On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Mon-Thu. 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Sun. 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Loading...
Somehow, I thought I would get into Kenka under 10 minutes on a Tuesday night.
WRONG.
My friend, boyfriend and I had to wait at least 25 minutes for a table. In the end, however, it seemed worth it. We were sat near the vintage pachinko machines and weird Japanese posters, and were presented with wild and wacky menus that were so cool I wanted to steal one.
My friend took advantage of the $1.50 Sapporo beer, while I went for a girly cocktail that had virtually no alcohol in it. It consisted of white wine (juice?) and a mixture of orange, peach, and mango juices. Weak, but refreshing.
The three of us decided to order a variety of different foods to get a serious taste of what Kenka is all about. We started off with skewered squid, which unfortunately was still too chewy for my tastes. The stingray fins proved much more interesting. They were so crunchy they tasted like fishy chips - they exuded a heavenly umami flavor.
Deep fried garlic could have been roasted for all I knew, but each soft, mellow clove simply melted in the mouth once wrestled from the bulb. Ginger pork proved to be ginger onions with bits of pork, but still appetizing and light. Rice was had in the form of umeboshi onigiri. These were huge, sticky, and extremely hard to share without falling apart. Luckily, neither of my friends were crazy about the sour plum core, so I got it all for myself.
Quite possibly the heaviest part of our meal was the okonomiyaki - easily my favorite Japanese dish. This one was thick and stuffed with tender squid. It could have used some more sauce, but overall it was tasty.
Now we get to the two most unusual dishes of the night. We'd never had pig's feet, so naturally we had to get it. Unfortunately, they amounted to nothing more than fat-wrapped bone and gristle. The fact that it was steamed didn't do much for flavor either. Now of course, if I liked pig feet I'd probably think this dish was wonderful, so I'll put no blame on the Kenka kitchen.
By the way - has anyone noticed the creepy clown banging a drum that looms ominously in the back room next to the bathrooms? Gah.
And then there was the bull penis. I was sure it would arrive at the table in coins - kind of like your run of the mill sausage. No. Not only did this thing come whole, there was no question that it was a full-blown penis. The urethra was still present even, that's how...true this dish was to the real thing. White and covered with a strange, gooey skin of sorts, my friend likened it to a dumpling. I likened it to penis, and felt myself begin to gag as I forced a piece down. It didn't taste horrible. In fact the flavor was very mild. It was the texture that got me. Chewy and multi-layered. Perhaps it was just the fact that I knew I was eating a bull's penis that threw me off. Regardless, I can legitimately say I've tried it. I only wish I ended up liking it.
At the end of the night, eight dishes and four drinks amounted to $60. Not bad for an izakaya feast! I'd definitely visit here again, if anything to simply see my friends' reactions when a plate of cow intestines or a whole deep-fried frog gets placed down in front of them. If anything, the free cotton candy will make up for it.
Ugh, don't go to Kenka. They are awful there. I used to like it because it was so dirt cheap, even though the service sucked royally. Now it's not as cheap, and the service sucks even harder. This one night we waited a full 40 minutes for a table, after which we were barely even glanced at by the waitstaff. They messed up our order, completely forgot someone's order but then made us pay for it. They were snobby as hell and we never got our water refilled ever. They were so uppity and rude that we left a scanty tip, and the waitress had the NERVE to follow us down the street and demand why we tipped her so badly. She was so pissed when I told her exactly why.
Complete nerve, never going there again.
The first time I came here was 2 years ago, and it was packed with all Japanese people. I revisited a couple times after that, and slowly they started to be replaced by the non-japs. For some reason, I always like going to izakayas that are filled with Japanese people, it makes it seem more authentic (but of course this is all in my crazy lil head).
The food I would say is a bit mediocre. There's nothing really special about it, except that it is really CHEAP. Everything about the menu is pretty similar to yakitori taisho.
wasabi octopus (worse then yokocho)
braised pork belly (not bad- uber fatty)
broiled mackerel (a staple item I order at every izakaya)
fried squid legs (got soggy after 5 minutes)
katsu-curry ($8.50 for a HUGEEE portion.. but the curry was lumpy and thick.. not smooth at all)
However, $1.50 for sapporo/kirin draft or $8/pitcher is an awesome deal. A huge bottle of delicious Junmai 720mL for $30- not bad.
