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Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Mon-Thu. 6:00 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 6:00 p.m. - 2:30 a.m.
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When I saw the "!" in the name, I knew I had to eat here.
After almost a year and a half of living in New York and wanting to try this place, I finally came tonight! Took long enough.. but it was worth it. And since it was a Monday night, there was no wait for a party of five!
this place is so good, and the ambiance (from what I have read/heard) is very authentic to the way holes in the wall in Japan are that serve yakitori.
some friends and i came tonight and had the party platter, which came with a combination of yummy, succulent items such as the chicken balls, grilled beef and chicken skewers, chicken giblets, peppers, and shrimp. we also had a plate of the squid, which was cooked quite well - not rubbery and not too chewy. definitely was enough food for the five of us, and with some hot sake we really enjoyed our meal (and maybe got a little dizzy from the goodness of all that meat on skewers and hot booze..).
i like that there is an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs prepare the food and grill and cook. It's a good space in St. Marks that seems very unassuming. Definitely will be coming back here.
Okay so my experience at Oh Taisho was a better than my first experience. I am so stuffed after this time. My Japanese classmates and I came here last Friday, for dinner, and talking. Ended up ordering a lot! The total came to about $30 a person.
I had more experience with ordering Yakitori. I love the beef tongue here, and I had a Green Apple Vodka, which was great!! Also the large sodas are great. The drinks came in this huge beer cup, and that was so worth it.
I would say they have a slight full bar, they do have vodka, and beer.
Service was okay, decent. I came here.. after a hankering for ramen, and the ramen was standard. I… Read more »
This place was definitely better when I was inebriated. During that visit to Oh! Taisho, I tried the french fries with the special sauce thing and the kimchee udon dish. I remember leaving Oh! Taisho and New York with found memories of that meal. I believe I once dreamed about the kimchee udon as well.
So when I found myself back in NY for a whirlwind weekend, I had to go back. How could I not? My mistake. I ordered the same two things and though it was decent, it wasn't mindblowing like my first visit. I should've quite when I was ahead.
I heart Oh! Taisho!! I already yelped how amazing its twin restaurant next door "Yakitori Taisho" is, and the same goes for this one. Great yakitori, hands down!! But I like "Oh! Taisho" even better because of its hot yakitori chef. Me and my best friend have a little crush on him. We don't even know his name but we know he's from Yokohama. We managed to take a picture of him, yay!!! He's cute and can cook?? What??? Helloooooo?? What more do we need?? LOL! I'm still in love with Chef Willy of Degustation, but I welcome more eye candy!!! The more the better!! Bring it on!!!
P.S.- If anyone knows his name, let me know! Cheers! LOL!!!
I'm seeing double and it's not because I've had a pitcher of beer and sake. There are two of these places and I've had both.
See review for Yakitori Taisho.
Oh man - my friends never EVER disapoint me when I am looking for a place to eat in NYC on vacation. This merely came to me as a driveby potential, from my friend who said that the boyfriend and I would probably like this place; she knows that both of us have been to Japan, and would appreciate the food.
We wandered over on a Friday night, and man, there was, like, a BILLION people outside! We definitely had an "oh crap, we're gonna wait FOREVER, and we are already kinda hungry" moment, so I walked in and asked how long the wait would be for two. The teeny-tiney-hella-japanese girl told me five minutes.
Wait. What?! I had her quickly put my name down on her list, and we started our wait. Granted, our wait was a little longer than that, but it couldn't have been more than 15. We definitely got in before other parties.
This place is BUSY, and I get the suspicion that this place is busy all the time. We get in, and they have a place for you to hang your coats (definitely a bonus, because this place is long and narrow). We had already started to look at the menu, and I knew that I wanted some sake, and the boyfriend was looking forward to beer. We also ordered a mixture of their house specials (GET the tempura squash if it is on the menu! It is delicate and delicious), and some yakitori, both one of the pre-set plates, and some extra stuff that didn't come on the plate (the boyfriend was quite pleased that they had chicken skin as a yakitori option - I seriously think that it took about 3 years off my life, but otherwise, I'm not complaining).
