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Ariyoshi Japanese Restaurants
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
226 E 53rd St(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 319-3940
- Nearest Transit:
-
Lexington Av/53 St (E, M)
51 St (4, 6, 6X)
59 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
58 reviews for Ariyoshi Japanese Restaurants
Review Highlights
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"Very good traditional Izakaya." In 14 reviews -
"Eggplant with miso - everyone everywhere should be eating..." In 2 reviews -
"i loved the decor of the tiny place." In 4 reviews
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Ophir P.
Manhattan, NY
4/3/2012
WOW
Every time I come here I get blown away by how authentic this place is. there is no american take on sushi it's kinda like you've never really understood where sushi comes from until you've had it here.
imho -
Review from Erica S.
5/11/2012
Not one of the better Japanese joints in the area, sadly.
i was unimpressed by the food (tried a variety of things -- udon, sushi, appetizers, salads), service and atmosphere. It's a really small mom and pop kind of place...seemed a little dingy to me :( -
Review from Matthew B.
Woodside, NY
4/26/2012
I ordered take out from here tonight.
I though the sushi was just plain bad, just not fresh or good quality fish. Sad because I was hoping to find a good sushi place in the neighborhood. -
Review from Danny K.
Allendale, NJ
5/24/2012
At first, I was sort of skeptical about coming to Ariyoshi after reading a few of the not so great reviews. But I decided to just try it and judge for myself. So I went in, and immediately got greeted by a friendly waitress.
I ordered the sushi combo for $14.50 from the lunch special menu. Now this is a pretty decent price for sushi if you compare it to other Japanese restaurants. I was very happy with the food, and the quality was nice as well. Ariyoshi really gave me a taste of what authentic Japanese food is supposed to be like. Will definitely drop by again. :) -
Review from Joe L.
Manhattan, NY
1/7/2012
On the surface it seemed like the type of place I would enjoy, a small hole in the wall Japanese place that I actually pass by constantly on my way to work but I have never taken notice of before. The server was very pleasant in a genuine sort of way, instead of the typical hypomanic waitress friendinessly.
But...
Essentially a rather mediocre izakaya. Most of the dishes we tried were remarkably unremarkable.
The best dish we tried was actually the veal liver sashimi, which was good; however, the fact that it was still frozen when it arrived to the table was a little off putting. The crunch of the ice made for an interesting texture, but I'm not absolutely certain that was what they were looking for. Regardless after it thawed out a bit, I enjoyed it.
The other dishes were a little salty. But it was probably my fault, for choosing the dishes. I'm sure there are non-salty dishes on menu, but I just didn't expect broiled flounder to be slices of fish swimming on a soy glaze. -
Review from Jane R.
11/22/2011
Add this to my list of izakaya places that I have frequented now thanks to the boyfriend.
We ordered about 6 dishes plus plum wine and sake.
Homemade shumai (beef) - probably my favorite and our first dish to kick off the meal. Lots of meat doesn't taste as oily.
Agedashi tofu - they deceivingly give you more which is a nice surprise. Tofu with the broth is a fine combination - on par with other tofu dishes I've eaten.
Raw octopus and cod roe appetizer - not bad, not amazing, but good because II like raw octopus.
Duck breasts and scallions in broth - flavorful even though I have a bad habit of trimming off the fat off the duck. great broth again.
Sashimi in Japanese style vinaigrette - fish was VERY fresh and the vinaigrette gave it a niec kick.
Sauteed bean sprouts and leeks - perhaps this should not have been the last thing we ordered because we couldn't finish it. Solid considering it was bean sprouts but wouldn't order it again.
I originally gave this 3 stars but upgraded to 4 because I think if we ordered more dishes, we would find 5-6 solid dishes that we would be happy with.Listed in: Izakaya
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Review from Allison P.
Manhattan, NY
9/20/2011
3.5. My Korean friend introduced me to this place and said "are you ok eating in this hole in the wall Japanese bar kind of place?" Hmmm....
That being said, it's definitely authentic. We went for lunch yesterday and by 12:15, there were 12 Japanese businessmen there. I am always surprised to see people who look like me at the tables too.
