My friend selected Yakitori 39 for a Thursday night dinner. We've been to so many places that it slipped his mind that we had been there before. (I did that recently for a holiday dinner) To his credit it was probably 8-10 years since we had been there. I remembered it favorably and was looking forward to trying it again. Doesn't feel like it's aged particularly well. We were the only diners a bit after 6 on a Thursday. Waitress was pleasant. We started with 5 skewers. Various parts of the chicken, mostly pretty bland. Nothing was bad but nothing was noteworthy. Tried another round of 5 skewers, the one with the plum filling was a bit more enjoyable. In Yakitori 39's defense, we probably did it wrong. It's probably fun with a bunch of sake but I don't drink alcohol. The ingredients seem quality. Probably won't be rushing back. read more

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The place is pretty tiny. Probably not the best for groups. I imagine it could get packed quickly. Overall I liked the vibe. Kind of cool seeing the chef tending to the grill. My dining partner and I were seated rather quickly. Our server took our drink orders and came back promptly so we could order our food. The menu is pretty extensive but we ordered an assortment of skewers and a bowl of ramen to share. The skewers came out little by little; about 3 skewers per plate. They didn't come all at once so I assume they bring them out as they finish getting grilled. The chicken heart was some of the best I've ever had. I'm not sure if it's the way it was sliced, the seasoning, or just everything about it but I wish we ordered more. The tail skewer was another standout. It had so much crunch that it was almost like it was fried. The flavors were rich and varied. Each skewer cost upwards of $4 so that's a bummer. Unfortunately the ramen wasn't so great. Not terrible, but not great either. Especially not great for $19. Not my first choice for ramen. Is it the most bang for your buck? Certainly not. But I did enjoy my meal and in the end, that's what matters. read more

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I really wanted to like this place because they seemed to authentic Japanese yakitori and attract a lot of Japanese/ asian customers, but overall it was a disappointing experience. The dining area is in rough shape -- cracked wood, dusty interior, and a generally run-down vibe that makes it feel borderline dirty rather than "casual." Service was also frustrating. Our servers couldn't answer basic questions about the menu, which is already hard to follow if you're not familiar with Japanese terms. It left us feeling lost rather than guided. On top of that, the pricing is steep for the suburbs -- $5-$8 per skewer adds up really quickly, and it just didn't feel worth it given the atmosphere and service. All the yakitori was decent but nothing mind blowing, smaller servings and overly salty. To make matters worse, the tap water was awful -- honestly undrinkable. Look at my picture I'm shocked they thought this was acceptable to bring to our table. The food itself may be authentic, but everything else about the experience dragged it down. Unfortunately, not somewhere I'd come back to. read more

Yakitori 39 - Pork belly and enoki mushroom - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

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Super authentic Japanese Izakaya. This is the REAL SHI*. Im telling u. Coming from a Japanese lady. lol

This is just one of those places you can't find anywhere else in NJ. This restaurant serves such authentic food, everything is so flavorful. read more

Yakitori 39 - Yellowtail - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

Been here many times now. Excellent fried yakitori and chicken. Tried the sushi as that's new and it was decent. Their fried fish and chicken are by far superior. Hidden gem for tempura. Service is a bit lacking since the workers congregate in the back. Had to call for them a few times. A soda is $5. No free refills. Brutal. read more

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I go here when I really crave Yakitori but dont want to drive out to NYC. But I always sort of regret afterwards. You spend same if not more money but less quality to places like Yakitori Nonono or Totto. Solid 3 stars though. read more

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Exceptional foods!! Every single skewer was delicious! This is just for two people: shitake mushroom, scallion, soft bone legs, wagyu beef, liver, gizzard, garlic, three kinds of fish, chicken wings, Japanese scallops, and Berkshire pork belly. They use the freshest and highest quality ingredients! Service is always attentive! Owner Katsu can cater to special requests like the uni fried rice that I had previously and was not on the menu today! Super delicious! I recommend making reservations for Friday and Saturday, I have seen customers turned away. read more