Yes the chairs are really uncomfty (my ass felt really weird in it), and yes the menu is really hard to read (unpleasant to my eye), and yes the waiter is a little odd.... but hey, all that food and drinks for 2 people for $40/person? I'm sold!
Oh yea, can't forget about the cotton candy machine at the end (although it was really hard for me to make it, being so short and all). I LOVE COTTON CANDY!
I honestly have no idea what the food is like. Just thrilled I could get a pitcher of beer for 8 bucks. Also a fun atmosphere, plus where else can you get cotton candy at the end of your visit?
Minus 1 star for rather grotty bathrooms and slow service.
I wandered in here due to the draw of a crowd and it was open until 4am. Late night eats, long lines, and beer/sake should equal good times and boy was I was right and very pleased that i trusted my gut. I love Japanese tapas (izakaya) The portions are small so you can sample everything that your stomach desires. The ambiance is fun, they play Japanese old school shonin soap opera movie type of music in the background. Love the location too. St. Marks square always has a fun and eclectic vibe to it. I will return the next time I'm in the area!
List: Man Vs. Food
http://www.yelp.com/li...
Yes, Kenka, the crux of Saint Marks Pl! If you turn the Kenka's specials menu over, the flip side of the Bull Penis, you'll find that Kenka offers a Jumbo Curry Challenge. You have 20 minutes to eat 4lbs of Japanese curry rice, in which if you win, you get a T-shirt, and if you lose, you fork over $25 for the dish.
The tray holds about 7 bowls of their curry rice dish, which means you can only spend at most 3 minutes per bowl. I'll tell you now, I don't stand a chance.
http://static.px.yelp.... - Jumbo Curry Plate
List: Sweeties
http://www.yelp.com/li...
Writing specifically in regards to desserts, Kenka is one of three places that I can think of that actually serves one of my favorite dessert dishes, Anmitsu. Anmitsu is essentially red beans, ice cream, jelly, and fruits.
It's so simple, yet so untapped in NYC. The ingredients, though plain and uneventful if eaten individually, combine together to form a well-balanced palette. Very affordable, and probably a slightly larger serving size than that of Ch-An Teahouse.
http://static.px.yelp.... - Anmitsu
The sign here really should say "Hayai! Yasui! Mazui!".
The best food here is the free cotton candy.
I didn't want to like this spot simply because of it's location and the high volume of students that frequent it. Friends made me think otherwise, and I had a great time there.
The food was exactly what it looked like on the over-sized menu. (Yes- lots of pictures...) A healthy selection of sake and beer, to go with all the food options. It's not horrible, but I think it's middle of the road cuisine.
Value for your money and the added bonus of baskets for your bags so they don't sit on the floor and a cotton candy machine make it pretty good too.
I gave it an extra star than I really believe it should because of its authentic Japanese atmosphere. Walking into Kenka is like being teleported into an old-fashioned Japanese restaurant. They have it down pact-- to the "! (Irasshaimase!)" greeting when you first enter, to the wooden seats, decor and the annoying Japanese radio blasting. It's wonderful! But the food? Not so much...
My friends absolutely hate for not being TOTALLY IN LOVE with Kenka like they are... but the food just isn't that great to me, except for their okonomiyaki, which was delicious. The onigiri was pretty good too. It's hard to mess up an onigiri. I also ordered the seafood ramen; I expected better, but it was just OK.
The highlights of my visit to Kenka: 1. Walking in the ladies room, only to find a man peeing in there because he couldn't read Japanese on the doors.... and apparently didn't know how to lock a freaking door.
2. The cotton candy at the end, of course!! And watching other confused folks look at the bag of sugar questionably and slowly eat it.
What a weird pornographic/vintage pubby hangout. It's like they're vying to be the strangest on an already eclectic block. I tried their okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake/pizza) and takoyaki (octo-balls!) and potato croquettes (I don't know their Japanese name for them). They were all pretty good. Drool.