I haven't gotten the art down of the soup spoon with my chopsticks but they make a great Nebayaki soup (one of my classic favorites). I make sure to tuck my napkin into my shirt to avoid the noodle in soup slurping spills and go... -
Review from Eric O.
Woodside, NY
Updated - 1/6/2012
I'm sorry, but after returning to Ariyoshi tonight, a downgrade is in order. While the chicken in ponzu sauce and kakuni were excellent, just about everything else was not as good as I had previously experienced (OK, the spinach was still as good). Plus, what's with the pork buns in a Japanese restaurant? And they laced it with some insanely spicy, incendiary Thai / Korean-like red sauce that was overwhelming; I had a hard time eating anything else for a few minutes. This revamp of the menu (confirmed with the staff) was wrong and not loyal to authentic Japanese food. I'll likely try other places before returning.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/26/2011
Been here several times, the last of which was last night. Awesome Izakaya-style Japanese… Read more »
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Review from Geoffrey N.
Briarwood, NY
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stumbled upon this place when I was "half-drunk" from Japan Society's annual Sake tasting. I was really in the mood for sushi/ramen. I love these small places with that authentic japanese flair. Service was fast and friendly.
As expected the sushi was good. Ordered hotate, ika, unagi, and amaebi. I know I'm being unfair but after tasting sushi from Hawaii, I have to be much harsher. For NY, it was really good.
Also ordered their house ramen called Ariyoshi ramen. Texture of noodles were great, the egg was very well prepared (yolk isn't overcooked and a little runny...perfect!). The pickled ginger garnish was contradicting the flavor of the soup in my opinion. And overall the ramen was too salty for my palette.
I must say that the atmosphere of the place seems like the type where a drunken single guy can go badmouth about their boss to the sushi chef. Ah wait, that sounds like me....anyway!!! I like it!
Technically I'm a fan but I don't see myself coming all the way out here from Queens on a regular basis. -
Review from Jason Y.
Philadelphia, PA
12/3/2011
Dropped in late on a Saturday night. Top-notch kushiyaki (deep fried skewers with bacon-wrapped asparagus was amazing!) and other Japanese pub food. An authentic experience, reminds me of my time living in Japan. Highly recommended.
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Review from Grace P.
Manhattan, NY
5/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Japanese tapas!
Japanese staff & customers = good, authentic food.
Open late. -
Review from Mykel B.
New York, NY
3/20/2011
I made a reservation at this tiny place. It was St. Patrick's Day, so I didn't want to take any chances. I figured a Japanese izakaya would be the only place not filled with St. Patrick's geeks. The day before I get voicemail from the manager. "Sorry, please cancel your reservation. It will be too busy." I call back, leave Him Voicemail, NFW!
It all worked out in the end. They held us a table, shifted us around as the evening permitted, and let us enjoy a geek-free St. Patricks Day. They have only one kind of beer: Sapporo Reserve. They do have lots of sake. The yakitori was nice, but some of the deep fried food was... er... dripping. Two of us suffered Tojo's Revenge later that night. Still, all-in-all it was a friendly place with very friendly staff. Most of the food was tasty (though I'd advise you to stick with anything on a stick). And it was a great way to escape from the Green Hoards.
--Drink Club NYC is a roving group of NY Drinkers -
Review from Robert B.
Manhattan, NY
10/30/2011
This is one of my favorite places in midtown. I go there at least once a week.
Ariyoshi is a kind of homely little japanese izakaya tucked away on a street filled with other eating options. The menu has an extensive list of yakitori, fried items, rice bowls, noodle and a limited selection of sushi.
I ilke to order some pickles, maybe a grilled yellowtail or salmon neck, and a small rice bowl or something and watch the people wander by.
Everything is decent, nothing is outstanding. It's all really about comfort here. I don't go here when I want a destination restaurant or something splashy. I go here when I just want decent, reasonably priced japanese food in a very comfortable atmosphere. -
Review from Marie T.
Manhattan, NY
11/13/2011
Has some hits and misses.