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Authentic yakitori experience in NJ. The flavors, smells and feel is on point. Ordered mostly yakitori dishes to try them out, mix of veggies, pork, chicken on skewers. All were tasty, it's been a looong time since I had these. Top choices were chicken thigh/scallions, gizzard (crunchy chewy), peppers, pork belly but all were very good. Can't wait to try more later. The grilled eel was good, not sweet but fresh. Not sure if I would do again at 26 for half of a small eel. Don't expect to get full on large portions everything is small portions, think tapas. Decent drinks menu, draft Japanese beer and hot sake are cost savers. Not BYOB, if not careful bill could add up quickly. Finished off night with tonkotsu ramen, which was one of best I've had in a long time. Deep soulful broth, perfectly cooked noodles, only miss was slightly cool char siu. I'd go back just for the ramen. Clientele mostly Asian drinkers seeking authentic Japanese bar/food experience like me. We didn't over order on food and drinks, total came to 112. Not cheap but you get what you paid for. They have a parking lot, but not intuitive. Instructions written on sign on bathroom. Will use next time. Place is tiny, call ahead for reservation or come in before 7. read more

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Absolutely delicious yakitori experience! I had been wanted something to mirror the Japanese experience and this is it. Amazing menu and wonderful quality of small dishes. I made sure to bring my husband the second time to celebrate our anniversary with such wonderful food. read more

Yakitori 39 - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

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I came under quite awkward circumstances my first time here so I was determined to come again to change my own mind. Both times I love love loved the agedashi tofu! The chicken skin was a close second. The fried oysters were decent, the plum sauce that accompanies it is good. I'd pass on the chicken wings, and definitely the chicken gizzards. I was originally going with pretty basic safe options but it turns out the chicken butt skewer is a tasty option. The chicken thigh is good but overall coming is more for the experience - a small cosy izakaya with very sweet staff. Expect to see some families as well as what appears to be regulars! Definitely make a reservation in advance! read more

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Reservation is highly recommended! I couldn't get in without the reservation the first time so I prepared and made an reservation in advance the second time. I did street parking both times and it didn't take me too long to find a spot. This place is all packed when I went. Everything on the menu looked so good & we tried several appetizers, yakitori (grilled skewers) and a bottle of Dassai sake. I did love everything we had however the desserts weren't that special to me. read more

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This Japanese restaurant is a hidden spot nearby Cafe Kudos I wanted to check out. The moment you enter you could smell the scent of meat and the warmth inside as they grill the skewers. We came late so the waiter made sure to take our order before the kitchen closed. We ordered a variety of skewers but I would say the dishes that stood out the most were the deep fried chicken skin and agedashi tofu as it was so savory and delicious. The skewers were good but to add more flavor they recommend we used the seasoning shakers. We weren't a fan of the ramen though as it was kind of bland. When ordering, it could get filling pretty quickly as the meats are fatty and thick. There's not many spots in NJ that specializes in yakitori so it's definitely a cool place to check out! read more

Yakitori 39 - Fried Chicken Skin, Pork Belly Enoki, Pork Belly Asparagus - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

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This place is great. Small plates, done in front of you (can get smokey at times), chef/owner if very nice. Can be packed at times. Food is excellent. read more

Was craving yakitori but did not want to make my way into the city. Ended up at this little gem hidden in Teaneck. Went on a Saturday and I definitely recommend calling in advance for a reservation. Quality of the food was superb and the service was great. The staff was great but due to the influx of customers, we were not provided with the description of the skewers. It was essentially a guessing game (definitely not complaint about it) which makes it difficult for me to remember what I want when I come back. The one comment I have is that the duck is very gamey and not for the regular person. That being said, we did not eat the duck skewer and had to waste it. read more

