Izakaya Restaurants near Bronx, NY

“Our dinner at Minato was amazing! I was truly impressed by the ambience and serenity of the garden area, with beautiful lighting and a fountain. The staff was incredibly kind and informative as they fielded all of our questions, and even were open to adjusting our order based on our preferences.

Highly recommend the assorted fish flight and salmon flight, and the teas which came in beautiful pots!!“

“It was a cool place great food and atmosphere“

“A delightful small cozy place, with a varied menu. Everything we had was top-notch delicious!! This one gets 5 stars from me“

“Konban is an izakaya-style restaurant located in Chelsea with a sophisticated vibe and wooden interior. They even have a zen courtyard garden smack in the middle. It is so calming to sit by the window and enjoy the meal with that view. My boyfriend took me there and the intimate atmosphere made it a perfect date night spot.

Their tonkatsu, corn ribs and corn ice cream has taken the social media by storm. Every dish came in a small portion but exquisitely crafted. Even the complimentary starters (cherry tomato with yuzu cream cheese, yuzu sparkling drink) were memorable.

The restaurant gets really packed on weekends. Make sure to get a res at least a week in advance to secure a table (it isn’t as competitive as before!).

＊Katsu Tenderloin $15 ***
I picked tenderloin instead of loin as I prefer my pork to be more meaty and less fatty. The tonkatsu sauce was thick, rich and sweet, easily my fav one among the three. Truffle salt was aromatic and addictive. Wasabi didn’t really match well imo.

＊Sabazushi (Mackerel Sushi) $19 ***
My first time trying Mackerel Sushi and this one blew my mind. The mackerel was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The ginger and shiso were appetizing and they added so much flavors to the sushi. I am still dreaming about it.

＊Konban Corn Rib $13 **
Everyone recommends corn ribs from konban. You won’t be able to stop eating it after your first bite. The corn cheese powder tasted like doritos.

＊Eggplant Agebitashi $15
Served with toasted baguette slices, the eggplant agebitashi has a western spin with a mix of parmesan cheese and pork ragu sauce.

＊Mazemen $17
The mazemen was made of their housemade flat noodles, spicy pork, almond butter, scallion and butter. Thought it would taste like dan dan noodle but it was different. The texture was creamier and thicker.

FYI I didn’t get the viral corn ice cream at last. It looked cute but I heard from the other table that the white chocolate part was very sweet.“

“1. The food is decent, all the dishes (that I’ve chosen) are by far average. It does not have the wow factor that I was expecting.
2. It is difficult to get a table because of how busy it gets, so it best to come early possible or book a reservation.
3. The service was nice and fast.
4. The atmosphere of the restaurant was really nice for friends or a date.“

“Ended up here accidentally on a layover: Hands down, the best ramen I’ve ever had (springy, slurpy perfection), amazing cocktails (if you like gin the Japanese 75 is a must try!), and whatever the whipped cream, creme brûlée’d banana dessert was tasted like heaven. I even ordered another tonkotsu ramen to go (all the way to Florida) to bring back to my fiancé. They separated all of it, packaged it so it wouldn’t leak, and wrote directions on specific timing for heating up each item! Very impressive service. I’ll be back again!“

“Me and my friend did not plan to go here but im so glad we did. We were just walking around and went inside. The staff was super polite. the place was clean. The food was good and well priced and their happy hour last until 6pm. We ordered gyoza, karage, ramen, beef skewers, takoyaki and beer. Everything was good.“

“Fun spot!“

“Great ramen and tempura. Very friendly staff and good sake.“

“I wouldn’t call Katana a dive bar, but on a Tuesday night it felt like a great neighborhood bar. Relaxed atmosphere. Was surprised at how small it was but that added to the chill vibe. I bet on a Thirsty Thursday and the weekend that all changes, but the bartenders and the craft cocktails will be just as great.“

“Ramen is good ! Soup is good not so oily Yakitori good with Asahi Beeru !“

“great atmosphere! super friendly staff.“

“Went on a Saturday night at 7 so there weren't many people. I sampled the omakase. Although each portion of the six courses was small, the taste made up for it. It's hard to give an objective review as the items may change. However, I wanted to sample more food. I ordered soba which I felt was authentic and finished with the roasted green tea mousse, which was Hojicha pudding and it was delicious! I came to experience Japanese comfort food and left satisfied.“

““Authentic Japanese Experience!!

