Izakaya Restaurants in New York, NY

“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!“

“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“

“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.“

“Amazing experience! The corn ribs were flavorful, tenderloin katsu & noodles were delicious! Thoroughly enjoyed our time here from the thoughtfully curated food and drinks to the waiters attentiveness was the cherry on top! Would come again!“

“Edit: Ube Makgeolli is so refreshing and yummy, it’s more like a dessert drink! The spicy egg soup is as delicious and flavorful as always. The kimchi stew was not bad too.

Spicy egg soup dumplings was really tasty! Been meaning to try their makgeolli so will be back another time~ 👀“

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

“Great sushi! Great ramen!“

“Fun spot!“

“Imasanori Sushi is such a beautiful spot for an elevated sushi experience 🍣✨ Everything from the ambiance to the presentation felt so thoughtfully done. The sushi was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, and every bite felt like a little experience of its own.
Perfect for a special dinner, date night, or anyone who appreciates high-quality Japanese cuisine. Definitely a place I’d recommend adding to your list! 🤍“

“I don’t understand how this restaurant isn’t packed. Good portion sizes, fantastic food; I loved the cheesesteak, one of the best I’ve ever had and so fresh. The Shochu with Ginger ale is so tasty as a drink. Plus the bathroom has a bidet!! My waitress was so sweet. Just an amazing experience, I’m just sad there aren’t more people here“

“It was a cozy and warm restaurant with modern Japanese decor. It was rated by Michelin too. The food was authentic and delicious. We had an unique fried chicken (perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper), popcorn shrimp (lightly battered with tangy cream sauce on the side), katsu don and grilled mackerel (standard and yummy) and really cute and pretty desserts (almond tofu shaped like a little while cat and swirl shaped chocolate). The cocktails and sake were presented beautifully too. The staff were attentive and friendly. It was a nice quiet yummy dinner with my hubby. 😋“

“The waiter was very polite and kind.
The food was authentic Japanese cuisine, but the portions were quite small. I should have asked for white rice when the baked fish was served.
I think this restaurant is especially good if you enjoy drinking sake.“

“No complaints about this place, it’s simply excellent. I’ve tried a lot of ramen places in this city over the years, and been to some of the highest rate of ones, and Kin Ramen has to be top 2. Some places have a single standout component, like the broth or noodles or pork, but not every component is amazing, but this place does everything just so well and I couldn’t find any flaws. The noodles are cooked well and chewy. The broth is flavorful and has depth to it. The meat is tender! Just a really solid bowl every which way.

We ordered the Kin Kara ramen and Shio Truffle ramen. Tbh I was a little dubious about the truffle because most places offer truffle and hit you over the head with it, but Kin keeps it restrained and more subtle. Just wow.

Service was so friendly and went above and beyond. Someone opened the door for us when we were 2 feet away! It was like walking into a nice hotel lol. And then the waiters inside were very prompt and efficient as well.

Great place, recommending it to all my friends.“

“Fresh food, good portion I had Kaizen don, sashimi on rice it’s fresh and refreshing. I recommend a calpico lemon drink it is so good with food“

“Toriya is a cool place to hang out with friends, and the atmosphere is pretty nice. However, it took so long for me and my friends to get our food, even something as simple as kimchi, which doesn’t even need to be cooked. The food was okay overall, but nothing really special or memorable.“

“Such a fun spot, especially on a rainy New York afternoon. The restaurant has a really cool, almost whimsical ambience with flowers everywhere, and sitting inside watching the rain outside while eating Thai food was a pretty perfect combination. I had the Pad Thai and my friend had the green curry, and the lunch deal is great value since you can add an appetizer as part of the meal. The food was good, the setting was even better, and I’ve heard the place has music in the evenings too, definitely worth coming back to experience that side of it.“

“It's not really a listening bar, not because it doesn't have a good sound system -it does!- but because American patrons unfortunately don't know how to not shout when they go out, and the establishment is not encouraging them to speak at lower volumes. Fyi.“

“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!“

“My husband and I went to this restaurant, and I can confidently say that the Tavern Burger we had here was by far the best burger we’ve ever had! The cheese, bun, meat, and all the flavors came together perfectly, and it was truly an exceptional experience.

We also tried the fries as an appetizer, and the sauce was really good. The fries had a unique, puffy texture that was something new for us and made them even more enjoyable.

We also ordered the Electric Chicken, which was absolutely delicious. It was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. We had it with a side of potato salad, which complemented the fried chicken really well and completed the meal.

Overall, we had an amazing experience here. Everything was flavorful, well-prepared, and delicious. Definitely a place we would come back to!“

“If your in the mood for a truly UNIQUE dining expirence make your next reservation here! When you first enter you walk into a bar with a live DJ spinning records, drinks and bar food sourced from Japan. Then when its your time they take you downstairs for the meal. If your one of the first take a seat by the DJ or the kitchen so you can interact and ask questions. What we had was nothing sort of perfection, each dish was competing with the last and the next to come for which was our favorite! Flavor combinations you wouldn't expect AND YOU WILL LOVE THEM, inspirations used in a Japanese dish to surprise you. My expirence will be different from yours but don't pass this place up!“

“The beef bibimbap is amazing.“

“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！“

“Mei was really great at explaining the concept behind the food and was very informative about how they used fresh meat. She was always there for me and my group whenever we needed more drinks or a fork. She was kind, respectful, and made sure we had what we needed throughout our experience.“

“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！“

“This is a Japanese izakaya I’ve visited many times, and after trying several other places, I can confidently say this one offers the best value for money and the most delicious food. I highly recommend the pizza and beer combo! Definitely one of my favorite spots to come back to.“

“As someone who works in the fashion industry, I love coming to Wano NYC because it has the perfect mix of ambiance and beautiful aesthetics. It’s one of those places that feels effortlessly stylish while still being comfortable and welcoming. The food is always fresh, comes out quickly, and the staff is consistently kind and attentive. Definitely a spot I enjoy coming back to!“

“If you want fast food and quick bite, come here for happy hour from 3:30-7p

My food, including the RAMEN came out within 10 mins of me ordering it and my drink came out in 5!

During their happy hour, it does get packed in here but you can sit at little bar if there’s no table space. The tables are TIGHTLY pushed together to maximize space in here because it is a small establishment.

I hadn’t eaten all and The food was amazing though! I got:
Shrimp tempura
Pork gyoza
Chicken karage
2 lychee martinis
Tonkustu Ramen
For a total of $83 after tax and tip

Totally worth a trip here! During happy hour it is LOUD and full but by 8p it tapers off and becomes quieter. They play a great array of music but there are only two servers so be patient as they work the room. They’re very quick but just be patient, they will get to you!

I throughly enjoyed my meal here and I’ve told everyone to come here!“

“Wow. What a vibe! The service was impeccable. The atmosphere was SOOPER Japanese, loved it. The FOOD - divine!!! We were a group of 4 and we ATE and it was crazy affordable. I don't think I could translate how great this joint is without literally hand feeding you a sushi roll at the bar.“

“The restaurant is easily overlooked as it's on the lower street level, there are stairs which go down to the entrance. I asked for recommendations & ordered from there. The protein was cooked to perfection. The vegetables were juicy & flavorful; rice bowls were steamy. The sake was smooth! Fantastic spot for a great evening bite.“

“Salmon Jerky, Highballs and tomato, pickled ginger salad. The holy trinity. And May, who was great and very attentive and generally on point the whole night. Made me feel right at home as a solo diner. I will be back to explore more of the menu but also, I may just stick to the holy trinity of flavor. Great food for drinking with and amazing service“