Had a reservation and you weren’t open on a 10 degree night. Even sent the confirmation text. Bad.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Franjez
Had sake & a beer, cold as ice, friendly staff & good vibes. Can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Tony
We really wanted to like our experience here because we were big fans of BBF before their rebrand but unfortunately it just wasn't up to par. They did mention they were doing a sort of pop-up style business model for the time being which is why their menu was more limited but we were pretty disappointed with the quality of the food too.
Of the dishes we ordered: - Agedashi Nasu: just ok, expected it to be a crispy fried eggplant in a warm dashi broth but it seemed like it was boiled and served chilled. - Miso escargot: the miso overpowered the taste of the escargot itself but wasn't bad per se - Salmon: probably our least favorite dish, it was just three thin slices of plain steamed salmon with a miso dressing on the side - Sushi Bombs: this was their specialty item, but it ended up just being round pieces of nigiri with too much rice vs fish and the rice was also quite hard. A far cry from the handrolls that BBF used to excel in - Tokyo Ramen: this dish was quite good, just a bit expensive.
Our server was very nice but she was the only person working the entire restaurant so sometimes difficult to flag down for water refills, etc.
I had read a review from another former BBF fan that this was just new management but with same quality, slightly more upscale food and maybe I went in with too high of an expectation because of it. Sadly I left disappointed - it felt like Oi Bozu still has a lot of bugs to work out before I can compare it to what it used to be. At its price point, there are other izakayas in the neighborhood that are better choices.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Michael Hejtmanek
OK last night we ate at BBF or as it's now called Oi bozu. We used to love BBF. It had an amazing menu and great staff - just an awesome place that I used to come with my daughter and my wife to eat in our neighborhood. They served clean amazing Japanese food. So I was surprised a few months ago when I met the owner and he told me they were closing down to reopen...
Some background: BBF always had a problem The problem was never the food The problem was always that it was hidden. There was no way to know it was a restaurant and there was no marketing. There wasn't even a sign on the door it was just a glass front where you could see a bar. It was only by chance that we found it because we live in the neighborhood. So when the owner told me he was shutting down to relaunch the restaurant I was excited. I thought maybe he would do some fantastic marketing. But I was much disappointed last night when I went in to find that the only change that they had made was to completely change the menu. And I don't think they made an improvement on the menu it's still good but the old one was better.
What they really need is a sign outside of the store on the street that says THIS IS A LAPANESE RESTAURANT. Hang a Lantern or two. The tiny etched glass 12 feet off the sidewalk tat says japanese tavern is way too subtle. If the owner reads this: You just need some signage and some marketing The food is amazing!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Garvin
The brussel sprouts are just normal roasted brussel sprouts which although were tasty, didn't feel Japanese. The shrimp katifa was good but seemed like a glorified shrimp tempura taste, not worth the price. The ramen was ok, I wish the broth flavor was richer. The gyu kushi yaki was horrible with very cheap teriyaki like sauce and was too salty.
The service was very slow. They forgot part of our order so we ended up staying longer than we wanted. Overall this place felt overpriced for ok quality.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Alex Xu
Oi Bozu is the reincarnation of BBF - or perhaps not so much reincarnation as a slightly pared back, refined version. It's the same owner we all love, but some behind-the-scenes dispute with the other guy behind the venture led to the renaming and shrinking of the menu. Still the same guy behind Brooklyn Ball Factory and Bozu. There's no more cafe and the phenomenal hoji lattes will be missed; their hours are 6pm-11pm now.
What remains is (still) the most underrated spot in LES, with unbelievably good dinner options and great drinks at great prices. I'm fond of their whiskey highball and whatever is in their heavenly lychee cocktail; my favorite food item before the rename was the hamburg steak bowl (which I think has probably gone to Japanese heaven for the time being) but I can happily recommend the ramen as well. I really am not kidding when I say the food here is as good as it gets. You'll find cool takes on Japanese food that aren't so devoid of creativity like the nth oversalted tonkatsu ramen shop opening up on your street; instead, we've got epic pickled veggies, one of the best veggie ramen broths in the business, and sushi bombs - which really might be a better way to eat sushi, and I have a feeling they're going to have their moment in a year or two. Eat them here and you can say you knew all about them before they were cool.
That's before we talk about the old charming diner-bar hybrid inside, with chatty and funny bartenders. Seriously, where do they find them? Marie is awesome and as hilarious as it gets. Service is casual but excellent.
Not to mention if you come here a little later, you'll probably find the owner chatting away with a guest or three, one or two of whom is likely another Japanese restauranteur in New York City. This is absolutely an If You Know You Know spot and I would love to see it become a Everyone Knows spot - it definitely deserves it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nelson Young
Sushi Bombs were delicious. Fave was the salmon. Ordered yellowtail and eel ala carte. Also a private Omakase bar in the back. Got to try next time. Also handmade ramen!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Henry Trinh
Great food for low prices — they officially close on September 1, 2025 though.
