- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Lenge Japanese Restaurant - CLOSED
- Nearest Transit:
-
66th St (1)
72nd St (B, C)
72nd St (1, 2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 1:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
4 reviews for Lenge Japanese Restaurant
OK, so do you remember that John Travolta TV-movie where he played the immunity-deficient teenage boy who had to be carted around in a bubble?...In fact, I think it was called "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble", and Travolta must have been in his "Vinnie Barbarino / Teen Beat / Let Her In" phase at the time just before he broke out in "Fever", "Grease" and all that.
Well, I only bring that up because you too can feel like the Customer in the Plastic Bubble at Lenge as you sit in their big window box like an alien specimen. Passersby will gawk with a mix of envy and trepidation at the dishes they see you digesting for their sidewalk entertainment. I gave them quite a show since I went for the $14 Sashimi Lunch Special, which was a variety of raw fish nicely presented on a plate (see photo). It comes with the standard miso soup, a bowl of salad with a heavy miso dressing and of course, rice.
It was decent though not as fresh as I am used to back in San Francisco. I'm not sure if that's because it feels like an isolated outpost in New York or whether the owners simply have lower standards for quality. I come here frequently because it's a viable pre-opera dining option close to the Met, and the service is always genuine. And of course, I can star in my own reality series, "Survivor - Maguro in Manhattan".
FOOD - 3 stars...decent sashimi, not the freshest
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...Ed U stars in "The Customer in the Plastic Bubble"
SERVICE - 4 stars...always courteous...after all, it's my peeps
TOTAL - 3 stars...craving sushi?...not a bad place to get your fix
Decent food. Been there for years.
Ooh la la, my first review. The pressure is on, lol!
You know how sometimes you might feel awkward having lunch by yourself at a restaurant? (I know, that's soooo middle-school-ish, but I'm sure it sometimes creeps up even if we're adults :P ). Well, if you're running around solo on the UWS and feel like sitting down for healthier food, this might be an ok spot. There's likely to be another person dining solo as well, so you won't feel awkward and left out by couples cooing at each other or large groups gaggling happily nearby.
If you're going with someone else, don't go if you're looking for a fancy or upbeat and hip. It's basic. It doesn't have a trendy or sleek-n-modern look. It's certainly not a date spot. It's good if you want someplace relatively quiet and simple.
Yes, as Ed U. mentions in his review, there is a little bit of "boy in the plastic bubble" feeling. However, if this kind of stuff irks you, so would dining at sidewalk cafe's and restaurants. It's a matter of personal preference. For those who want more privacy, there's seating on a second level in back that can give an overlooking view of the street.
I feel like lunch special price isn't bad...I think it comes up to around 14.00 for miso soup, salad, rice (they offer white or brown, yaay!), and sashimi. Fish portion size is decent. Don't worry about variety, as the lunch special has the usual Japanese restaurant offerings on it, like chicken terriaki and sushi.
What has gotten me mad about this place is that MORE THAN ONCE they've forgotten my pickled ginger slices that is suppossed to come along with the wasabi. Also, they're pretty bad about refilling your water glass. Actually once I had a cup of coffee with me, and for some reason the waiter assumed I didn't need a glass of water with my meal. Also, once when I was there with a friend we had to refill our own glasses several times (we saw the water pitcher near us on the corner of the sushi bar). I mean, yeesss we drank a lot of water but they should've done the refilling as necessary, or switch to larger drink glasses. Yes, something that holds more than 6 ounces (there's 8 ounces in a cup)! There's a reason they're allowed to call the place a restaurant and not a cafeteria...so where's my service?
Another customer service sin: More than once i've had to flag down a waiter to ASK for my bill. And you also have to FLAG them down after you've been sitting for too long, for them to finally pick up your payment. When I go to a restaurant, I shouldn't have to take extra steps like this. Maybe there's better wait staff in the evening....but the ones around lunch haven't been very good.
I think i've been too forgiving with this place and simply keep returning because it's a convenient spot to hit during errands.I really should vote with my dollar by spending my hard-earned money at a couple other Japanese restaurants i've spotted not too far away from Lenge.
blah. the rice wasn't cooked properly, they served the miso soup before the meal, so it was cold by the time my sushi came (but thats a personal preference)...
overall the sushi was poor to mediocre....but the service was fast, and I didn't feel sick and "regret" the meal like i sometimes do at other restaurants.
I wouldn't return, but there arent many choices around the AMC theater on 66th
