I don’t ever feel to the need to review businesses, even if the service is average and the food is a bit expensive. I’m a food worker, and I understand perfecting every aspect of an experience is difficult. I have been coming here without an issue for years, but I will never come again. I feel embarrassed to have recommended this place to a dear colleague, only to feel unsafe and targeted. We ordered a beer tower, and we needed a moment for food. The beer tower came very obviously tilted, the long part moving more when put down, the nozzle squirting beer on its own. Also, aiming towards another customer’s head. I very nicely told my server that I don’t feel comfortable using this, because it is evidently broken and could fall and spill and also hurt people. It’s huge. The customers around me were concerned too. Server said they can’t fix it, I explained I don’t need it to be fixed on hand, just a replacement so there’s no hazard at risk. He offered the manager, I should’ve said yes but I did not want to be difficult. We didn’t even get waters or napkins like everyone else did and never got checked up on for food. When I got their attention again - I asked to speak to the manager and that it was just going to be about getting a new tower. Conveniently, the manager wasn’t in today. Even though they were offered moments before. We should’ve just left, but it was a long journey to arrive and I’ve been anticipating coming for a bit. We decided to just finish it, pay, and leave. When we first poured a cup, the lid fell on my head and onto the floor. I picked it up and this was technically when I asked to talk to someone. This was a scary situation for everyone around us. We finished and tried to get the bill paid for an unreasonable amount of time, the server visually would hide behind the kitchen counters (ducking!) and around people to avoid us, more specifically my friend. We couldn’t even leave until my guest had to ask someone to help us and explain why we couldn’t pay the regular way. Meanwhile, when this server was talking to us - he was ignoring my black friend and only addressing me. Avoided my black friend the entire time. Not only this, but the next table sat ordered a beer tower and it was straight and working just fine. It was so easy to take care of, I don’t understand. This was the only time I have never tipped. The server only spoke to us to stop us at the door asking us why there wasn’t a tip, it was explained and the server asked if that’s why we felt the need to not tip. Yes! I come here all the time and it’s great, I come again and every step of my journey was humiliating. My friends and I are never returning nor suggesting this spot going forward.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Diego Contreras
One of my favorite places in the city. I recommend this place if you want to have an unique dinning experience, with a 90 min turn table I recommend to order everything at once, and if you can, write down your order to help the staff (they can get pretty busy). The food is good and the service is alright, not bad but not the best. Unique decoration and great prices, it is the perfect place to have snacks and beers with some sake. Be ready to wait at the line, especially on weekends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Lucas Schaffer
A bit of a long wait, but phenomenal food and an incredibly unique atmosphere. The atmosphere makes you feel like an overworked Japanese salaryman getting wasted with your coworkers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hazel He
The food is so bad, tasteless. If I could rate it zero star I will.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Jeff
After finishing a lengthy meeting, my colleagues and I decided to stop into Kenka for dinner on a Thursday night. While we were waiting in the extremely long line, one colleague realized he had left his wallet at the bar we’d just come from. He sprinted back to get it like he was auditioning for a Nike commercial, and during that time the manager—a young woman with fake eyelashes applied with the enthusiasm of someone frosting a cupcake—rolled her eyes and refused to seat us until everyone was present. We explained the situation, but empathy was clearly not on the menu, so she gave our table to another group. After a few more minutes standing in the kind of cold that could turn nipples into medieval weaponry, our colleague returned and we were finally seated. The dining area was exactly what you’d expect from a grungy St. Marks spot—nothing shocking, unless you count the décor, which seems to have been curated by someone who collects chaos. When it came time to order, our waiter, took our order and everything seemed normal. We got our pitcher of beer, and then one entrée arrived… and nothing else. We waited, and then another person’s dish came out several minutes later, then another much later. The food delivery was so staggered I started to wonder if the kitchen staff was cooking each dish one at a time on a single tea candle. I thought this was a restaurant, not a drive-thru with commitment issues. I asked the manager about the missing rice, and she gave me a slow up-and-down like she was scanning me for weapons, then said, “It’s coming.” Fifteen more minutes passed—still nothing. When I followed up again, she responded, “I don’t know, maybe tomorrow,” and walked off. I was stunned. I’m usually very respectful to restaurant staff because I know service work is hard, but this felt like performance art. She then sent our waiter over, who seemed to mock the interaction with a scheming grin on his face by saying my entrée would arrive “tonight.” At that point, I canceled the dish, partly because I was uncomfortable and partly because I didn’t trust squid cooked under these conditions. We finished our beer, and despite the cancellation, the entrée still came out like a plot twist no one asked for. We declined it. Then we waited a long time for the check, which included an automatic 7% gratuity—probably their way of admitting they know exactly how the service is going. Meanwhile, one of my colleagues—who ordered the beef stir fry, theoretically the safest item on the menu—started feeling sick and had to leave early. When we checked on her afterward, we found her curled up on the floor of her apartment like she was auditioning for the role of “Dramatic Hospital Patient #3.” She normally follows a very strict diet, so this reaction was extra alarming. I’m writing this review while she’s still in the bathroom, rethinking her life choices. Overall, the service, the food timing, and the attitudes combined into an experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I genuinely don’t understand how this place continues to operate the way it does. If you want to avoid feeling disrespected—or hearing your stomach make sounds from a horror movie—there are much better options nearby, including the conveniently located Raising Cane’s. Stay safe out there.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jerry Young
Lively fun place. Yummy food. And a great value. Not possible, but it is here. Great find.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Alix Glaenzer
we were a big group so the wait was long but definitely worth it for the food, drinks, and price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Zoe Ann Ritchie
Roaches… and just overall not very clean. Fun and good food and service but that kinda ruined it for me ☹️
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daniel Park
Food was pretty good. Waiter spilled soy sauce all over my clothes and res didnt offer dry cleaning or anything….