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Ambiance: small and intimate space. No frills. Street parking on small streets. Service: the whole process is slow. The cooking of the food aka grilling stuff the old school way over a coal grill, took a longgggg time that I got buzzed sipping on my hot sake. Order a shitload of food because you will be hungry waiting for the next round of food and it will take even longer to get more food once the place starts getting packed. Wait staff is very nice tho. Food: I have ZERO complaints about the food. Everything we ate was delicious. Who knew intestines and chicken skin could be so delicious???? Even the crispy chicken gizzards was so yum. The food is tapas style so it adds up and the bill can have a bit of a woah factor, especially when buzzed. read more

Yakitori 39 - Yaki Intestines. OMGGGGGGG - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

This is a unique restaurant, offering lots of skewers and small dishes. There's a variety of items offered, pork, beef, chicken, seafood and vegetarian items. The menu is really really long, spread across 3 different ones, more than 8 pages. The restaurant is pretty small and old inside. From what I know, they don't allow walk-in, it's only by reservation. The kitchen is right next to the tables, so you feel and smell the heat and smoke of the grill. It terms of food, I had a mix experience, some items were really good, like chicken liver, heart, scallops, but few others were okay, like the Onigiri Rice Ball, fried baby octopus. The skewer sauce is really good, adds to the taste of the items. The service is good. Items take a decent time to come out. So order more, as you are eating your current plates, if you plan to eat more. read more

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Super flavorful skewers. You really can't go wrong in that department. Every skewer I tried I would recommend again. -chicken thighs (favorite) -heart -liver -chicken skin I also recommend the fried tofu with daikon/radish on top and scallion (2nd favorite). Fried oysters were great too! What I don't tecommend is the bamboo and scallions appetizer. That was weak. You can tell right off the bat that it was canned bamboo and not fresh. If you're into fruity drinks I recommend the strawberry nigori sake. That is dangerous it doesn't even taste like an alcoholic drink. It was delicious. Definitely make reservations! read more

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I travelled here all the way from Maryland to try this place out. A friend of mine recommended this place and this restaurant made us feel like we were back in Japan. There aren't many "true" yakitori places in the DC area, so I was excited to try this place out. I came here on a Sunday evening and they were sparse as it was close to closing time. We were able to get a seat and place our orders. They had some different menus based on their specials, regular menu and drink menu. We ordered a variety of yakitori meats which were around $4-$8 price range (this was way cheaper than what we had in MD and also way MORE meat). We ordered pork belly, chicken thigh with scallion, pork neck with wasabi, squid legs, and enoki with wrapped in bacon. We wanted to try the beef tongue skewers but they were sold out that day. The meats were smoky and juicy. You get the option to add soy sauce or salt and pepper on the meats. I'd recommend getting the salt and pepper seasoning so that you can taste the meats as they are, but if you want more sauce as well you can get the soy sauce on the side. Having about 5 skewers, we were full and super satisfied. It's a no frills type of restaurant and they did check on us for last call for food. We will definitely be back! read more

Solid 3 star, but not the best yakitori I've had. It was good but not great. The only piece I really enjoyed was the chicken tail and chicken neck. The mentai fries were good but it's hard to mess up fries. The other skewers were just ok. I would go into the city to have better yakitori but this is a back up choice of you want to stay local. Make reservations beforehand especially on weekends, super busy, walk-ins not recommended! read more

Yakitori 39 - Chicken heart, chicken tail. Chicken tail winner - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

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Reservations are a must, especially on a Friday night. It's a small and tight space but worth it! The menu can be a bit overwhelming but the servers are really patient. We particularly loved the fried small fish, agadashi tofu, the fried wings, bacon wrapped enoki mushroom, and chicken thigh on skewer - with salt and with sauce. I dropped a star because it was sooo smoky and the ventilation is terrible. Plan to shower after and don't wear anything where the smoke smell will stick. read more

