Vibe/ambiance: local, clean, casual Service: standard…read moreReservation: walked in Items ordered: three amigos don: so fresh and great value! very solid and would come back

I love this place for their chirashi bowls. I've dined in here once and regularly do takeout. It's…read moresolid, affordable, and generous with the fish. Quality tastes great and it's a local favorite. My favorite is their Three Amigos. It has everything I love. I usually opt for regular. There will be some leftover rice if I'm eating by myself but I usually save it for something else. I also enjoy the roll sets. It's a fun little lunch treat. Overall, you can't go wrong ordering any item with your favorite fish here.

Vibe/ambiance: grab and go japanese bento boxes Service:…read morestandard Items ordered: variety of bento: love the diversity in sides, proteins, etc... it changes up everyday! great option over a classic slop bowl for work lunch

Hidden gem tucked on 47th st. It's a small Japanese supermarket. Theres one small table right…read moreoutside if you decide to try your food here. Like most Japanese markets they have a fresh made food section. From sushi to rice bowls they have a lot of choices. There's a small microwave here as well for the "hot food". Drinks, frozen food, fresh cut meat, condiments, snacks and much more. I haven't tried it yet but I believe they serve fresh ramen in the back as well during the week. Staff that work here are very nice as well.

Tensai is a cozy, intimate restaurant in Midtown East. I came for a Friday evening dinner and it…read morewasn't too busy. It was a warm evening so I ordered the cold udon, which was served with veggies, egg, shrimp tempura, and a dipping sauce. It hit the spot. The sauce was nice and cold, and paired so nicely with the chewy udon noodles and fresh veggies. It was satisfying and refreshing. Service was attentive and the food came out quickly. I'd come back when it gets cold outside to order the hot udon bowls.

I randomly found this spot while looking for a new spot to get lunch. I surprised more people don't…read moreknow about this fantastic udon shop. I started off with an order of Karaage ($10) for appetizer, which I probably did not need. Comes with a spicy mayo dipping sauce, which taste great. For entree, I got the Ebi Niku Udon, which consisted of both sliced cooked beef and two pieces of shrimp tempura on the side. Loved the thick and chewy udon noodles and I fished the entire dash broth. Refreshing and not saturated with salt. I'd probably come back in the future if I'm craving udon for lunch.

When a new friend invited me to try his favorite Japanese restaurant, without hesitation, I said…read moreyes. Located on the basement level of an office building on East 43rd Street, Sakagura lived up to his praise. Our server, Miguel, was helpful and attentive (true for everyone that tended to our needs). The restaurant is dimly lit and welcoming -- great for a date, or in my case, dinner with a new friend bequeathed with exceptional taste. The washrooms were particularly interesting. The bamboo bathroom barges took me back to Japan. They were remarkably clean, warm, and cozy. My pal and I started with the Gomaae and Seaweed Salad. The seaweed salad was uniquely served with mixed greens and avocado, and the Gomaae had the perfect sprinkling of sesame seeds that gave it a nutty kick accenting the spinach in a delightful way. Both were refreshing and tasty. Next up we shared the Shishito Age peppers. The sea salt, interestingly, brought the peppers to life in a savory manner. Okay, now on to the stars of the evening. The Hotate Carpacio was excellent. Ordering this on your visit is a must. Basically, it's Japanese ceviche. Yes, please! The Buta Kakuni reminded me of Thanksgiving because the pork belly's paired with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The pork was succulent and tender. The Gyu Tan Daikon (braised beef tongue with Daikon, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, and oyster sauce) was equally flavorful and juicy. Lastly, the Ebi Shinjo (shrimp fritters) were crispy but a bit confusing to my senses at first. They didn't scream this is shrimp. It was shrimp. For dessert we shared the Creme Brulee, Ouzo Sorbet, and the Matcha Tiramisu. The creme brulee stole the show. The matcha tiramisu and the ouzo sorbet were interesting too. Miguel graciously sent us on our way with some sake. A perfect close to a delicious meal. Definitely worth visiting x 100. Sakagura's excellent.