We got a prime seat; we were seated right where they put the orders in, and could watch both that action, and the action of the guys making the food dip it, grill it, and plate it. Very very entertaining, even though I almost got clocked in the head while the waitresses leaned over me to place the orders. They WERE being careful, however, and she apologized on a near-miss. We actually wound up ordering a second round of food, as I have the bottomless pit more formally known as a stomach.
After feeling fully satisfied, the check came quickly and efficiently, which was wonderful. Our stuff wasn't stolen off the hangars, and I quickly took the bill and we started our stagger home. This would be an awesome place to have a group of friends for a bunch of food and drinks. They also serve Ebisu beer - worth almost the four stars alone.
Hopefully, I will be back.
Same as Yakitori Taisho. So good!! Everything about it reminds me of Japan. Basement like restaurant, cramped, and full of steam from the food.
Although it's easy for groups, I don't recommend the yakitori party set. Just take the time to really choose the skewers you know you will enjoy eating. The party set looks good on the outside but as you get closer to the inside, you're left with green onion skewers, green pepper skewers, and innard skewers that may not be as popular. I normally like innards but a couple I had were really tough and chewy. They went to waste.
Two dishes I get repeatedly are the Kimchi Stir Fry Udon and Okonomiyaki. YUM. Do it.
Some new dishes I tried that you could get are the squid legs (with the green seasoning), spicy tuna don (really really good and plentiful here!), tuna salad (fresh avocados in NY?!), and bread + curry appetizer.
If you're with a big group on a busy night, it's not the place to lounge around. The waiters kept asking if we were done since there were so many others waiting outside.
Mmmm my second time visiting this wonderful eatery and my fourth time in NYC. I'm so glad I decided to revisit St. Mark's. I'm not really all that big of a fan of New York, but St. Mark's definitely has something Chicago doesn't have--quality Japanese food that isn't sushi.
I just love the authenticity of everything, from the decor to the food. The decor is similar to your standard Japanese restaurant (in Japan) from the tiny space to the wooden trimmings, tables, and chairs. You see the chefs cooking in a small section and if you sit it at the bar, they're right in front of you. The space is a bit cramped for large groups, but it's manageable. You tend to eavesdrop on others' conversations, but that can be fun depending on the crowd. We had someone who talked a lot about politics and economics...but didn't seem to know much of what he was talking about.
The food is, needless to say, so delicious. The yakitori is so ridiculously tasty. A group of us shared one of the larger platters, so it was nice to be able to try a lot of different items. I recommend the chicken giblets. They have other fare other than yakitori, though. Not being Japanese, I'm not sure what all of these are called but there was the one octopus ball thing with the fish flakes and the sauce over it. I'm not sure what it's called...but I ate it in Japan earlier this year. It's obviously not going to be the same in every way, but it was still pretty delicious.
I will warn you though, the wait for this place takes awhile so my suggestion is to get here early and/or put down your name. Take that time you have to walk around the stores of St. Mark's--maybe you need a new pipe or jewelry? If it doesn't work out at this Taisho, I do believe there's another...I'm just pretty sure the wait is the same. And also, there's a modern restaurant next to it--but I'm not sure why you'd travel for authentic Japanese food without having the authentic atmosphere with it. Oh, and if you speak Japanese, you can most likely order in Japanese..it seems to be a running trend in that area.
I would get so fat if I lived by St. Marks cos I'd go to Oh! Taisho and Yakitori Taisho (which is right next door) like every day and stuff my face like I do every time I'm there! I'm always ready to order just about everything on the menu.
Same stuff as Yakitori Taisho. Just as amazing. This is the real deal!
Cramped, sweaty, and heavenly aromas of yakitori are the reason why you come here. Skewers of yakitori are made quickly and I recommend ordering a la carte for each skewer because you may not like every skewer in your set meal. My faves are the beef tongue and the chicken skin and gizzards. The only drawback in coming are the long lines which are forgivable due to the low cost of the yakitori and the nice "authentic" atmosphere inside.
P.S. Sit by the yakitori bar and sweat off 5 pounds of water weight.
P.P.S. There seems to be a gawking at diners scene going on outside the retaurant. Since waits are common here, everyone stands in crowds outside checking each other out, which is a plus if you're so inclined.