I'm giving this place 4 stars because it's the only yakitori choice in northern jersey and by real Japanese people. The food and appetizers and yakitori is delicious and feels like a little slice of Japan's the service used to be absolutely atrocious but it's much better now. I'm a huge fan of- one of my faves in Jersey! read more

Another awesome, hidden gem in New Jersey! I don't know why I never stopped by this place until recently. ***In a rush? Skip to the end for my tips.*** I only assumed that good yakitori could be found in St. Mark's Place in the city, but, nope, it's right here at Yakitori 39! Here, you can find authentic Japanese food, specifically sushi, yakitori, ramen, and other types of hot pots. As a previous reviewer stated, it's not often that you could find an authentic Japanese restaurant with Japanese chefs. My friend and I were not that hungry, so we ordered 8 dishes. We probably would have ordered more if we were hungrier. Everything was delicious, especially with the grilled taste of the yakitori dishes. -Beef Short Rib (my favorite) -Squid -Negima (thigh and scallion) -Asparagus -3 Types Mushroom Tempura (about 11 pieces) -Buta Bara (pork belly) x2 -Agedashi Tofu (4 pieces of tofu) Then, we ordered some food to go for another friend to try. -Squid Red Shrimp -Negi Scallion -Sweet Miso Marines Tile Fish Grille Service was slow since there was only one server, but our waitress was super friendly, attentive, and professional, so we did not mind the slow paced meal. Since you are ordering several individual dishes, food will be served as they are ready. So, if you want all of your food served all at once, you should order them all at once. Your meal will definitely become pricey with each dish, so I would not come here super duper hungry. I am definitely coming back here again and again. Next time I come back, I want to try the hot pot menu, chicken skin skewers, and their dessert. Tips: - Call ahead and make a reservation. Depending on how much staff they have, there might be a lot or limited seating, so it's safer to make a reservation. - When you order a yakitori dish, you will get one serving of that. For example, one order of beef short ribs will be only one skewer. So, if you want more than one skewer, you should specify how many. - The non skewer/yakitori dishes tend to have more servings, like the Agedashi Tofu and 3 Types Mushroom Tempura we had. - If you want to get something to go, make sure to ask first because if it's busy, they might not be able do it. - Parking: There is a free municipal parking lot if you drive down DeGraw Ave past the restaurant on your right and the traffic light at the intersection of DeGraw Ave. and Queen Anne Rd. It will be an almost immediate right. You should see the blue municipal parking sign. read more

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Small and cozy yakitori restaurant serving up a wide variety of Japanese plates and freshly made-to-order skewers. There are different meats on the menu but their specialty is their chicken skewers; I tried a few and the Negima (chicken thigh and scallion) and Kawa (chicken skin) were my favorites - both were so juicy and flavorful! Also ordered a hot house sake and it was great to sip on in between all the food. The only downside to this restaurant is that if you add up all the skewers (and depending how hungry you are), this can easily end up being a pricier meal. Still worth it if you're looking for tasty and authentic Japanese yakitori experience. read more

Yakitori 39 - Japanese Near Me - Teaneck, New Jersey

This restaurant is amazing. I've been meaning to write a review sooner, but I was too busy taking pictures and eating, I simply got carried away. This Yakitori ( Traditional Japanese style Charcoal grilled skewers and small plates) restaurant I have luckily been here more than once. Food is amazing, service is friendly and patient, and ambience is comfortable when you're around good company. The collection of food through the visits here has all been incredible. Everything is delicious, my favorite is the shiitake mushrooms. When you order the skewers, you can request to have it lightly spread with sea salt or their soy sauce - try it, both options are good! The soy sauce gives it the delicious taste. All the food is never too fried or too crispy, it is always made well and the taste coming from the Charcoal grill is terrific. The establishment only opens from 5:30pm - 10:00pm. They use Goffle Roar Farm Free Range Chicken and really think about only serving limited ingredients to attain the freshness towards their preparation and cooking. Reservations are suggested, establishment is smaller but the space is simple enough to enjoy the food. Their roasted tea is worth it and a must with your meal. If you have never tried Yakitori, this place is worth it. read more