I thought this place was dirty. Within 10 minutes of sitting down (in that wicker chair that is too small for even me), I noticed two monster (i mean monster) mosquito bites on my legs. Then I saw the bathroom and had no further questions. Also, if you or your group don't know how to read the characters for male/female, find out before you walk into the wrong bathroom.
This place has a $8 per person minimum though. I hate rules like that. These izakayas on St. Marks constantly piss me off when they strictly prohibit any (ANY) outside food.
I was going to eat the pink sugar before my friend told me it was for the cotton candy machine outside. Weird addition to a place like this. I'm not drunk-prone, but for all of you who are, this is a nice and grubby place to get shit done. 4 stars for food only.
Ah, Kenka. This is probably the one bright spot of the commercial wasteland known as St. Marks, where goths, punks, and general metalheads used to hang. And since now pretty much 99% of the stores and scene that made St. Marks a rock and roll haven are gone (thank god Search and Destroy and Trash and Vaudeville are still here!), St.Marks is now home to a a random mix of Japanese places and Pinkberry.
Kenka, Kenka, Kenka. I absolutely despise how long I have to wait for a tiny table. I hate how delicious your food is. I hate how cheap your food is because then I order a ton of it. And your $1.50 beers and extensive sake menu!? THE HORROR.
I kid. I really do hate the wait outside, but Kenka's worth it. Cheap booze, cheap food, dirty atmosphere. It's kind of perfect in its own depressing way. This is where I come to pre- and post-game, since they're open so damn late. This is where I come for sake, nowhere else. And oh, the cotton candy machine makes it all worth it =)
Inexpensive, izakaya style restaurant.
food quality is fair.
Last night was my third (and most likely final) visit to Kenka. Although I'd lived a mere spitting distance from this fine establishment for over 2 years, I never reviewed it bc I never knew the name. When my friend texted me "Kenka," I had no idea where that might be. "it's near the sock man..." he continued. And being the hip east villager I am, of course, I knew the Sock Man.
Anyway, what you get at Kenka is a vast array of interesting (and occassionally creepy) decor (asian lady with her hair covering her nipples?....strange family portraits on the back wall?) I'm not saying these things are bad or wrong-- in fact, they are quite amusing in their kitschy-ness. And they do make for some good and often hilarious conversations.
The menu is a whirlwind picture-happy collage of a menu. Pork and Noodles*! $6.50! BAM! Octopus Udon with Rice*! $5.00! BAM! A lovely color picture accompanies every entree and even every beer. How lucky for those of us who have no idea what Udon actually is.
I'm not quite sure how to describe what they actually serve-- The first word that comes to mind is "confusing." The second is "gross." A lot of fried dishes, a lot of weird sounding fishy dishes (don't forget the pictures) .... and not a lot of "normal" sounding dishes. And I hate saying that bc I like fish and I like to think I'm somewhat of an adventurous eater.
My friends made me try their octopus appetizer which I thought I'd enjoy considering I love munching on this eight legged creature of the sea. But this octopus was not like those I have munched on before. -- I don't remember the proper name, but I think Slimy Spicy Icky Octopus Goo pretty much says it all.
I would give Kenka one star, but it's got personality. Personality counts for a lot.
*these may or may not be actual dishes. With all the crazy food on that menu, who can possibly remember.
I think this place is amazing!
It might not have the VERY best Japanese food in town but it makes up for it with atmosphere, $8 pitchers, exotic foods (intestines, bull penis, sting ray fin....the usual), free make it yourself cotton candy, etc. I would give this place 5 stars for character!
I had walked by this place for years before finally going in with friends. Very nice energetic atmosphere. Wait staff is curt, but they are very busy. You'll probably have a five to ten minute wait if you arrive during the dinner rush.
The food is authentic Japanese, but expensive and served in small portions.
There's a cotton candy machine outside, and they provide you with the sugar to use it after your meal.
Third night in a row in the Village. We were gunning for ramen and really wanted to try Ippudo, but unfortunately got there 30 minutes too late. As such, we were left wandering around and finally stumbled into Kenka. That was a mistake.