The hits -
bacon asparagus - great
Hamachi Neck - awesome. it was flavorful and soft.
The misses -
spider roll - it wasn't made very well and the whole thing fell apart when i picked it up.
tsukune - way overcooked and bland
It's decently priced and if I'm in the mood for late night snacking, I'll come here again. -
Review from Lawrence C.
New York, NY
3/31/2010
A glance at Ariyoshi's menu reveals standard favorites from the American izakaya template: rice bowls, yakitori (grilled skewers), some sushi... A closer examination, however, reveals some impressively difficult "challenge" foods, from fried bittermelon to raw veal liver to, yes, several dishes containing natto. If you don't know what natto is, suffice to say that its taste has been likened to smelly socks.
The point is, the place is no joke (as a single glance inside would also have shown, with its posters of Japanese girls innocently hawking beers and its TV tuned to inexplicable game shows). Its execution rarely lives up to the standards set by the city's best, but a meal there can be an unique, exceedingly satisfying experience. If you're in the mood for sushi, go elsewhere. Heck, if you're in the mood for yakitori, head for nearby Yakitori Torys. But if you want to try out something you've never had before, Ariyoshi is a solid choice.
For example, my last trip there included an unagi-sunomono salad. I would never have thought to combine the sweet succulence of eel with the delicate vinegaring of Japanese pickles, but the combination turned out to be jaw-droppingly good. A seared marinated mackerel sashimi dish was austerely presented, but the gradient in each slice from delightfully oily cooked mackerel to the tender rawness within was a lovely thing indeed.
My problem with a soy-sauce-boiled flounder special was that the portion was actually too large -- after a while, the initially appealing salty-sweet marinade became cloying -- but that's an okay complaint to have at a Japanese restaurant. If there's any consistent criticism that can be leveled against Ariyoshi's food, it's that the flavors can be applied with a heavy hand. A fried sardine plate was monotonously salty. The buta kakuni was disappointingly dry. But even the worst offenders have their good points. That raw veal liver may be been flavored subtly to the point of tastelessness, but that weirdly smooth texture was like little I've ever had (and, hey, it's in the running for 2010's "Most Likely To Kill Me... Somehow" dish).
Ariyoshi's main claim to fame in Midtown is that, on most nights, it's open until 4AM. But it wouldn't need ridiculously flexible hours in order to earn its place in the area's Japanese firmament. Similarly homey Donburiya makes it easier to pick a main course and add on little side dishes, but Ariyoshi is better for constructing entire meals out of small plates. And where the likes of Sakagura are so high-brow and romantic that to eat at them off-the-cuff is intimidating (and even a little inapppropriate), Ariyoshi is warm and welcoming to all comers. That even includes regular ol' Americans, who I see in surprisingly large numbers in Ariyoshi, though virtually always accompanied by a Japanese person.
Actually, I think that may be what separates it from the ultra-authentic izakayas in the city: because of the wide variety of dishes, Japanese people can feel safe bringing non-specialist eaters here, yet they themselves can still pick and choose things that would otherwise be hard to get outside the native country.
I finished off one of my sessions here with a decidedly non-native dessert: green tea ice cream tempura. That's right, staple of suburban sushi places across America. But, dappled with whipped cream and drizzled lightly with a thin chocolate sauce? It was great. And despite its ankimo and its maguro yamakake and its natto, Ariyoshi did not make me feel embarrassed to order it. Try THAT at Aburiya Kinnosuke.
Probability of return within 1 year: 85% -
Review from Hideki K.
8/21/2009
Ariyoshi is a "Typical Pub Style Japanese Restaurant".
The Good: Extensive menu, which includes sushi / sashimi, skewers (yakitori and kushiyaki), ramen (after midnight only), donburis, tempura, and various homestyle izakaya cooking. They're also open until 4am while serving food until 3am, and isn't a packed place.
The Bad: The food is average. The sushi was disappointing. No draft beer.
It's a good option to go here if you're hungry and want a substantial meal after most places are already closed. It's a better option than Donburiya, but it's not cheap. As mentioned, they'll serve you food until 3am.