I recently dined at Izakaya Nana, and it was a delightful experience from start to finish. The ambiance is cozy and refined, giving off an authentic Japanese vibe. Every dish was a masterpiece, but the standout for me was the tornado omelet fried rice. The fluffy, swirling omelet draped over perfectly seasoned fried rice was both a visual treat and incredibly flavorful. The sushi and sashimi were fresh and delicately prepared, and the ramen was rich and satisfying. The staff was friendly and attentive, offering great recommendations. A bit pricier, but absolutely worth it for the quality and unique experience. Highly recommend for a taste of Japan—don’t miss the tornado omelet!“

“Best Filipino Fusion, Try the Cebuano Longganisa. Perfect“

“Attentive, friendly customer service! Atmosphere was beautiful and felt very true to culture. For starters, we had the cucumber salad and gyoza. I had the Shoyu Ramen and my partner had the Kara Kin Ramen. The broth was perfection and there was a generous amount of noodles. Would definitely come back to try the Truffle Ramen!!“

“I highly recommend Toriya.
Delicious authentic yakitori with so many options it's hard to choose.
They also offer larger plates and smaller appetizers as well. I had their seafood okonomiyaki which was wonderful.
The drink menu is wonderful offering a good selection of Japanese beers, soju, and a very extensive and well crafted sake menu.
Also I was seated immediately despite dropping in at a prime time on a Friday evening.
The ambiance is very nice, well decorated with excellent choices in music that is not overly loud.
The staff were all lovely and very attentive as well. Truly top notch all around.

Vegetarian options: Numerous vegetable only Yakitori options as well as vegetarian friendly large plates.“

“Food is amazing every time“

“I took my girlfriend to the Starlight Lounge for her birthday and everything was absolutely perfect. The sashimi was the best I've had and the service was second to none. They even made a birthday drink for her and a mocktail for me because I don't drink (without me having to mention that). I wish I got our bartender/waiter's name because he was fantastic. Thank you for an amazing evening we won't forget!“

“I love the atmosphere and the customer service they provide! The food was good and differently one of my favorite place to eat in New York city!“

“I don't often write reviews but I had to for Sozai. The food is incredible, the vibes are amazing inside and the service is wonderful. You can't go wrong with any of the dishes! And I also love the bar area in the back if you were just going for a drink, but I highly recommend eating here as well.“

“Wonderfully eclectic place with phenomenal cocktails. Do both experiences (Sip & Guzzle) if you can when you book there. Highlights for me were the chicken, the wagyu sando, and the milkshake. Wagyu old fashioned was also very very tasty.“

“An absolutely gem in the hit & miss Times Square area.

The sushi is inventive flavorsome and seriously generous , the sashimi a cornucopia of the freshest fish of all colors sliced extra thick.

Great value for what you get with outstanding , friendly and attentive service.

I can’t wait to go back!“

“最高でした！ 日本でもここまでの居酒屋は無いと思います！“

“Great value for money in midtown for lunch! The food and interior is great for a sit down lunch with coworkers. The udom noodles are very chewy and fresh. The chirashi bowl was good too and the rice is flavored unlike the normal vinegar sugar mixture. Highly recommend!“

“I was here a couple weeks ago. Very welcoming and friendly. I came here by myself sat at the bar. The attention to detail was there, the bartender was great with information on Japanese whiskey and cocktails. The dessert was blew my tastes bud away.“

“Best izakaya place I’ve ever been to. Great atmosphere, but more importantly, the food was amazing. All the yakitori dishes were so good. Had to order more and more. Other dishes were as great. Would love to come back for the delicious food.“

“Immaculate vibes for a midtown eatery! This is allegedly the city’s first izakaya. It has a divey, vintage 90s aesthetic and huge menu. Very accommodating to different diets, my favorite was the cod roe pasta and okonomiyaki fried in a small cast iron. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu! The service was great and I was shocked by how inexpensive this was, we loved the ambiance!

Vegetarian options: Lots of items can be made vegetarian“

“ニューヨークで超落ち着く日本料理屋さんです。最高でした！日本の皆様にもぜひ紹介したいです！“

“We’ve been coming to Wanpaku for years (our my kid is obsessed with their ramen and asks for it weekly). The restaurant is super clean and cozy (and kid friendly with a great happy hour). We always have the best service - accommodating, polite and friendly. Tonight we ordered delivery and there was a small error on our order (first time we’ve dealt with a mistake from them in all the times we’ve been). When I called, they immediately remedied the situation and went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied. This kind of customer service will keep me and my family coming back to Wanpaku again and again. The ramen is delicious and usually our go-to but all the items we’ve tried have always been great also.“

“super cool vibe and gets better as the night goes on. located in chelsea market but not hideously touristy which is nice. enter on 15th st. serving great cocktails and asian inspired cuisine. the toro hand rolls were a highlight. i got the sweet potato cocktail (sorry i forget the name) but if you like negronis you’ll love it. it’s giving tokyo record bar. highly recommend in a weekday hangout with friends or even a date.“

“Absolutely great service, cozy environment, and good food and drinks. Our server was great with recommendations and so friendly.
Happy hour prices are a bonus too!