Judging by the Yelp reviews, this is actually a pretty neat place to go into--that is, if you know what you're getting yourself into. Unfortunately for us, we were just looking for a freakin' bowl of ramen. While we did end up getting that (average at best) and some hot wings, the process by which we got it was just awful.
First of all, their service can be described no better than "sucks." They're nice enough, but have no idea what they're doing. First, when we asked for a table, the first question the hostess asked was "are you drinking?" Uhh, maybe?!? We had to go up to a random waiter to ask for water. No waiter came by to take our order until we flagged one down. Then apparently there's a minimum purchase limit (I believe it was $17), and our order was like 10 cents short. Uhh, really?!?
Like I said, it sounds like a unique place that just didn't fit what we were trying to do that night. Instead, it just made the girlfriend crave some Korean chicken wings, so we promptly went over to Boka.
I never knew the name of this place - I always referred to it as " Oh! That place with the rape pictures!"
It's hard to ignore a place that has a lady being ... suckled by an octopus, or eaten ... out of by a men with glasses with a pair of chopsticks. .. Yeah.
I would say this place has its own grubby charm - I kinda like it because it's so casual and no one really cares what you do.
I've been here twice - the food is pretty alright.
Okonomiyaki: Actually quite tasty! I've had okonomiyaki before from another stand and surprisingly this one tasted a whole lot better. I wish I could have made it myself .. ( sad - I've been watching too many J-dramas) I thought it was pretty light in your mouth yet heavy enough to be filling. Recommended.
Takoyaki: "So, would you like to try some of the salty Octopus Balls?" I would say this dish tastes pretty average compared to anywhere else you can get it. Wouldn't mind getting.
Croquettes - Fried potato. How can this POSSIBLY go wrong?
Miso Ramen: Salty tasting - Not really worth it to get their ramen here.
Curry Rice: Hmmm.... yummy. It's nice and creamy. Ive noticed Japanese curry is not very spicy, but more creamy than anything. Would re-order this dish.
Green Tea Float: Wow... green tea ice cream in a drinkable form? I'm sold!
Bathrooms are creepy - think documentary style of New York in the 80s with all the graffiti. They also have a little space you can go to in the restaurant to head outside for a smoke break ( if you insist on killing your lungs - that's my own PSA!)
Last but not least - the cotton candy machine! The first time I came, I was ready to drink the powder that came in cups. Good thing I didn't...
I think it's really fun to make the cotton candy outside - I was very worried I would hurt myself but I think DIY candy is always a nice touch.
Food: Japanese beer food. Cheap eats. Nothing spectacular that I can recommend nor nothing disgusting that I would warn about. Try anything your heart desires, if it's bad, hey it was probably like 5 bucks anyway.
Drink: Selection of sake and Japanese beer. Decent price for the location.
Service: Average. Order food, get food. Order drink, get drink. Ask check, get check.
Ambiance: Brightly lit, uncomfortable seating. Starting from the menu design to the music, joint has that quirky, weird uncle feeling to it. Seems out of place, yet when he's around for that family reunion nobody is questioning him. Like Noh music would play for some reason. Odd.
Crowd: Mixed college crowd. Heavily skewered towards the younger side of the population. From 2 people to a table to like 10 have occurred.
While I'm not Japanese, I've been told that the food here is rather authentic.
I've tried the majority of the menu and the food has never been disappointing. The food is very good, but it's the ambience that makes the experience awesome. The walls are lined with old Japanese movie posters interspaced between Japanese proverbs. I couldn't tell you what they said, but evidently it's a very traditional Japanese setting.
The food is satisfying and tasty. It's not going to blow you out of this world, but you won't be disappointed when you leave.
Get the Okonomiyaki, the ramen, the udon, the stir-fried pork with kimchi, or the takoyaki. Ummm...yum.
Great place to come for cheap beer/food. It's always an experience bc of its old japanesey decor - so frikken loud tho.
My two big complaints are - 1.menu is overridden with similar choices but theres not a single dish id seek. I'm always enticed by all the selections but I'm never all that impressed with the food. 2. Tiny chairs !! It's so uncomfortable... actually one more 3. Longg wait in the after hours.
It still holds a unique charm.