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This restaurant is like one straight out of Japan. Excellent food but tiny seating area. Reservations are required to go there especially if you're trying to eat on the weekend. I highly recommend this place read more

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This was my second time at this small culinary GEM hidden next to another top spot peck peck. I saw this restaurant when I went to pick peck chicken. I was curious because every time I saw the place packed. First time had a large beef dish with some of the best shrimp I have ever had they were seasoned fried with the shell. This visit had the skewers one pork belly one chicken and one beef all off the blank blank blank hook. They were soooooooo good. The fried octopus with mayo omg omg. The ramen was so seasoned and spicy I thought I knew what real ramen tasted like. I WAS WRONG. This was the best dining experiences I have had I have a 4 but that was for the slow service. I'm going back to make sure they have that 5 this is overall one of the best restaurants in the tristate area. It's a big secret which needs to be shared. read more

1. You walk in, they wont acknowledge you until like 5 minutes later. 2. Not even the servers know how the menu works. 3. Water and water cups are dirty bring a water bottle. 4. onigiri = 90% rice and 10% whatever is inside 5. plum onigiri should be banned 6. spicy edamame is meh tbh overall just meh read more

Wow this place is amazing!!!! The yakitori is made to order and fresh!!!! The duck, chicken thigh, liver was delicious. The scallops were okay. We got fried octopus and fried oysters it was also very fresh and tasty! The matcha ipa was more bitter and didn't taste like matcha but it was good paired with the matcha ice cream. I enjoyed the dessert, creme brûlée, it was a nice touch to a delicious dinner :) make sure to call for a reservation read more

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Really authentic spot! The chicken skewers were the best thing on the menu. Really tight space but worth it!

Nice little gem for Japanese skewers and food. Best to reserve ahead due to limited tables. I recommend Fried oyster, scallop skewer, chicken thigh skewer. Great flavor and service! read more

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Came here with my friends which totaled 10 of us. We arrived at 7 and finished ordering around 7:10. Our last order came around 10:40, which was a bit frustrating since so many customers came after us and already completed their dining experience. Since they only had one chef grilling the yakitori, it's understandable but still frustrating. Some of the foods were mediocre, and some was outstanding, which is why I think this restaurant deserves a chance, especially if you're coming with a small party. The fried chicken wing with soy and pork hips were my personal favorites, definitely give them a try and I hope you'll have a wonderful experience! read more

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Small yakitori restaurant. We called ahead of time to reserve in case a line built up for dinner time and were seated right away. The server was courteous, but seemed to forget about us throughout service. The table that arrived after us got their order taken first, and we constantly asked for more water. Quality wise food tasted good, the oyster mushrooms were not worth it (smaller than half my pinky finger). Items were pricey, but I understand given the location of suburbia. read more

This is an authentic Japanese restaurant, focused on yakitori. The inside is rather small, especially for their popularity and demand. Reservation is recommended. Since the skewers are made to order, it is better to put orders in quickly. We started with some veggies wrapped in bacon, and one Tsukune. I really like the veggies wrapped in bacon, they never let me down! But Tsukune was kind of tasteless, even with the tare sauce... After the veggies, we moved onto meat and shellfish skewer. We had Negima, Momo, Pork Sausage, and Hotate. They were all really tasty! Plump, meaty, and packed with flavor. We then added Kurobuta Bara, or Berkshire Pork Belly. It was more firm than others, rich and flavorful. After that, we moved on to other dishes. We had Okra Tofu, which was refreshing and nice pallet cleanser. Then Tarako Mayonnaise French Fries, we so enjoyed this dish, really nice! The last savory item of the evening was Stir-fried Bitter Melon & Pork Belly with Bean Sprouts. It was really, really bitter... My mother makes amazing dish with bitter melon, and I must say, her dish is better than their dish. We ended our fabulous dinner with Crème Brûlée with Matcha Ice Cream. Some parts were way over torched... Burnt with bitter flavor. Matcha ice cream was nice, tasted like real green tea. Staffs are not overly friendly, but polite and efficient. Most of them (if not all) are Japanese staffs, and the chef at the grill is a Japanese chef. It is so great to dine at traditional Japanese restaurant where I can enjoy authentic Japanese food. read more