One of my favorite places to eat in NY. Here are some of my favorite dishes:
* Aspara Mentai (asparagus with sauce)
* Mentai Potato (fries with sauce)
* Buta Mayo (pork with mayo sauce, well done)
* Uzara (quail egg stick)
* Negi (scallion stick)
* Salmon Cream Yakisoba (Spring weekly specials)
The only bad side is the long wait and cramped eating area.
U never fail me YAKITORI!
Different type of Japanese (not the SUSHI KIND)
everytime I go to this place always have to wait at least 10 minutes to get my table.
AWESOME Skewers meat!
awesome Entrees here!
Everyone enjoys eating, drinking and talking in this place.
And not that I mention, AFFORDABLE!
Worth to wait. Food comes pretty fast.
Oh Taisho is one of my top grub spots in the city, but it's usually because every time I go has been with a good group of friends. If you're with a smallish (2-6) group of friends and you aren't in the mood or if it's too early to really go drink or you want a little meat on a stick with your booze, this is just the perfect spot to go.
The combination sets are amazing a great place to start. Things that really don't sound that appetizing, like scallions, chicken skin or chicken gizzard yakitori are really some of the best offerings. Also, just about any meat smothered with mayonnaise is highly recommended.
Also recommended are pitchers and sake. Yakitori was made to be mixed with liquor and when it is, it's just the perfect recipe for a full stomach and a good time, especially when you realize your stomach is very full of delicious meat and you've got a nice buzz for 30 dollars including tip.
Oh Taisho is the siamese twin of Yakitori Taisho so this review should be for both spots. You walk in the narrow restaurant and plop down on your seat and you're greeted with this gigantic menu with an assortment of japanese comfort food. We ordered the party tray of yakitori goodness and a whole lot of other stuff on the menu. I can tell you that the food does not disappoints. Its not a classy spot. It's a place to go with a bunch of friends get an oversized frozen drink or beer and just go bananas.
Always get the chicken skins... thats a must - crispy fatty skin of a chicken sliding down to your love handles is what it is all about....
4.5 stars! Holla!
I enjoyed my food at Oh Taisho, but it didn't knock my socks off. I wasn't too impressed with the bill either. 3 people, who were still hungry, for $70.
The meat was delicious, but the skewers were tiny with not much meat on them. I would recommend that someone give this place a try if they are looking for something different, but I am not yearning to go back.
The chicken teriyaki was awesome. I can recommend that.
I didn't like that there were no free refills on soda. They charged us $17 for Pepsi. Do you know how much soda you can buy for $17...Uncalled for. The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off...
It's always good to know where the late night yakitori places are, so when people come to town and their flight gets in really late you have a go-to place for dinner.
Taisho is bright and loud, so if that's not what you want, make the jaunt to midtown for some Totto.
The yakitori at Taisho is good, but not excellent. Several of the skewers we had were not good at all (I'm looking at you, chicken with cod roe). The kalbi in miso sauce was outstanding, so make sure you get some of that.
I reviewed Yakitori Taisho, and even though this seems to be the same place, I'll review it as well. Oh! Taisho seems a bit newer, is cleaner and is just as delicious as Yakitori Taisho. As usual, had the pepper skewers, some beef ones (which were a bit too fatty for me), chicken teriyaki and some amazing corn. I'd never had the corn before, it was wonderful. I also got a side of teriyaki sauce to drown everything in.
Oh! Taisho seemed to have more specials as well, and its still amazingly cheap. Oh! Taisho, still driving me crazy :)
Very delicious! My friend and I discovered this place last week while wandering around St. Marks. I recommend sitting at the bar so you can see what everyone is eating and ordering if you're new to Yakitori like we were. The ramen and noodles were yummy along with the skewers (yakitori) and rice balls. Very authentic feeling. I will definitely go back here! Everything seemed very fresh and delicious (as long as you know what you're eating/ordering!)
You better go at the right times or else you'll get stuck waiting.
One of the better yakitori I've had. Lots of good selections. And I like the combos of yakitori skewers it makes deciding what to get much easier and more efficient than picking and choosing from a checklist.