I wish someone explained to me about the cotton candy machine..finally figured it out like on my 3rd visit !
So it gets two stars instead of one because of one reason:
it's cheap and as an unpaid intern taken for granted by her company, anything cheap gets brownie points. It's nice to drink away the reality that I am currently a slave to a computer, without getting more depressed about the lack of bills in my wallet.
Other than that, it screams "I'm uniquely Japanese (like those Japanese people who dress up like dolls or comic book characters) and I serve frozen izakaya food."
a surprisingly large St. Mark's Place venue for food and drinks. the menu is large, both in the literal sense - we're talking diner-size menus - and in the quantity of food and drink available.
a pitcher of beer was inexpensive. the Japanese aren't known for great beer, but it's not bad stuff.
the plum wine that my friend got was overly sweet...no drink should give you diabetes. WAIT. no, there is one, that I invented, called "The Diabeetis" in honor of Wilford Brimley of Liberty Medical. if anyone wants the recipe for DIABEETIS, let me know, I will provide it.
okay, now that I have that digression out of the way...
I would definitely come back to try food - it seemed fairly inexpensive. I think I saw something about a $10 minimum per person, but can't quite remember...it was a long night (see Derek I.'s review to follow that night's shenanigans). service was fast and attentive.
there's interesting artwork on the walls, mostly half-naked Japanese girls. and some hilarious rules on the menu ($20 if you puke, all graffiti must be in Japanese).
and, one final note of awesomeness, the menu has fucking GAMERA on the back. that's right, the fire-breathing turtle kaiju who is also Friend Of All Children apparently put his stamp (claw?) on Kenka! hells yes!
one final digression; now we must cue the MST3K song:
"Gamera is really neat!
Gamera is full of meat!
we believe in Gamera!"
My cousin and I came here after a pitcher or two at Taisho only to meet up with his friends. The place was a lot bigger than I thought. Kenka's much bigger and more brightly lit than Taisho. Here, we also just had pitchers of Kirin. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to order food, but I may be back to do so. I think I noticed that they don't have yakitori here. (Not 100%, but I'm pretty sure they don't)
Kenka has more of a restaurant feel to it than a pub/bar. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but on a late Saturday night I prefer the Taisho atmosphere. They did have a bunch of pachinko units on the wall!
There were two things I enjoyed about this place. The pitchers of Kirin and Sapporo were only $8 and the waitress was quick, attentive, and friendly.
I prefer Taisho, but Kenka is an alright alternative.
I used to love this place, and make it a point to visit everytime i visited New York City. If i had rated it then, it would have been four stars. I live here, now, and i've gone twice to take friends in the last three months. Unfortunately, i feel this place is no longer as good as it used to be. The food is still tasty, but the service has lagged. This most recent time i've gone, the food took forever (longer than the usual wait) and the dishes did not come even close to together with long waits in between which was unfortunate for a party of five. My boyfriend who is very picky recieved his order first, ate it because he was starving (we all were) and then had to sit and watch us wait and eat and wait and eat for the next almost three hours.
We ordered a pitcher of kirin and then never received it until we finally caught our waiter (at LEAST 25 minutes later) to ask about it. He acted as though he hadn't remembered jotting it down with our order. Then he brought us two frosty glasses. There were five of us, four of us drinking. We had to catch him again. But still we had no beer. We asked him AGAIN and after another ten minutes got our pitcher, but by now our glasses were warm and no longer frosty and cold. We asked if we could get glasses of water, and he just brought us all empty, frosty glasses (the ones for beer).
As far as the food was concerned we initially waited almost 45 minutes (during which the beer fiasco was taking place) two appetizers came out which we wolfed down, we waited another 15-25 minutes, another appetizer. Another 25 minutes, one entree which was a mix up because none of us had ordered it . More waiting, more tantalizing trickles of food. I was really disappointed, especially after having told my friends over and over how great it was.
Kenka let us all down.
It's like walking from NY into Japan when you go inside Kenka. The atmosphere is great, nicely designed with cool paintings. The prices are really good. $8 for a pitcher of beer. You can't beat that! This is a good place to have a few drinks and share a Okonomiyaki with a friend. After the meal you are given a small shot of sugar. At first I was like, "WTF do I do with this?" My friend told me that there's a cotton candy machine outside that we use the sugar with... AWESOME!!!
