of this place because I didn't think the price of udon would be worth it. I was…read morewrong. The actual udon noodles themselves are incredible. They're soft but not mushy, and have a nice spring to them. They are genuinely the best udon noodles I've had. Udon and mushroom are two of my favorite things, so it was a no brainer when ordering the seasonal mushroom udon. It comes with all types of mushrooms including maitake, woodear, king oyster, local oyster, and shiitake. It also comes with tororo kombu and tofu. The both is light and flavorful, perfect for a cold night. I wish they would keep this dish permanently because I want to order it again and again. I also liked the frozen grape at the end, it was a nice ending to a good meal. The servers were helpful and the space was on the smaller side. It has minimal decor with wood furniture. The place is tightly packed and busy so just make sure to have a resy booked. Overall, I would highly recommend trying Raku.

Everything we tried was honestly amazing--nothing missed. The service was great too. Portions were…read moregood, and every bite was super enjoyable. The ube tiramisu was a standout. I'm not usually an ube fan, so I wasn't expecting much--but they told us it was just added to the menu and we were some of the first people to try it. After one bite, I literally said "wow" out loud. My friend even laughed because I never react like that unless the food is really good. Overall, everything we had was a solid 10/10. Would definitely come back!

Have been meaning to check this place out for months due to all the hype and attention it's gotten…read more Finally tried it today with a friend and have to say that it was very underwhelming. Got the most popular dishes per the waiter's recommendation and nothing was great. I would say the corn ribs are good but definitely not worth the hype. The corn ice cream was a total miss as it was rock hard and was such a mess to eat. It didn't taste like corn ice cream; rather just vanilla ice cream with a few corn kernels and chocolate. This spot is def one of those IG/TT spots but you don't have to go.

I don't visit NYC too often but when I do, Raku is the #1 spot I always make sure to come back due…read moreto its delicious udon and its soup quality that is not commonly seen in most Japanese restaurants I have been. I have been to famous spots in Japan within Kyoto and Tokyo and Raku definitely is on the top of the list in terms of service, food quality, and vibes. I have ordered to-go, DoorDash and dined in and its never been a disappointment.

Salmon oshizushi was good but I think a bit too much rice for more and was a little too firm. The…read moreudon was perfect and chewy and i really liked the broth. Also a lot of meat which I liked. I wasn't a huge fan of the green tea tiramisu, but then again I don't think I ever am but I always want to try it if places have it It was very busy and we got there like 20 min after our reservation (flight + transportation delays) but they still were able to seat us which is a plus in my book and so grateful for because we had to go to a play after

Had a great time celebrating a coworkers birthday here at Kimura. Was a large group so got to get a…read moreton of things to try. First thing we got may have been my fav, conveniently called Addictive Cabbage it really was addictive like wow I just couldnt stop it was so good. I also looooved the meatballs the marinade was super flavorful. Other appetizer options were pretty tasty as well, the takoyaki was soft and sweet, gyoza were large, and chicken skewers were delish. Split a shabu shabu hot pot which was pretty good, all the meat and toppings were nice but I wasnt really tasting much of the broth! Loved the sauces that came with it. Also don't sleep on the yuzu hot sauce thats on the tables that stuff was fire.

Hotpot is what they're known for! I really enjoyed the collagen nabe…read more Tried their kiss of fire roll. It was nothing extraordinary. Also, tried their skewer combo (scallop, salmon and chicken/scallion). These were ok too. I would come back for the hotpot for sure

4.5 rounded up to 5. Good assortment of items and overall, pretty good! Surprisingly, the most…read moredisappointing items to us were the udon and chawanmushi - they weren't bad but they were probably our least favorite items which surprised us given the hype for those items. The noodles were good but my husband thought the broth was too creamy (we got the warm crab one). Absolutely loved the agedashi tofu and black sesame latte. Miso cod wasn't bad either. Definitely a good spot to try if you're in the neighborhood!

I came to grab lunch by myself as I've been wanting to try Raku. It was a warm day so I opted for…read moreand ankimo appetizer and buta shabu cold udon with thinly sliced pork, lots of scallions and sesame sauce on the side. I love ankimo and the monkfish liver was great! The ponzu sauce was perfect paired with the creamy, decadent ankimo. The udon is solid but I was a bit surprised that the udon is actually flat rather than round. It wasn't as chewy as I like but the texture was pretty good. I enjoyed dipping the noodles in the sesame sauce but I do think it needed something else, maybe a shoyu based sauce as well. The portion was huge I could barely finish it. My check also came with a frozen grape which I thought was a cute touch and a nice sweet treat after the meal! Such a great easy casual spot for noodles, especially if you're solo dining.