We had the chicken Kara-age, takoyaki, steamed spicy clams, and variety of yakitori—chicken thigh with scallion, eggplant, shrimp, pork belly with mochi and enoki, and Kuro sausage with green peppers. Drink was “To Yuzu”“

“Awesome atmosphere and music ….and the food is a “10” out of “10”!!! Delicious !!!!! The octopus is a definite must have!!!!!“

“Returning to Izakaya Kumade after a long time away was like rediscovering a hidden gem, and the experience was nothing short of amazing. The food brought back memories but also surprised with new levels of flavor and quality.

I started with the Nagasaki, which was perfectly balanced—rich and comforting, with a depth of umami that only authentic Japanese flavors can deliver. Next, the salted pollock roe cream udon was a delightful highlight. The creamy sauce, infused with the subtle, savory essence of pollock roe, coated each udon noodle beautifully. It was a unique dish that really set Kumade apart, embodying the best of traditional flavors with a modern twist.

To complement the meal, I enjoyed a classic Suntory Highball, which was refreshingly crisp and balanced, enhancing the flavors of the dishes without overpowering them. But what truly stood out was the Suntory Premium Draft beer. This was, without exaggeration, one of the creamiest drafts I've ever had—the texture was silky smooth, with a subtle malt sweetness and a perfectly frothy head.

Izakaya Kumade has managed to retain its authenticity while continuing to surprise and impress. For anyone craving Japanese izakaya-style dishes, paired with impeccable drinks, this place remains a top-tier choice in NJ. Highly recommended!“

“My favorite spot to order thai/ japanese food in astoria. Only ordered deliveries, but everything is so good, shout out to the delivery man, he is always so lovely and nice. The food is so good, it is definitely worth giving this place some love!“

“A place styled as an izakaya specializing in kushiyaki, Ai Ki Ya is a decent spot for night grub in the area if you aren't craving Chinese or Korean food to go with beer. The restaurant decor is fun and the back has a dark feel with neon lights. The front is more well lit.
The staff are prompt and bring the menus as soon as you sit. They take orders and are pretty responsive to being waved over. Food takes a bit to prepare since kushiyaki is usually more gently grilled than something like American barbecue.
The food is good and they have a very good variety of choices of skewers and even food off the skewer. They have skewered offal, which was good but everything unfortunately did not feel hot enough when it reached my table. The mochi was a fun treat in particular, though it was more stiff than I expected and not that tender. Overall, the vegetables were probably the best part, especially the shishito peppers. Prices per skewer are fair considering the local restaurant competition. It can feel pretty pricey since you pay per skewer, of course, so it's recommended you order some bigger things to stomach as well.
Overall, not a bad place to try kushiyaki if you want to just try it.“

“Went here after a concert and it was tasty! Prompt service, quick food. Beautiful bathroom. One star off the review (I wish I could just take 0.5 off) because I think the music played was too loud and atrocious 2000-2010 pop.

Vegetarian options: Some vegetable skewers and sides“

“最高でした！ 日本でもここまでの居酒屋は無いと思います！“

“My brother and I came for the Izakaya Prix Fixe dinner while visiting from Canada. Absolutely a wonderful time.
The food was great, the eel was probably my favorite dish. I dug the decor, like the dBA monitor on the wall.
We had looked at the vinyl selection prior but it truly was a joy to decide something on a whim and guess the other guests music choices. I could probably go on for ages how wonderful the team is for indulging my brother and I! Much love to both Davids and Denandus (sry for spelling).“

“The beef bibimbap is amazing.“

“We had a lunch this Japanese/Scandinavian restaurant , amazing smoothies and Açaí bowl ! We also tried smørrebrøds … Smoked salmon one and Shrimp&Avocado one.. they were both excellent!! Desserts, cappuccino, hot chocolate were above average! Highly recommended. We will definitely go back there.“

“An Isakaya! I had to tune down a bit of my excitement but it is good to see one so close to my hotel. Food is decent but blowing my mind but I have yet to try all but it does have a good HH with $4 Sapporo and $5 Orions. Yakitori choices are limited with small portions but also understandable. Sadly no wagyu. I will be back again to try more menu items and give an update.“