I like the concept and the vibe here...and especially the cheap prices but this place just does not deliver for me.
While the grilled white fish and monkfish liver were quite yummy, everything else was just super bleh. Add to that how I got splinters from the table and the bathroom was disgusting, I'm just not sure I would give this place another shot. There are too many other places that are better...
The only plus was the DIY cotton candy machine =)
I've been to Kenka Japanese Restaurant on a dinner date, and the ambiance feels like you're in another world, maybe bc of the wooden tables, chairs, and decor.
I remember the menu was huge with a wide import beer selection. The place is usually crowded, and the food is pretty good across the board. For dessert, you get a cup of sugar to spin your own cotten candy. The food here is filling and the sweet treat itself is cute and fun enough for a night on the town.
Note: If you prefer that this place isn't right for you, there are tons of other food places to visit on St. Marks and the Lower East Side area.
I want to give it 4 stars considering that it's such a cute and trendy place, but asides from the atmosphere it didn't really capture me.
Although what did capture me was the fried oysters. It was not soggy and watery in the inside like other places I've tried. Well, I ordered the yakinikudon which was a rice bowl with bbq beef. It was good but not great. If I wanted yakiniku I would go to gyu-kaku and have me some good yakiniku...food and fun.
I would definitely come back for a second round of Kenka, and hopefully I could change my rating from a 3 to a 4.
At first I was like, "Whaaaaaaat?" when I sat down because their little chairs and weird tables make it really hard to sit comfortably.
But after a second pitcher of $8 Kirin, I was like, "Oh heeeeyyy, this is fine!" Because I was buzzed.
Our waitress let us know that there was a minimum of $8 per person. Duh. Oh, peeerrrfect, we thought.
Yup, I was a first timer, so obviously I went for the cheap drinks. My friends and I were headed to Crif Dogs, so we didn't want to spoil our appetites, but we did order pork dumplings and bacon-wrapped asparagus, both of which were delicious, but not quite as satisfying as spending $8 on a pitcher of beer.
At the end of the evening you get your own medicine cap of cotton candy mix to make a little delicious sweet treat. The machine is conveniently located outside, so everyone can watch you drunkenly screw up cotton candy* and then eat it like you're at a county fair. But then you remember you're on St. Mark's.
Our waitress was a little burly and I'm pretty sure she scowled at us on the way out. I have no idea why!**
__________
* As if I've ever made cotton candy before and knew where to put the stick. My b!
** We're totally charming, especially with a few drinks in us.
We heard so much about this place and finally had a chance to stop by last night for an early dinner around 6pm. We find their prices very reasonable and food is pretty good too; we liked their ramen, the smelt, and the raw octopus with wasabi. However, it wasn't a very comfortable dining experience considering the space was pretty tight and the chairs we sat on were pretty tiny. Not to mention the background Japanese music was kind of loud and unpleasant, but hey, that's pretty personal. So, overall, I would rate it a 3-star experience if it wasn't for the cotton candy at the end! They have a cotton candy machine outside and would give you the sugar to make the cotton candy when the bill is paid, and that was awesome!
So a friend and I were walking down St. Mark's trying to find a place to eat and in a sea of Japanese and Korean places that were pretty empty, this place had a line of people forming and our interest was peaked. I'm sure its the Junior High need for acceptance in me which made me want to wait in line for something, regardless of what it is...and mostly because other people wanted to go there too. (And yes, if everyone was jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, I would consider my options!)
We sat down and immediately noticed the sea of pitchers on everyone's tables. And at 8 bucks for a pitcher of Kiran this place is definitely the place to get drunk. And the food wasn't so bad either. We had sashimi, dumplings, some skewers, and some other dishes, all of which were tasty. And of course, the DIY cotton candy at the end of the meal.
While this isn't a classy joint, it is a lot of fun and if your in the mood for fun, you've found your place.
Kenka, known to me as "Tanuki," is the only place I truly love to go. That is why I am giving it five stars in spite of the many hours I've spent waiting outside for a table, and the fact that they changed the beer glasses from regular pints to tiny mugs.