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

Had such a wonderful girls night dinner at Sozai. We were so happy they accommodated us with a…read morebooth table since the other party was late, which made the whole night feel extra cozy and intimate. The sashimi here is definitely the highlight and some of the best I've had at an izakaya. Highly recommend the cold soba with salmon sashimi as a starter -- super refreshing and light. The miso cod was another standout: incredibly flavorful, flaky, and moist. Next time I will have to try the Hotate carpaccio and lemon salmon. A couple dishes were less memorable for me personally -- the pork don leaned a little dry and the fried octopus was a bit chewy -- but the quality of the sashimi alone makes me want to come back. Overall, a really nice spot for catching up with friends over fresh seafood and good vibes. IG:Jubes111 Youtube:Jujubi Fam

Still the best in New York. Unique, flavorful chicken skin skewers among many things (see my…read morephotos), though somehow grilled chicken soft bone is a bit tasteless? Fast service. You can order a little and keep adding depending on how big or small each dish is. We came right at 5 pm when they opened. We didn't have a reservation, and after some fumbling they got us four seats at the bar (looking over grilling chefs at work). Not bad, though we were hoping for a table. Great decor and ambiance as always. Wish the grilled shrimps come with shell on, and with salt only (no sauce).

Yakitori Totto has been around for ages, and I've visited this location in person a few times…read morethough it's been a while! Their location is a little hidden, it's on the second floor above Soba Noodle Azuma on 55th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, closer to 8th. You have to go up a stairwell on the side. Getting to the food, their focus is on meat, seafood and vegetable skewers though they also have a variety of appetizers, rice bowls and noodles, and dessert. The meats and veggies are grilled over charcoal while basted with "tare", a house-made sauce that adds a level of umami to the caramelized grill flavors. Recently I got a handful of skewers for takeout, including: - Ebi (shrimp) $8 x 2: the shrimp were cooked just right, tender and juicy, yum! - Hotate Eringi (scallop and oyster mushrooms) $8 x 2: the textures of the oyster mushrooms and scallop pieces complemented each other, and were kinda similar. Another tasty offering. - Negi pon (pork belly with scallions) $7: I'm not a huge fan of pork belly in general, though they grilled it well here and chopped scallions added a little spicy tickle. While not the cheapest for skewers that you can find, (and inflation hasn't helped,) their flavors are authentic and their quality and consistency is key here. I'm glad it's still here since there seems to be fewer and fewer good yakitori spots in Manhattan these days. They used to have another location in the city though I believe this closed pre-pandemic, however from their website they now have another location in Boston. This was also the sister restaurant to Ramen Totto which had four locations at one point though all have shuttered as well. Hope this location stays around for a long time!

I want to start this off with how I loved how laid back this spot is. It only seats about 15…read morepeople. Music was on very low. Was able to speak to my wife softly (love a restaurant that's quiet!) The server & cook were great. The waiter was kind and check on us in a timely manner. The food was amazing. Bigger portions would have been great, but I know that's not the kind of place this is.. so no complaints! Highly recommend this place for a date. We might have to come back again soon. Two thumbs all the way up!

Came here a long time ago bc I heard how good their sushi sets are. If you are a sushi lover and…read morewant something homey you will definitely like Okonomi. It's nonfussy, and although not the cheapest sushi, it's definitely not super expensive/omakase level. It's a small space with a giant bar for seating and maybe a few tables - the owners are definitely passionate about Japanese cuisine and you can definitely feel that as you chat with them a bit. The menu is small, but dedicated to quality, and you will make your choice quite quickly. All the fish was fresh, large pieces, and really really clean tasting. The soup was delightful and paired wonderfully and everything was presented quite nicely. The grilled fish was also tasty and really tender.

I am a sucker for delicious Katsu and you'll struggle to find better than Katsu-Hama. Katsu-Hama…read morehas a quaint, Japanese vibe in a small but comfortable dining area. It's not especially big, so you may have a bit of a wait if you frequent right at lunch or in the evening but whatever amount of time you have to wait it will be well worth it. Service is top tier but you come for the food. They have a varied menu with a lot of options so if you're bringing a buddy that isn't up for Katsu, they'll have plenty to choose from. The Katsu is the star and I think what sets this place apart is that they offer Berkshire pork katsu as an option. Arguably some of the best pork, it's great to have the option if you're looking to heighten the experience. I love their pork katsu and go nuts over the chicken katsu curry. It's super crispy, slightly greasy but never off-putting. And it's served with the most delicate and delicious cabbage slaw. I could eat a mountain of this it's so good. Highly recommended.

This place is a bit hard to spot, but it's on the same side of the street as the sorta famous (50…read moreyears +) Phil's Stationery. Katsu-Hama is about two doors to the Left of Phil's, and has minimal, very discreet signage. I got some tonkatsu...I forget the exact type, but it was essentially the most fatty of the tonkatsu offered. It came with cabbage (with a sesame ginger type dressing), daikon radish (with some type of sauce on top), and the standard sauce for the tonkatsu, along with some crushed sesame seed and hot mustard. I'd have to say...the tonkatsu was quite good....not quite as sublime as my favorite tonkatsu place in Tokyo...but still, very, very good. The dish also came with a bowl of miso soup (good, and not overly salty) and a bowl of white rice, which I considered the most disappointing part of the meal. The rice seemed a bit dried out...not moist.... All in all, an excellent meal. I'd definitely come back.