If I ever return again, I'd be interested in their after midnight only ramen. -
Review from Deborah H.
New York, NY
8/26/2009
This is one of those Japanese restaurants that tries to do it all: sushi, izakaya, yakitori, etc. Sadly, they didn't excel at any. The sushi/sashimi was just plain bad. And expensive! A sushi/sashimi combo at Yasuda is only $22.50; I think it was somewhere around $26 here, and didn't come with soup or salad. The other foods were average, at best.
It serves food until 3AM, which is a plus, but next time I'd probably head to one of the other nearby late-night Japanese places like Donburiya. -
Review from Jeff C.
11/6/2008
Not sure if this is the same owner as the Ariyoshi on Broadway by NYU, but this one isn't as good IMO. It's a 22-seater, w/ 6 at the bar and 16 seats. The fish is up there, but the katsus are pretty lackluster. I still prefer Donburiya as the premier place for overall Japanese home cooking place for lunch in midtown. I won't be back.
Salad and miso soup starters were okay. The miso soup had cabbage in it...that was unique.
-Combo ($11) - Saba Shioyaki grilled mackerel with grated radish, Ton-Katsu breaded pork cutlet - the mackerel was very meaty and not briny at all, the katsu, well, that was paltry IMO.
-Pork Ton Katsu Curry ($10.50) - my friend said this was nothing special, lots of rice and sauce
Total came out to $14/pp after everything -
Review from Smog R.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2009
Some really really good Japanese food. And the price is right!
If I want Japanese food and Smog #2 ain't cooking it for me, then chances are I'll probably be going to Ariyoshi.
This isn't a place where you will find the typical Americanized Japanese food (not that all Americanized Japanese food is always bad). But this is the place to get the kind of yummy food you'd find at a Japanese bar. Just order a bunch of stuff and share with your friends, and you will be happy people.
Anything you get here is most likely going to be awesome.
Recommended:
- Daikon salad with mentaiko dressing -- Oh goodness!!! Yum!!! Salty and crispy and creamy and awesome.
- Kaisendon -- Good sashimi (but you can't really go wrong with that)
- Cream crab croquette -- Perfectly crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy crabby (in a good way) on the inside
- Pork kimchi -- salty and yummy good junk food
- Agedashi (Deep fried) tofu - done perfectly! perfectly crispy outside with creamy tofu inside plunked into a nice broth
-Eggplant with miso - everyone everywhere should be eating this every day
- pretty much any fish (broiled or raw) you order here is going to be good
OMG -- I am filled to the brim with pizza right now but I could totalllllllly go to Ariyoshi right now. -
Review from Michael B.
Essex, NJ
2/2/2012
Love Ariyoshi for lunch. The $13 box special is awesome and not a bad deal in this area for the quality and quantity of food you receive. Their sushi is also very fresh and good. The soups look pretty good (I haven't tried them). I've been for dinner once or twice; the yakitori is decent; nothing fabulous, but pretty good. Prices generally are a little high (once you move off of the lunch special), but not unreasonable. If you are looking for something different for lunch in this neighborhood, Ariyoshi is a great place to go. For dinner, it is decent and I would still recommend it.
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Review from Rhonda W.
3/21/2011
it's good, it's good, real good.
I was looking for a late night dinner, but didn't want to feel 200 lbs. afterwards. Sushi is always a good choice when that's the goal. I was very happy to accidently find this place (quickly check yelp reviews on my hand held device) and could see that they were resonably priced for a mid-town dining experience.
It was cozy inside (warm and small), and I was comforted in seeing the Japanese wait staff and cooks behind the counter. It smelled delicious and mouth watering and I couldn't wait to get started.
I judge japanese food based on freshness, flavor and presentation and this place had all that in addition to being close to a subway station. The agedashi tofu was fabulous, although some of the bottom pieces had a gummy covering from soaking in the sauce too much and the unagi entree was huge and well worth the price.
I like knowing there's a quality quaint little Japanese restaurant tucked away in mid-town, a nice break from all the large chain restaurants in this hood. -
Review from Jared C.