The dining experience at Tanuki begins with 45 minutes waiting for them to call your name. Typically it is raining during this period. Then they seat you at a tiny table on tiny chairs and the table is this butcher block of wood that's bowed up on the sides from absorbing years of soup broth and also from being a crappy piece of wood to start with.
Then you place your order. You will get a $1.50 beer and an array of small dishes from the menu. Usually a mix of safe things you've had before and terrifying fish dishes you think it'd be fun to try (hotate butter goes in the former category! it is succulent. get it).
Go ahead and order the bull's penis or whatever else is outrageous. They won't have it. It's purely for show. As is the tentacle rape motif. That is to say, i believe very little actual tentacle rape occurs at Tanuki.
Then your food will come out in a totally mixed up order and it will be delicious. It will be particularly delicious if you get fried chicken and Taiwan Ramen. Your server will be very attentive in filling your drinks and you will repeatedly tell yourself it's fine to have another cuz they're only $1.50.
You will be in the company of confused East Villagers who don't know what to make of the place. And also groups of real Japanese people having a good time.
You will be the only American there who "gets it."
Finally the check comes with a little cuplet of sugar for cotton candy. You will ignore it, but on the way out the door you will snicker at the people trying to figure out the machine. Esp. the people who pour the sugar around the sides (it goes in the middle).
I'm writing that it's not good for groups cuz if you want anything bigger than a fourtop you may wait for a long, long time.
Oh, and you can buy the t-shirt upstairs at Search and Destroy for like $18.
Luv u Tanuki. Never change (except change the beer glasses back to the original size).
When ever I come to the city and i want late night Japanese comfort food, this is the place I go. I know for under 20 bucks I can get two 20 oz Sapporo, a large bowl of pork ramen, 6 takoyaki, and 1 squid ominomiyaki. While not the best in the city for the above the ability to get it at such a late hour as well as the atmosphere makes up for it. The Cotton Candy finished you get to make your self when you leave will have you dreaming passionately of that Red Glowing Eyed B*tched teeted Tanooki - raccoon to most American understanding
Based on the photos of this place, this was the final leg of Friday's rendezvous in New York. Only a few of us remained to make it this far in the journey.
I had never been here before this point. We came mainly for more drinking after the tea shop I normally frequent in the area was closing for the night. We got a pitcher of beer, which was fairly cheap. My friend got a plum wine, me and another friend got sake, and the rest stuck with the beer. Don't get the plum wine, unless you like drinking plum and solely plum ... it was so sweet, and I've got a sweet tooth.
The back of the menu is hysterical, while outlining important details. They charge you $20 if you throw up (exception of toilet), so go outside, or have good aim for the toilet. Graffiti is only allowed if it's in Japanese.
I like the place. I'll come here again to try the food, and see if it's any good.
3.5 Stars
I went with two of my friends to Kenka last Tuesday, and immediately noted the patrons drinking voraciously. I then made a mental note to get wasted here one day.
All happy fun and delicious Japanese-style fast food, complete with loud music that, based on the similarity index with Korean music, seems to be from the 1940's. This is not a demure, refined, restaurant. It's LOUD, it's fun, it's all-out.
The chairs are uncomfortable at first, but I didn't care at the end. We were able to put our umbrellas in a basket, which was really convenient. We also happened to get a slanted table, which amused us all.
I ordered katsu curry, my two friends ordered curry ramen and Taiwanese ramen. All three were excellent, although I was a ltitle perplexed as to why I didn't have any shredded cabbage. Nevertheless, highly recommended. My friends also ordered a potato croquette to help with the $8 minimum (Why??) but they were forgettable.
To round out the meal, the cotton candy maker was pretty sweet (all pun intended). Will be coming back again gladly. Will definitely try that coveted bull's penis. Will update on that sometime next year.
I no longer frequent Kenka's because my friends are banned. Don't ask what happened but Kenka's loses a star (and a bathroom cover seat)! I'm in tears, honest.
I've been to Kenka's more times than I can count (or even remember), and even though my friends and… Read more »
I am definitely a fan of this place. Thanks for recommending this place Jewel Y!