Food: 4/5 Service bumped it to a 5/5 because all of the…read morestaffs were so friendly. From the moment we walked in to us finding the bathroom and waving anyone down for our requests. We got the fish carpaccio to start and it was pretty good! It tasted like what I expected from the description. The miso soup was also good, not too salty and slightly different than your trusty takeout sushi spot. I got the dashi omelette and it was a little sweet and savory. It paired nicely with the radish. I got the cold, plum udon. Which was refreshing and a bit sour from the plums. The broth was sippable since it wasn't too salty. My friend got the mushroom cold soba and it came with mashed yam. This dish tasted more like what I was expecting since the sourness of my dish kinda was unexpected, but I still enjoyed it! My friend also got a drink and it was SO strong. I think they're serious about their drinks here I didn't see any mocktails or cocktails. They gave us black sesame ice cream on the house since her drinks came out later than expected, which was really nice! I'm not a black sesame fan, but this place's ice cream was good! You're able to chew on the black sesame's bits and pieces in there. Overall, I do think they nail Japanese food, it's supposed to be simple and clean. So if you're looking for creative and big umami flavors, that's not going to be this place. But if you want authentic, Japanese food, this is the place!

Soba was clean, refreshing. Tempura was fried just right…read more The eel rice (unaju) was huge (though it should be, for the price). It tasted good, though I wouldn't say it was mind blowing. We both liked the soba and tempura more. The servers were great, especially the guy who welcomed us and walked us to a quieter part of the restaurant since our baby was sleeping.

Cuisine: 7 Service: 6…read moreDecor: 7 Value: 4 Overall: 6 I am mixed about my feelings toward this restaurant. After two visits, I have enjoyed certain items, but also disappointed by others. The inconsistency in their quality leaves me a bit unsure. On top of that, their prices are relatively high. I have easily spent over $120 each visit (two people each time) without having a full meal. The items I enjoyed the most were the Oyster Emerald (8/10) for $28 and Kama Yaki Hamachi (8/10) for $23. Both are quite expensive compared to other izakaya restaurants I frequent. The Yammy Uzura (7.5/10) was very good as well. On the mediocre side, the Hamachi Carpaccio (7/10) lacked the flavors I expected. Also, most of the Sushi Spoon (6/10) I have tried are underwhelming. Quality of the rice is inferior to what I am accustomed to and definitely not worth the price. The Hokkaido Uni was $18 for that one small bite. On the negative side, their tiny portion of Fried Chicken Nanban (6/10) was nothing special and costs $21. Furthermore, the few Yakitori (5/10) skewers I have tried were somewhat dry and lacked flavor. In addition, I am really not a fan of their Agedashi Tofu (3/10), which has a goopy and slimy texture that felt off putting. Ultimately, I find some of the food here good enough to come back for, but not at these prices. Both times I left felt like I overpaid. Therefore, I don't see myself returning to this izakaya.

This restaurant is located in midtown Manhattan. The atmosphere is just like going to a local…read more Japanese restaurant in Tokyo. They have a simple menu. We had Berkshire pork loin set B, Queens set katsu set A, Manhattan set B. And an appetizer aged dashing tofu and tuna poke. Everything we ate was excellent. Price is reasonable. The Berkshire pork was extremely delicious and tender. On the Manhattan set, the 2 shrimp prawns was very big, juicy, crispy and cooked just right. On my Queens set, I had the fried chicken with pork lion. The spices on the pork lion and chicken was very flavorful and crispy. The only thing is service was slow. But overall, atmosphere was just like going back to Tokyo. I would go back there again.

This is my go-to restaurant for katsu in the city. Any katsu set you get will not go wrong. The…read morecrispiness of the katsu is just right, and you will not regret it, besides not picking another one. When it gets busy, there is usually a line waiting at the door, sometimes extending outside. If you have a reservation, you will not be seated until the whole party is there. One small note: if you are seated in the back, the cell service is really bad, but who needs their phone when you have good company and good food.