3/14/2009 2 photos
Without the random conversations in English and Chinese mixed in around us, it might appear as though we had stepped into a little izakaya somewhere in the countryside of Japan. Early in the evening, before the Japanese salarymen (they work late in NYC too) descend on this tiny place is a good time to quickly get a table and enjoy what is on offer here. There are about 6 tables and 6 more chairs at the sushi bar, so space can be tight at peak times.
I had asked a friend who spent years living in Japan to recommend me the best udon location in New York City, and was answered with Ariyoshi. At any izakaya, it is customary to order some small plates and share it all, while keeping bottles of shochu or beer constantly coming. We stuck with the beer and left the heavy drinking to the table of red faces next to us. To snack on, we ordered the geso tempura ($5.50, squid legs) and hourensou shirasu ($4.75, steamed spinach w/ tiny fish). Both were tasty as expected and good nibblers while we drank and waited for our main meals. The squid was especially delicious and dipped in its sauce, not too chewy and/or squeeky like some squid can be.
My friend was disappointed to learn that the restaurant was out of their special homemade moro (coarse) miso, so the oden and some other items were not available for us to sample. She did finish very satisfied though, mainly due to the hiyashi natto natuki soba ($10). This dish is chilled soba in a light broth topped with grated daikon, natto (fermented soybean), tempura crumbs, and dried seaweed. The fermented soybean is definitely an acquired taste, overwhelming all the other parts, but the dish is incredibly unique and should at least be sampled.
My nabe-yaki udon ($11.50) was extremely satisfying, and did not bring one complaint to my mind. All the ingredients (shrimp tempura, egg, and various small ingredients) were done perfectly, but I did add some shichimi (red chili pepper spice) to spice it up a little bit. The soy-based broth was a little bland without it.
The noodles in both dishes were of excellent quality, and as good as it gets in New York City. I can see myself back here many times in the future, a quieter place to drink and enjoy izakaya when the teenagers of St. Marks Place just seem too annoying to stand. -
Review from Stella Y.
4/9/2009 2 photos
This place is really cute and homey. Emphasis on homey.
Had the chicken teriyaki and mentaiko chaduke. The teriyaki was much more authentic and traditional tasting than your typical Americanized teriyaki sauce. It wasn't overly sweet and sticky and instead delicately coated the chicken breast. The chicken breast was surprisingly moist. Overall, a very mild and delicious chicken teriyaki. Big portion. The entree came with rice, two (just two) steak fries, a side salad with carrot ginger dressing, and miso soup.
The mentaiko chaduke was good, very similar to the one at Donburiya. I love this dish (a type of rice soup) because it's very soothing and mild. It always hits the spot on a cold night. They were generous with the spicy cod roe for such a small dish in general.
We also had a couple of rolls--California and Yellowtail. The fish was fresh.
My favorite thing about this place is that it's open till 4 AM on weekends. Sweet! Oh, and the waiters are nice :) -
Review from Kate T.
6/17/2009
I ate here at 7:30 on a weekday night, and we were the only customers in the entire restaurant. Things like that make me nervous (does everyone else know something i don't?).
The food was pretty darn good, especially for the price point, but the service wasn't stellar. It's not that i was expecting to be waited on mercilessly, but when there are no other customers competing for attention, it shouldn't take 20 minutes to flag someone down for the check. -
Review from Luvlymui i.
Manhattan, NY
9/2/2011
Quite disappointing. Been here a few years back and was great, and now it just ok. A bit run down and everything was super oily. I didn't like the quality of the oil they used. Pretty over priced for the lack of quality for the food. It was such a cute place and authentic years ago, what happened? I am very sad, I will never go back again.
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Review from Michelle C.
Brooklyn, NY
5/8/2008
Thumbs up for their lunch menu where they have a variety of decently priced set lunches. I usually go for the tonkatsu curry with mini-udon. The tonkatsu - panko breaded pork chop - is fried perfectly - crunchy without being oily. The curry sauce is just sweet and fragrant, what you would expect of a Japanese curry. And your choice of either udon or soba gives you a good palate cleanser / breather from the quite strong tasting curry.