Sake selection ain't bad either. All in all, what you want in getting some good Japanese yakitori.
Came here yet again. Skewers were great. As always, the bacon wrapped anything is my fav!! This time I was less satisfied with the tuna avocado salad...maybe because tuna is not in season right now?
I am not complaining. For the price, this place is a jewel in expensive Manhattan!!
This place is awesome! I've been here a couple times and I was very pleased with every experience.… Read more »
I've gorged myself at Izakaya's across the globe, so I speak with some authority on Oh Taisho. Yes, it's cute, it 'feels' authentic, and the grub is cheap. It's rustic, it's cramped, it's kitschy, and most importantly, it's cheap.
Typical of most izakaya, there's the ubiquitous yakitori, the classic Japanese street food. Meat on a stick over hot coals - about as primal and basic as you get. When done right, it's transcendental but at Oh Taisho, it's dried out, chewy, and over sauced.
Ramen at $8 is cheaper than a specialty shop such as Setagaya or Minca, but I would gladly fork over an extra $4 for better quality product. This ramen tastes like cardboard with an uninspired broth and tough as shoe leather pork. A seaweed salad tasted so severely of onions, that my taste buds stung several hours later.
The one saving grace are the playful sochu slushies - ultra alcoholic, sweet, and refreshing.
Even in these tough financial times, where a cheap, filling and boozy meal can really lift your spirits, I had a hard time enjoying my experience here. Next time, I think my scant bonus will be applied elsewhere.
Oh so delicious!
We got a couple of sets, random extra delicious skewers, fries with the amazing roe mayo (tastes a bit like Greek taramosalata), sabashio (grilled mackerel), pigs feet, and beer.
My favorites from my first time: Mackerel, the roe mayo and perfect steak fries, chicken skin, bacon wrapped quail egg, and beef tongue.
I wish I had tried: grilled squid, the chicken with roe, asparagus, matcha brulee...
The only solution is to return for more!
OH! Taisho!
You used to be a big decision factor when making boston-newyork trips on the chinatown bus (now I'm older and wiser, and take Megabus). The beef tongue skewers make me salivate even when i'm hundred of miles away. I swear I can hear the chicken gizzards calling out to me. Yes, your shop is often crowded and is way too small. you cramp 4 tables into a tiny space that should really only have one table, but to me, that's all part of what makes you a better place. The atmosphere, especially on a freezing winter night is fantastic, when the hostess calls for my name and I feel like a million bucks because within minutes, sake and skewers will be ready for my enjoyment.
Give me a Set B!!!!
This is one my most favorite places in NYC. I love bringing people to this hole-in-wall. There are actually two separate restaurants on St. Mark's. The original is dingier. The newer one has a nice dining area in the back. From numerous times eating at either, I don't detect much of a difference in taste.
The focus of the menu is the Yakitori, skewered meats and/or vegetables which are grilled over charcoal. The best skewers are the chicken meatballs and the bacon wrapped scallops.
Other highlights are the mentai potatoes which are essentally freshed cut steak fries. The key is the dipping sauce, which is a mayonnaise with cod roe. Try it!
This was the first place I ever ate Yakitori at. The food is decent, the beer is cheap and plentiful, and the ambience is casual excitement.
Oh! The food is delicious here! Just thinking about their yakitori makes me salivate...mmm. And oddly enough, this is also my favorite place in the city to have ramen. I know, I know, it's not authentic ramen, but it suits my commercialized and processed palate, yum.
1. Food - Delicious. Do. Not. Leave. without ordering some skewers. Of particular interest are the chicken skin and aspara bacon (bacon-wrapped asparagus). Better yet, just go for the party platters, and supplement with individual skewers. Their skewers come gloriously dripping with grease and some sweet sauce. Try their specials, 'specially the squids in garlic sauce, or their avocado and beef dish, or any of the dishes on the one page insert.
2. Service - eh. The waiters serve the tables community-style, and b/c they're almost always busy, it can take some time or gentle reminders to have them bring drinks. Plus, the waiters are your typical unique and cool Japanese waiters.