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What a hidden gem in Teaneck! We were the first people there around 6pm on a Tuesday night so our order came out pretty fast. But by 7pm, the small restaurant was totally packed. I could see the orders taking longer to come out. We ordered: Uni tempura* Burdock chips Fried chicken gizzards** Spicy Nagoya chicken wings** Chicken skin* Chicken hearts** Chicken thigh* Scallops Oysters Berkshire pork belly* Beef intestine** Sausage Creme brûlée with green tea ice cream **Highly recommend! These were the best! *Good but nothing out of the ordinary. read more

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This is a small restaurant with reservations only! I called on Friday for Sunday dinner and there weren't many time slots left, so be sure to reserve your spot early! I ordered 8 skewers and 1 drink for 2 people total. Fyi, the skewers come as one each, not two like I thought. Although the skewers were tasty, it was such a small portion that I felt like I ate an appetizer for $50+. I think their chicken skewers were delicious, but still not worth the price. But it was still a good experience! read more

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After moving to New Jersey from Las Vegas I was sad to not find anything under the "izakaya" category when searching Yelp. Little did I know there was one minutes away in Teaneck, I just had to search for Yakitori! This place is the real deal, folks. A tiny restaurant the size of a living room. 10 tables max and it's always packed when we go on weekends. Many of the patrons are regulars and it helps your street cred if you speak Japanese as I believe most of the staff is. There's plenty on the menu plus specials to choose from. Drinks are a little pricey, especially the draft beer which is usually cheap in an izakaya. I tried the shiso shochu and that was actually quite good. As for the food, what can you say. You have to try it all eventually! One thing that I highly recommend is the boiled eggs to start. Skewers are a must-have but I tend to like the vegetables (shishito, shiitake) and the Negima. The tsukune was underwhelming to me. Definitely go with as many of the specials as you can since they're seasonal and constantly changing. We've had some awesome fried gobo and tempura corn. The ramen was surprisingly good as a closing dish. I really love this place and it's now officially part of the regular rotation. read more

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Skewers! Overall good flavor, a tad pricey. I may need to return and give it another shot - probably should consider reading some tips on what to order. However, the chicken thigh with scallion is definitely a must-try! Hence the other reviews stating the same. I really do enjoy the squid! There's something about snacking on it between sips of sake ... Order the duck salad too! Yummy, tucked between slices of fresh avocado. My only gripe: If you point to something on the menu, and order exactly what you're pointing at, and both you and waitress agree, nodding heads in approval. . .you should expect to receive what you have pointed at, no? Different ending when the bill arrives and what you pointed at is double the charge. Maybe it is shame on me. I should have asked twice upon receiving what I thought I had initially ordered. (750ml sake bottle - probably should have thought twice before drinking it, didn't realize that what I pointed at price wise was for the 350ml bottle) - case in point, double check before you sip! read more

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Love this place for their skewers. But never get their sukiyaki. Literally only 3 ingredients, enoki mushroom, chicken thigh, cabbage. That's it. How do you call that a sukiyaki. No raw egg for dipping. Small portion for almost 60 dollar menu. read more

Good quality on chicken skewers, but... - many selections are limited by availability - price is high and portions are on the small side - other non-chicken skewers are only so so - service speed is slow and attentiveness struggles Once again, the chicken was indeed good here. The chicken thigh with scallion was tender and flavorful. The soft bone skewers had phenomenal texture. Unfortunately, they just weren't enough to make up for the other shortfalls. read more

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