In the evenings, Ariyoshi has a different menu - an a-la-carte menu with a lot of dishes to choose from including both raw and cooked fares. After many trials, I think Ariyoshi's sushi and sashimi is just okay - it's a hit or miss in terms of freshness. I would stick to the cooked stuff.
All in all - I would give 4 stars for Ariyoshi's lunch specials and 3 stars for Ariyoshi's dinner
If it matters to you, lots of authentic japs eat there... -
Review from Alex L.
Santa Ana, CA
8/3/2009
The decor is above average with friendly service. The fake tree that wraps around the booths was nice. The menu is large with a variety of small dishes and entrees. Their cooked food seems to be better than the raw stuff.
The roasted eggplant with miso and grilled fish collar were delicious. Their sushi and sashimi was decent but did not have the best preparation. There was a chewy membrane in the middle of the tuna sashimi pieces.
Considering the place is in midtown Manhattan, the prices are not too outrageous. -
Review from Takako T.
New York, NY
8/5/2010
I came here for my co-worker's farewell. Actually everything tasted decent, but not something can be memorable. Sashimi was fresh enough, fried chicken and skewed fries were just OK.
The taste and ambiance is decent enough as a Izakaya style restaurant, but their price was a bit more than Izakaya. Also considering their portion, I thought a bit too pricey to add one more star... -
Review from Dan S.
New York, NY
7/28/2011
Ate at this place for the first time a little while ago and was really impressed. I used to go to their downtown spot, and the sushi and sashimi here are just as good (on the pricey side of standard, but well worth it for the quality) and I think the Izakaya dishes might actually be better- I liked the crab-cream croquettes especially. We also got a donkatsu curry rice which was humongous.
The place has a really authentic Japanese feel, and the service was really friendly-I'll def. go again next time I'm in the neighborhood. -
Review from Kent K.
Cliffside Park, NJ
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
A decent Japanese restaurant
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Review from Gina L.
New York, NY
7/24/2011
went here for dinner on saturday... it's a tiny place... decor felt like stepping into a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in japan that's been there for generations or something... nothing fancy, but cute... i grew up eating japanese food cuz of my grandmother, and this place reminded me of the kind of food i used to eat growing up... delicious and authentic... a good list of sake... a no-frills kinda place that focuses on good food...
it was empty when we got there, like 7ish, but full by the time we left... then again, it's a really small place, like 20-25 seats only... i think they stay open til like 4am, so i guess they get a late start with dinner or something... quite a few japanese ppl there, which is a testament to how authentic the food is, i think...
i think some ppl there didnt know what "izakaya" meant... it's like japanese tapas, so u r supposed to get a buncha little things... the portions are actually bigger than a typical tapas dish would be, but not big enuff to be a main course for dinner... if u take that into consideration, it's not super cheap or anything... i was there with 4ppl and we got 10 or so different dishes and a carafe of sake, which came out to about $40 per person... but we were pretty full... i especially liked their sushi/sashimi, melted in my mouth... mmm :) -
Review from Kristen Q.
Torrance, CA
11/24/2009
love the katsu curry and beef noodle soup.
Don't order the smoked salmon or spider roll here. It's a gip for the portion size and it doesn't taste very good either.
cute lil restaurant for a gathering w/ 2-3. -
Review from Nicholas S.
Mountain View, CA
1/11/2010
While visiting some friends in New York, I found this place off of Yelp as we were in the neighborhood.
Nobody in my group really enjoyed what they got. I had teriyaki udon and sushi, and both were just okay. The place was empty except for a strange pair in the corner who seemed to be claiming that something (like a mouse or rat) had skittered under their table, though neither we nor the waitstaff could find any evidence of it.
Several times I had to take care of flies that were buzzing around our food.
If I'm in the area again, I would not go back. -
Review from Maurice J.
Elmhurst, NY
3/25/2011
This is a terrible place.. Staff is rude and unfriendly. One waitress even thinks she's black and at most offensive! Sushi was ok. Place looks ok. But can't like a place that service clearly needs some attitude adjustment.