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 1
liliette
i don’t usually complain or leave reviews … i usually love this place but they said they could do the yaki udon vegetarian but i still found bits of octopus and beef in it 😭 i don’t mind having meat in my food personally, but they need to be clear that by doing the dish vegetarian they’re just removing the meat and there’s still a high possibility that you’ll accidentally eat a piece because they didn’t remove it completely … not vegetarian friendly boooooo
Cool for cheap drinks only. There was a long hair in my Omurice and the waitress tried to make excuses. The service was terrible and all around a bad experience.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Clara Schneider
Prices and food were great but we had to wait an hour for a table on a Saturday night and multiple mistakes were made with our order
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Xubing Lai
The first bad comment i ever post. it is the worst dinner I ever had. The foods are terrible. The chicken skin was extremely fishy and completely inedible, it felt like it had been frozen for a year. The yakitori was even worse. The chicken was frozen and the sauce was very ordinary. The service staff's attitude was also very bad. We had to walk over to find them to start ordering or to settle the bill. We waited almost 10 minutes before someone came to settle our bill.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Peter Keppeler
That was so bad
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
C Soto
Atmosphere from a bygone era. It’s a Showa-era themed Japanese bar. Similar to what you’d find in tight, dimly lit corner alleys of Shinjuku. It’s relatively cheap and has great drink selection. Most foods are shareable, so I always end up ordering family style for the table. Overall a very unique place in New York for a taste (literal and figurative) of retro Japan.
I don’t ever feel to the need to review businesses, even if the service is average and the food is a bit expensive. I’m a food worker, and I understand perfecting every aspect of an experience is difficult. I have been coming here without an issue for years, but I will never come again. I feel embarrassed to have recommended this place to a dear colleague, only to feel unsafe and targeted. We ordered a beer tower, and we needed a moment for food. The beer tower came very obviously tilted, the long part moving more when put down, the nozzle squirting beer on its own. Also, aiming towards another customer’s head. I very nicely told my server that I don’t feel comfortable using this, because it is evidently broken and could fall and spill and also hurt people. It’s huge. The customers around me were concerned too. Server said they can’t fix it, I explained I don’t need it to be fixed on hand, just a replacement so there’s no hazard at risk. He offered the manager, I should’ve said yes but I did not want to be difficult. We didn’t even get waters or napkins like everyone else did and never got checked up on for food. When I got their attention again - I asked to speak to the manager and that it was just going to be about getting a new tower. Conveniently, the manager wasn’t in today. Even though they were offered moments before. We should’ve just left, but it was a long journey to arrive and I’ve been anticipating coming for a bit. We decided to just finish it, pay, and leave. When we first poured a cup, the lid fell on my head and onto the floor. I picked it up and this was technically when I asked to talk to someone. This was a scary situation for everyone around us. We finished and tried to get the bill paid for an unreasonable amount of time, the server visually would hide behind the kitchen counters (ducking!) and around people to avoid us, more specifically my friend. We couldn’t even leave until my guest had to ask someone to help us and explain why we couldn’t pay the regular way. Meanwhile, when this server was talking to us - he was ignoring my black friend and only addressing me. Avoided my black friend the entire time. Not only this, but the next table sat ordered a beer tower and it was straight and working just fine. It was so easy to take care of, I don’t understand. This was the only time I have never tipped. The server only spoke to us to stop us at the door asking us why there wasn’t a tip, it was explained and the server asked if that’s why we felt the need to not tip. Yes! I come here all the time and it’s great, I come again and every step of my journey was humiliating. My friends and I are never returning nor suggesting this spot going forward.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
One of my favorite places in the city.
I recommend this place if you want to have an unique dinning experience, with a 90 min turn table I recommend to order everything at once, and if you can, write down your order to help the staff (they can get pretty busy).