Quirky Japanese decor and menu - delicious food, fast and friendly service. They give you a wicker basket so your bags don't touch the floor. A friend later told me it's bad luck to have your bag on the floor. Nice to know Kenka is looking out for you.
It's Japanese tapas. Fun to try a bunch of dishes. I liked the Russian Roulette special (watch out for the one with a gob wasabi - it'll burn a hole through your nose), and the bacon wrapped asparagus.
I love its uniqueness ~ they bring you a tiny plastic cup of sugar with your bill. Save it for the cotton candy machine outside. I've crossed another one off my list - making my own cotton candy.
Thanks Kenka for a fun and oishii dinner!
Weird food (intestines, pig feet, fried frogs, bull penis) = yummy and delicious
Although this place has normal items on the menu, we specifically came for the abnormal items.
Pig feet = Had it @ Rockmeisha, still thought they tasted really good over there, even though Jeff C. pointed out they are really Pig toes, not feet. This place is okay, you got all fatty goodness, but lacking the crispiness.
Intestines = Many Asians like this stuff. I'm Many Asians.
Fried Frog = Did you see Andrew Zimmern's eating bats in the first season of Bizarre foods? This kinda looks like that. The Frog was on a skewer from its butt to its head, and they breaded it and fried it whole. Yummy! Crispy on the outside, way more tender than KFC. You also can stick the frog hand on a skewer after you're done and pretend its a back scratcher (yeah, I know, we're wild).
Bull Penis = I had to suffer ridicule for a few yrs cuz I didn't dine on this way back when. Dude, we were in a group and I was trying to hit on this girl that was with us. I didn't think she would like a guy dining on that stuff (P.S. we didn't hook up anyway, so I guess I should have dine on it that night). The BP was chewy, but it had no taste to it. I heard Baoguette is also serving BP now, maybe I should go there to try it, but this dish was a let down. It was also a lot smaller than I remember it, but maybe there's another explanation for that, ha ha.
We also had normal foods like scallion pancakes, which were excellent. While we dine on all this strange stuff, we also got 3 pitchers of beer. The total came out to $23 a person (6 ppl) after tax and tip. Ridiculously good deal.
P.P.S We almost started a fire in their cotton candy machine. There was certainly a lot of smoke coming out of it. Note to self: Do not put the cotton candy crystals in the bottom bowl where the cotton candy forms. And do not put 4 cups of cotton candy crystals in at the same time.
Kenka is awesome and cheap! Most izakaya dishes are less than 10 bucks and 8 dollars for a pitcher of beer? hello! The place has this oddly militaristic feel of Japan slightly before WWII which I can imagine is sort of uncomfortable for some people, but the food is pretty good (the menus themselves are awesome) and the booze is inexpensive.
FYI for all you smokers out there, they have a special smoking room in the middle of the restaurant. My smoker friend was way stoked about it.
This place... rules.
$8 pitchers and free make your own cotton candy. SOLD!
I had such a blast here. I took my boyfriend here, as I thought he'd get a kick out of it, and we both did. We drank and ate till we hit max capacity for under $25 total.
After 7pm it starts to get pretty packed, especially on the weekends. Its a pretty big place but you could end up waiting an hour or so. The food is... amazing, and I'm not even quite sure what I was eating. The service isn't the fastest on a busy night, but really, where do you have to be? The decor and menu are A+, unless of course you're looking for a fancy quiet night out... It's loud, fast paced and fun. Normally I steer away from St. Marks, especially on weekend nights, as the out-of-town-under-21-search-and-destroy crowd slays me, but I suck it up for a little Kenka.
If you cant find it, its under Search and Destroy, marked by the... bear? with the glowing eyes and the people huddled around the cotton candy machine.
Happy Hour!
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
now serving on sundays!
Neighborhood: East Village
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
I'm tired, annoyed and it's 2 am. Oh and a little…
Fifty on Their Heels played two shows in NYC for…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I'm going to toot my own horn and compile a list…
Immediate or in the morning after... and be…
Ramen is one of my favourite foods, and this is a…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Our trip to the Big Apple (with a side dish in…