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Review from Karen M.
Manhattan, NY
6/11/2011
I have eaten here twice now. The food is tasty and inexpensive. The service was also good. There are a lot of restaurants on 53rd between 2nd and 3rd but I have only tried this one - they were consistently good on both occasions. The gyoza are particularly good as is the fried chicken in yuzu. We also had some rolls (meh), the tonkatsu pork mith miso (tasty), the duck slices in broth(tasty), yakitori (tasty - especially the asparagus bacon) and the soba noodles. I am just getting into soba noodles so i am not an expert but these seemed okay to me... I am comparing them with the soba I have had in Tokyo and at Sobaya and these were obviously not as good... but not bad either. (I am still trying to figure out that perfect "soba slurp"... ) and while we did not have the sushi we did sit at the counter for a while and what they prepared looked fresh and delicious but that could have been my empty stomach talking.
All in all, this establishment is a great place for a drunken after party face stuffing... -
Review from Christine C.
Manhattan, NY
6/22/2011
Way too cute! Even on a Monday night it was packed, but it's a very small place maybe seats 25 at most elbow to elbow. As my friend and I started to leave to find another place to eat, the waiter rushed out and asked us to wait a few minutes as a table was leaving. Later come to find out that he was the only server there, running around like a mad man he was very attentive and not rude at at all (rude waiters are almost second nature to me so when there are patient and nice ones - they stand out). We ordered lots of little dishes:
Steamed Mussels in Sake - only so so the mussels were not fresh, I dare to say they were the half shell from New Zealand the kind that are frozen and you get in a box
Fried Tofu in broth - this was the star dish of the night for me, soft inside, awesome light broth that did not overpower the tofu with a little bit of scallion and grounded daikon raddish YUMMY - enough to make me turn vegen
Beef Negimaki - fresh fresh fresh, scallions were awesome and did not overpower and the beef was seared nicely definitely not the standard ones that you get when u order from asian fusion place, sauce was also heightened not the avg teriyaki cause
Homemade Gyoza - very very good
Fried Squid Legs - a solid dish, but nothing special - sorry to say I've had better
Overall just a fun place to relax and have a light dinner -
Review from Maria W.
Falls Church, VA
11/28/2009
Yummy food, great variety of choice, homey ambiance, lackluster service.
The cold tofu with bonito flakes appetizer was subtly flavored and refreshing. The udon with tempura vegetables was warm and satisfying, although the tempura could have been a little lighter. My companion ordered the mushroom soup with egg drop and the teriyaki beef rice bowl, both of which he really liked.
The service was all right, and considering how few tables there are (the restaurant has 20 seats total, including the sushi bar), there was really no excuse for it. One detail that irked me was that when my companion ordered the mushroom soup, the server neglected to tell him that his entree already came with miso soup. So we had a LOT of soup at our table.
Other than that, it was the perfect place to eat on a cold night. It was nice and quiet, too. A great place to have a conversation without yelling over the din.
One reviewer said that they can't get take out, but while we were there, lots of people called in and came to get takeout. -
Review from Ramon L.
9/23/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I was in NY for a week and I ate here 3 times! Fresh fish, good sake & walking distance from our spot. They also had the best happy hours ever...12-am-4am!! It's easy to miss though because it's tiny and partly below street level. Hip spot with with mostly Japanese locals...good sign huh.
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Review from Jonathan P.
New York, NY
7/5/2009
This place is great for Japanese style street food. A bit diffrent ambience from Ariyoshi in Union Square. But all of the foods still rocks. Like many before me stated the menu has a wide selection of Japanese tapas. But what was not mentioned was the fact that there is wide variety of sake.
I really love this place. -
Review from Emma L.
4/3/2010
This place defines 'hole in the wall'. Like many who have said before me, very late-night traditional Japanese dark eatery with a tv blasting J-Pop television game shows with a warm and friend staff. The food was on par but really not all that memorable, sadly. I was a bit surprised that with our a la carte sushi orders and 2 deep fried appetizers it came out to $65 w/ tax+tip.