The food is good and the service is alright, not bad but not the best.
Unique decoration and great prices, it is the perfect place to have snacks and beers with some sake. Be ready to wait at the line, especially on weekends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
A bit of a long wait, but phenomenal food and an incredibly unique atmosphere. The atmosphere makes you feel like an overworked Japanese salaryman getting wasted with your coworkers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is so bad, tasteless. If I could rate it zero star I will.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
After finishing a lengthy meeting, my colleagues and I decided to stop into Kenka for dinner on a Thursday night. While we were waiting in the extremely long line, one colleague realized he had left his wallet at the bar we’d just come from. He sprinted back to get it like he was auditioning for a Nike commercial, and during that time the manager—a young woman with fake eyelashes applied with the enthusiasm of someone frosting a cupcake—rolled her eyes and refused to seat us until everyone was present. We explained the situation, but empathy was clearly not on the menu, so she gave our table to another group.
After a few more minutes standing in the kind of cold that could turn nipples into medieval weaponry, our colleague returned and we were finally seated. The dining area was exactly what you’d expect from a grungy St. Marks spot—nothing shocking, unless you count the décor, which seems to have been curated by someone who collects chaos.
When it came time to order, our waiter, took our order and everything seemed normal. We got our pitcher of beer, and then one entrée arrived… and nothing else. We waited, and then another person’s dish came out several minutes later, then another much later. The food delivery was so staggered I started to wonder if the kitchen staff was cooking each dish one at a time on a single tea candle. I thought this was a restaurant, not a drive-thru with commitment issues.
I asked the manager about the missing rice, and she gave me a slow up-and-down like she was scanning me for weapons, then said, “It’s coming.” Fifteen more minutes passed—still nothing. When I followed up again, she responded, “I don’t know, maybe tomorrow,” and walked off. I was stunned. I’m usually very respectful to restaurant staff because I know service work is hard, but this felt like performance art.
She then sent our waiter over, who seemed to mock the interaction with a scheming grin on his face by saying my entrée would arrive “tonight.” At that point, I canceled the dish, partly because I was uncomfortable and partly because I didn’t trust squid cooked under these conditions.
We finished our beer, and despite the cancellation, the entrée still came out like a plot twist no one asked for. We declined it. Then we waited a long time for the check, which included an automatic 7% gratuity—probably their way of admitting they know exactly how the service is going.
Meanwhile, one of my colleagues—who ordered the beef stir fry, theoretically the safest item on the menu—started feeling sick and had to leave early. When we checked on her afterward, we found her curled up on the floor of her apartment like she was auditioning for the role of “Dramatic Hospital Patient #3.” She normally follows a very strict diet, so this reaction was extra alarming.
I’m writing this review while she’s still in the bathroom, rethinking her life choices. Overall, the service, the food timing, and the attitudes combined into an experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I genuinely don’t understand how this place continues to operate the way it does. If you want to avoid feeling disrespected—or hearing your stomach make sounds from a horror movie—there are much better options nearby, including the conveniently located Raising Cane’s.
Stay safe out there.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Lively fun place. Yummy food. And a great value. Not possible, but it is here. Great find.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
we were a big group so the wait was long but definitely worth it for the food, drinks, and price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Roaches… and just overall not very clean. Fun and good food and service but that kinda ruined it for me ☹️
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was pretty good. Waiter spilled soy sauce all over my clothes and res didnt offer dry cleaning or anything….
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 1
i don’t usually complain or leave reviews … i usually love this place but they said they could do the yaki udon vegetarian but i still found bits of octopus and beef in it 😭 i don’t mind having meat in my food personally, but they need to be clear that by doing the dish vegetarian they’re just removing the meat and there’s still a high possibility that you’ll accidentally eat a piece because they didn’t remove it completely … not vegetarian friendly boooooo
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
Cool for cheap drinks only. There was a long hair in my Omurice and the waitress tried to make excuses. The service was terrible and all around a bad experience.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Prices and food were great but we had to wait an hour for a table on a Saturday night and multiple mistakes were made with our order
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
The first bad comment i ever post. it is the worst dinner I ever had. The foods are terrible. The chicken skin was extremely fishy and completely inedible, it felt like it had been frozen for a year. The yakitori was even worse. The chicken was frozen and the sauce was very ordinary. The service staff's attitude was also very bad. We had to walk over to find them to start ordering or to settle the bill. We waited almost 10 minutes before someone came to settle our bill.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
That was so bad
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere from a bygone era. It’s a Showa-era themed Japanese bar. Similar to what you’d find in tight, dimly lit corner alleys of Shinjuku. It’s relatively cheap and has great drink selection. Most foods are shareable, so I always end up ordering family style for the table. Overall a very unique place in New York for a taste (literal and figurative) of retro Japan.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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