Needed some small bites after work before going to a Broadway show and Sozai came up on my search…read more They were packed around 5:30 PM with the happy hour crowd so I was glad I made a reservation. Their reservations also book up quickly. I made my reservation a week before. We were seated in one of their booths which was cute, comfy, cozy, and clean. It was just my husband and i. They have good happy hour deals, but I don't remember how many dishes we ordered were on HH. We got the tako wasa, chicken karaage, kibinago, and mentaiko pasta. All were great! All my favorites and perfect for a quick dinner. Their menu is pretty extensive -- I wished we had more time to order a bunch of other dishes. Good portions for sharing. We were surprised we had some leftovers. Definitely a good spot for groups to order a bunch of tapas and mains. Service was good and the food and drinks came out within good timing. We'll definitely have to go another time when we're in the area with some friends and order a lot more. Can't wait to return.

Cozy and lively Japanese izakaya restaurant in Midtown offering a wide selection of quality…read moreJapanese cuisine. I started off with the Hotate Carpaccio ($18) - these Hokkaido scallops tasted fresh and delicious. The ikura (salmon roe) on top was a nice addition. For my main course, I got the Unagi Don ($34) - this was also very good, although nothing too out of the ordinary. I thought the price was slightly on the higher end. The portion size for this (and in general) is not particularly large, but still fine. The restaurant interior is quite narrow, which leads to a lively atmosphere that can get a bit noisy at times, though not too bad. It's decorated in a classic Japanese restaurant style with booth seating as well as bar seating. I was able to get a walk-in table on a Saturday night after just a brief ~15 min wait. The staff are friendly and the service speed is quick. Overall, I think Sozai is a great option for quality Japanese food in Midtown if you are craving any type of Japanese cuisine.

While this place always has a line, it is for good reason - this place is a great ambience with…read moregood food at an affordable price (granted it is a bit loud)! My friend and I shared the kimchi cream udon and the pork katsudon. The kimchi cream udon was extremely rich, but I loved the pieces of shrimp in there, and it was the perfect amount of spiciness. The katsudon was alright, but nothing special. I will definitely come back for the price and convenience!

We went to Izakaya Mew on a Friday night and waited around 45 minutes, which is pretty typical for…read morethis spot. Once we were seated, service was quick, and our dishes came out pretty fast. The salmon don is always a favorite. The salmon is nicely marinated, with rich, fatty pieces. The kani cream croquettes were crispy on the outside, but the filling tasted more like clam chowder, and were quite small. The omusoba was still so good! The noodles were well seasoned, and the egg was super soft. The chicken nanban was flavorful, though the chicken was a little soggy. If you prefer your chicken to stay crispy under the sauce, this might not be your favorite. Overall, still a solid spot with a couple of favorites that keep me coming back!

We had such a wonderful experience at Yezo Thai Isankaya! The food was absolutely delicious, full…read moreof flavor, and perfectly seasoned. We enjoyed the Crispy Calamari, Crying Tiger steak, Pla Tod fried Branzino, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Cheesecake Crème Brûlée for dessert--everything was delicious! The staff was super friendly and welcoming, and the service made us feel right at home. I also loved the atmosphere and colorful tropical decor with the beautiful umbrellas--it gives the restaurant such a fun and vibrant vibe right in the heart of NYC. This is definitely a great spot for a date night, dinner with friends, or anyone looking for delicious Thai food in NYC. Highly recommend Yezo Thai Isankaya!

Sean and Maria were great. The food was good and they took care of all our needs…read more We had the fish specialties and pad kee mow and our vegetarians friends were happy to.

Incredible comfort food, even better sake and the best staff. This place is just the vibe, hits all…read morethe notes and leaves you feeling good. Mainly the staff is just so cool and friendly

{Overall: 4; Food: 3.5} Ambiance: 4.5; Service: 4…read more Okatte Tantto really captures a sophisticated Japanese dining ambiance. Most of the seating is at a counter, so it works well for solo diners. They play jazz and the space is quiet enough that you feel like you should be speaking in a whisper. There is a lot of variety on the menu, so it can satisfy many different cravings. We were a party of two and shared everything. The staff noticed and split dishes that were harder to share into two portions, which was very considerate and reminiscent of the level of service you would expect in Japan. The food was a bit of a mixed bag. Some highlights were the mashed potato salad and the oden, especially the daikon and the rice cake in a bean curd pouch. I would go back for the oden alone. We also liked the mentaiko cream pasta. The fried squid was a miss, as it was quite hard and dense. Service is good, though you sometimes need to flag someone down to get their attention.