3. Atmosphere - smoky, loud, and tiny. The restaurant is shaped similarly to a narrow railroad style apartment, with as many tables squeezed in as possible. Expect to knock elbows with your neighbor and ogle their food :). Crowd tends to be college students or young professionals. Sometimes even families with kids...
I love this place. The wait can be long, and the seating may be real tight, but it's well worth it. Not too places, after all, can offer chicken heart on skewers. Plus, their Kirin is D-elicious.
If you're looking for authentic Japanese food, look no further than this cramped and bustling hole in the wall joint on St. Mark's Place.
Judging from all the Japanese who eat here, this place is the REAL DEAL. If you wanna try Japanese other than the raw fish, this is the place for you since no sushi or sashimi is served here.
You can order by the skewer or order one of the combinations on the menu. Choose from skewers of chicken, beef, pork, gizzards (YUCK!), liver, heart (DOUBLE-YUCK!!), etc. which will be grilled to perfection.
If you're not in the mood for grilled meats, there are plenty of other options-- soup noodles, soba, yakisoba, potato croquettes (delicious!) among others. Wash it down with a mug of the Japanese yogurt drink, Calpice, or with Japanese beer (Kirin).
Lines are long, space is tight and the air is smoky, but the food is very inexpensive and truly outstanding. Ambiance is great, you'll feel like you're in Tokyo.
This is by far the best place to eat authentic japanese food at a price you can actually afford. Smells good, tastes good, and I love the atmosphere when its not crowded with prissy Koreans. Other than that its a great place. Oh yeah, Kirin Ichiban, can you dig it?
Nice place to hangout with friends. Authentic Japanese food and environment. Everything is good in there and I will especially recommend the eel tofu...it tastes very good...
the rice ball is also good..make sure you order the baked ones
It's the Japanese version of a tapas joint. Tried my first Soju (sweet potato flavor) on 9/9/2009 and loved how lighter & smoother it went down my throat at 24 percent proof compared to the brutness of own version of Vodka. Never having eaten the Japanese tapa, I picked what sounded good on the menu and everything was good, you can't seem to go wrong. It's a good sign when a native, my Japanese friend, Mika, recommends the place.
Who the hell doesn't like barbecued skewered meat, or .. errr, non-invasive parts (skin...liver)??? There is something for everybody with these small, delicious plates, i promise you. That's the beauty (and danger) with too much variety. Soup, rice, noodle, appetizers, sashimi, tofu... yes .. SOME-thing.
Highlights - The mentai fries are super crispy while still retaining carb-perfect starch consistency. The rice balls are super fun and yum to eat... and their potato pancake that is layered with all that unhealthy crap... also good. AH...
This place is a must stop at any time of evening.. hours are opened from dinner until the am. NOT open for lunch... and yes, it's a tiny restaurant. Watch out for hot, sizzling days, because the heat will definitely be turned up a notch. AH again.
Ramen here isn't good (the noodles don't have that certain chewiness that real ramen has; stick with the yakitori -- it ain't called ramen taisho!). The octopus balls tasted good, but each ball had a piece of octopus meat the size of my pinky nail. And I have small-ass fingers.
Food is pretty good, but service is consistently C+ because they forget orders and take a long time to get the food out. Different waiters serve each table so it gets confusing/repetitive for patrons, and among waiters as well. Seating is literally elbow-to-elbow. They pack you into corners even before the crowds arrive. Also, be prepared to scream at and swap spit with your dining buddy who is literally 9 inches from your face, because this place ain't zen. At all.
The yakitori mix was good - foods grilled foods on a stick, so its pretty predictable. It took me a while to realize that one of the yakitori's was gizzard - not a pleasant surprise.
The ogadashi tofu was good too. Overall, the place wasn't amazing but it was worth the visit. The service was quick and timely and the place was small but comfortable.
Travelling from SF you would think we would have all the good asian fixings that NYC has but nope...Nothing like this. It was simple hole in the wall street vendor food. It tasted good, reasonably priced and very filling.
Heard you have to come really early or really late to avoid the college crowd. But we sat down realtively quickly with no reservations around 9pm.
We came here for a late dinner. Since I was starving, I figured it would be good.