Food: 5
Kevin V
10/10 would definitely recommend. Great coffee. The French toast was epic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jonathan Franklin
came in for a late night bite and some drinks. ordered appetizers, food came quickly and was beyond superb. very minor communication issue among the server that was working and our table, which meant we didn’t get informed that the kitchen was closing (closed by the time we spoke to our server). we hadn’t ordered main food yet, so were frustrated and brought it to the manager’s attention. he immediately corrected the issue and went above and beyond to ensure our visit was great. would highly recommend this establishment to anyone looking for very reasonably priced, excellent food.
BBF is a top spot for Japanese food and cocktails. The dishes are delicious, the vibe is relaxed, and bartender Cesar nailed the drink recommendations based on my favorite spirits.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dean
This low review is for our experience today. We came in for lunch and all the large tables in the back were completely full with people on computers camped out with just a coffee cup and all were still there long after we left. We both ordered big meals and were forced to sit on this tiny little round table at the window. Very little room for what we ordered but ok. Half way into our meal, two girls sat at the bench in front which was against the window. Glass separated our table and them by inches. Annoying but not a big deal I guess. They proceeded to pull out a large joint and smoked it. Whatever- but then it immediately came in to our table through the window cracks. Not really something you want when eating a meal. We had to finish immediately and leave. If you are here for coffee- cool! If you plan to eat- I would suggest take out. It’s like Starbucks- people hanging out and working for hours with just a half empty coffee. The food was pretty good considering but I won’t return.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 4
C L
Amazing service would recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rory Lee
the brussel sprouts, mentai udon, and miso butter escargot were very memorable for me ♥️ the brussel sprouts had a nice tanginess and was perfectly charred, the udon was slightly creamy and had a fuller flavor (but not too heavy!), and i thought the the miso butter taste was really unique with the escargot.
tbh i would've given this place 5 stars if it weren't for the filet mignon, which was really subpar. it was extremely dry and had a gritty texture. even dipping it in the miso butter or the udon cream couldn't salvage it. it was more like something you'd find at a cheap diner, not a place like this (plus it cost a third of our bill 😩).
overall tho, would definitely come back. the food was served quickly, the servers were attentive and friendly, and the ambiance was nice (the bass of the music was just a little loud but could still hold a conversation). i just wouldn't order the filet mignon again (or any of the steak dishes for that matter).
Had a reservation and you weren’t open on a 10 degree night. Even sent the confirmation text. Bad.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Had sake & a beer, cold as ice, friendly staff & good vibes. Can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
We really wanted to like our experience here because we were big fans of BBF before their rebrand but unfortunately it just wasn't up to par. They did mention they were doing a sort of pop-up style business model for the time being which is why their menu was more limited but we were pretty disappointed with the quality of the food too.
Of the dishes we ordered:
- Agedashi Nasu: just ok, expected it to be a crispy fried eggplant in a warm dashi broth but it seemed like it was boiled and served chilled.
- Miso escargot: the miso overpowered the taste of the escargot itself but wasn't bad per se
- Salmon: probably our least favorite dish, it was just three thin slices of plain steamed salmon with a miso dressing on the side
- Sushi Bombs: this was their specialty item, but it ended up just being round pieces of nigiri with too much rice vs fish and the rice was also quite hard. A far cry from the handrolls that BBF used to excel in
- Tokyo Ramen: this dish was quite good, just a bit expensive.
Our server was very nice but she was the only person working the entire restaurant so sometimes difficult to flag down for water refills, etc.
I had read a review from another former BBF fan that this was just new management but with same quality, slightly more upscale food and maybe I went in with too high of an expectation because of it. Sadly I left disappointed - it felt like Oi Bozu still has a lot of bugs to work out before I can compare it to what it used to be. At its price point, there are other izakayas in the neighborhood that are better choices.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
OK last night we ate at BBF or as it's now called Oi bozu. We used to love BBF. It had an amazing menu and great staff - just an awesome place that I used to come with my daughter and my wife to eat in our neighborhood. They served clean amazing Japanese food. So I was surprised a few months ago when I met the owner and he told me they were closing down to reopen...
Some background: BBF always had a problem The problem was never the food The problem was always that it was hidden. There was no way to know it was a restaurant and there was no marketing. There wasn't even a sign on the door it was just a glass front where you could see a bar. It was only by chance that we found it because we live in the neighborhood. So when the owner told me he was shutting down to relaunch the restaurant I was excited. I thought maybe he would do some fantastic marketing. But I was much disappointed last night when I went in to find that the only change that they had made was to completely change the menu. And I don't think they made an improvement on the menu it's still good but the old one was better.
What they really need is a sign outside of the store on the street that says THIS IS A LAPANESE RESTAURANT. Hang a Lantern or two. The tiny etched glass 12 feet off the sidewalk tat says japanese tavern is way too subtle. If the owner reads this: You just need some signage and some marketing The food is amazing!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
The brussel sprouts are just normal roasted brussel sprouts which although were tasty, didn't feel Japanese. The shrimp katifa was good but seemed like a glorified shrimp tempura taste, not worth the price. The ramen was ok, I wish the broth flavor was richer. The gyu kushi yaki was horrible with very cheap teriyaki like sauce and was too salty.
The service was very slow. They forgot part of our order so we ended up staying longer than we wanted. Overall this place felt overpriced for ok quality.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Oi Bozu is the reincarnation of BBF - or perhaps not so much reincarnation as a slightly pared back, refined version. It's the same owner we all love, but some behind-the-scenes dispute with the other guy behind the venture led to the renaming and shrinking of the menu. Still the same guy behind Brooklyn Ball Factory and Bozu. There's no more cafe and the phenomenal hoji lattes will be missed; their hours are 6pm-11pm now.
What remains is (still) the most underrated spot in LES, with unbelievably good dinner options and great drinks at great prices. I'm fond of their whiskey highball and whatever is in their heavenly lychee cocktail; my favorite food item before the rename was the hamburg steak bowl (which I think has probably gone to Japanese heaven for the time being) but I can happily recommend the ramen as well. I really am not kidding when I say the food here is as good as it gets. You'll find cool takes on Japanese food that aren't so devoid of creativity like the nth oversalted tonkatsu ramen shop opening up on your street; instead, we've got epic pickled veggies, one of the best veggie ramen broths in the business, and sushi bombs - which really might be a better way to eat sushi, and I have a feeling they're going to have their moment in a year or two. Eat them here and you can say you knew all about them before they were cool.
That's before we talk about the old charming diner-bar hybrid inside, with chatty and funny bartenders. Seriously, where do they find them? Marie is awesome and as hilarious as it gets. Service is casual but excellent.
Not to mention if you come here a little later, you'll probably find the owner chatting away with a guest or three, one or two of whom is likely another Japanese restauranteur in New York City. This is absolutely an If You Know You Know spot and I would love to see it become a Everyone Knows spot - it definitely deserves it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sushi Bombs were delicious. Fave was the salmon. Ordered yellowtail and eel ala carte. Also a private Omakase bar in the back. Got to try next time. Also handmade ramen!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Great food for low prices — they officially close on September 1, 2025 though.
Food: 5
10/10 would definitely recommend. Great coffee. The French toast was epic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
came in for a late night bite and some drinks. ordered appetizers, food came quickly and was beyond superb. very minor communication issue among the server that was working and our table, which meant we didn’t get informed that the kitchen was closing (closed by the time we spoke to our server). we hadn’t ordered main food yet, so were frustrated and brought it to the manager’s attention. he immediately corrected the issue and went above and beyond to ensure our visit was great. would highly recommend this establishment to anyone looking for very reasonably priced, excellent food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
BBF is a top spot for Japanese food and cocktails. The dishes are delicious, the vibe is relaxed, and bartender Cesar nailed the drink recommendations based on my favorite spirits.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This low review is for our experience today. We came in for lunch and all the large tables in the back were completely full with people on computers camped out with just a coffee cup and all were still there long after we left. We both ordered big meals and were forced to sit on this tiny little round table at the window. Very little room for what we ordered but ok. Half way into our meal, two girls sat at the bench in front which was against the window. Glass separated our table and them by inches. Annoying but not a big deal I guess. They proceeded to pull out a large joint and smoked it. Whatever- but then it immediately came in to our table through the window cracks. Not really something you want when eating a meal. We had to finish immediately and leave. If you are here for coffee- cool! If you plan to eat- I would suggest take out. It’s like Starbucks- people hanging out and working for hours with just a half empty coffee. The food was pretty good considering but I won’t return.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 4
Amazing service would recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
the brussel sprouts, mentai udon, and miso butter escargot were very memorable for me ♥️ the brussel sprouts had a nice tanginess and was perfectly charred, the udon was slightly creamy and had a fuller flavor (but not too heavy!), and i thought the the miso butter taste was really unique with the escargot.
tbh i would've given this place 5 stars if it weren't for the filet mignon, which was really subpar. it was extremely dry and had a gritty texture. even dipping it in the miso butter or the udon cream couldn't salvage it. it was more like something you'd find at a cheap diner, not a place like this (plus it cost a third of our bill 😩).
overall tho, would definitely come back. the food was served quickly, the servers were attentive and friendly, and the ambiance was nice (the bass of the music was just a little loud but could still hold a conversation). i just wouldn't order the filet mignon again (or any of the steak dishes for that matter).
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
my fav Japanese restaurant in nyc xD
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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