We ordered the soft shell crab, okonomiyaki, and some skewers. The soft shell crab was okay (too much mayonnaise), the okonomiyaki was eh (I'm not a big fan of the sauce that goes on it), and the skewers were also okay. The gizzards were pretty good but the chicken was too dry.
Maybe this place just doesn't suit my food tastes? I know some people who really like it.
Although I go to Saint Marks Place often, I have never been here until today since it is usually jam-packed. The lack of space is a problem here. I thought the yakitori (skewers) were quite good, but the noodle and rice dishes were just average. One of the specials you can get 10 yakitori skewers for $13.99. The food came out quickly and the prices are decent.
i'll cut to the chase.
the takoyakis were really disappointing. there was so much dough- where's the tako part of it? and they weren't even soft. they didn't come with horseradish either.
my friend had their new pork donburi (cannot recall what it was called) and it tasted like panda express' orange chicken, except with pork. not that i don't secretly love american-chinese food and can eat 3 servings of orange chicken in one sitting, but we were at a japanese restaurants ffs!
i had the tonkotsu ramen and while the soup base was delicious and they were generous with the chashu, the noodles were kind of hard/incorrect.
chicken skin skewers were yummy though. they didn't grill it well enough so that the lard is gone from the chewiness. but dude, i'm eating a piece of fat drenched in tsuyu, it's gonna taste good either way.
sat in the back and half way through the meal the waiters came to move our table to seat other customers, so that i was completely stuck in my seat, barred in by other customers' seats and tables.
So there is this place and another place right next door. I think they are the same but it always confuses me why they have different names. Anyway, good but not great yakitori and affordable (i wouldn't say cheap) beer. I am a bit of a wuss so I stay away from the gizzards but the vegetables are delicious, and the chicken and beef are pretty good.
You must try some of their dishes that isn't yakitori, the grilled rice w/ salmon is pretty spot on and the stir fried kimchi with pork belly is sooo good.
ambiance is a bit to be desired.. actually, what ambience? i wouldn't take a date here. Its more for a group of friends to go, pig out at a decent price and pregame. and DO NOT sit at the bar. the heat from the grill will make you sweat your balls off.
Also do not go at peak times, because the wait can be ridiculous and sometimes they tend to herd people in and out once your finished. Don't go expecting a 5 star meal, go have fun, be daring and you'll have a good time.
I'm pretty surprised that the reviews are this high. Most of what I ate was good, but I'm deleting stars for the tough a$$ beef that my friend and I could not chew through at all. It was that tough. I left it entirely uneaten and I'm not one to waste food. It seriously looked weird. Like squiggly innards. The service was so friggen slow and I hate having to wave my arms in the air frantically to get some service. Uggh.
On the upside, I like the chicken with ume sauce and the meatballs. The bacon with enoki was decent, but didn't taste very fresh. The prices here are pretty awesome, and one of the reasons, I'm still giving a 3 star vs. a 2 star review.
All in all, no cravings to return here and I still like the yakitori spots, Sumiya in the bay better and also Shin Shen Gumi in LA much better.
It was late and freezing. I decided not to buy the $8 dinner on the airplane so my stomach decide it would eat itself. I get off the subway and call my friend to see where she is. Nope she not picking up. Why did I come here again!? Starving we walk to grab some food. For the city that never sleeps a lot of places close at 2:00 am. Yes I know places in SF close earlier but I hold NYC to a much higher degree. This place was open and the food was good too.
This place was packed but we were able to get a seat quickly, ordering on the other hand took a bit longer. Finally we were able to order, I don't know what my friend ordered but all I can tell those are reading this is, don't get the salad with the tuna. I didn't know tuna sashimi could be chewy to the point that it was like chewing gum. I had some kind of pork skewer that was delicious and a good start to my New York meals. The place is pretty small and noisy but seems like a good place to get some food and drinks with some friends.
As for my friend, I haven't seen her in 5 years. Having a conversation was like pulling teeth from her. Really I haven't seen you in five years and you say nothing? Seriously WTF do mean by their comfortable around you! It was a long week. WHY DID I GO NEW YORK!?
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: Theater District
Category: Japanese
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