Sozai Japanese Restaurant (Izakaya Ramen)

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.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Crab Croquette, Mentaiko Pasta, Crispy Sweet Potato Balls, Miso Black Cod

Nice shop, great service, fine food (not westernized) and nice ambience

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Insanely good Japanese. Great atmosphere.
Great cocktail menu. Peter was a fantastic bartender.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food amount was small but taste is good

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

The Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen is absolutely divine!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen

The staff are super friendly, I recommend you make a reservation so you don't have to wait a long time.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: El Dorado 3 Yr

Absolutely loved everything about our meal from Benny’s wonderful service to the spicy tonkatsu ramen. A great spot and I can’t wait to come back.

😊😊😊

Here’s the updated review with the restaurant name included:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I cannot say enough about the outstanding service we received from Eyebiiz at Sozainyc! She was not only attentive but truly went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. From the moment we sat down, Eyebiiz made us feel welcomed, anticipated every need before we could even ask, and maintained the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness.

What truly set her apart was her attention to detail—she remembered every request, offered fantastic recommendations, and even went out of her way to ensure dietary preferences were accommodated flawlessly. It’s rare to encounter such genuine care and effort in service these days, and it made our meal at Sozainyc that much more enjoyable.

If you’re lucky enough to be seated in Eyebiiz’s section, you’re in for an exceptional dining experience. Bravo to her and the team at Sozainyc for raising the bar on hospitality! We’ll be back soon!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We came with a group of 13 and a baby. The food is good when done well. We ordered the Mentaiko pasta, Kakuni, Lemon miso Salmon. These are done well. However, out of 6 tonkotsu we have ordered, 3 of them the noodles are not cooked and came in clumps. The nasu dengaku is not fully cooked, and half of it is raw. I would rather not take another gamble next time I come to NYC for what it costs.

Kid-friendliness: We were told to remove our baby food for an 18 months old since the restaurant does not allow outside food.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Mentaiko Pasta, Kakuni

It is a wonderful, nice, and cozy place, with delicious food, great service and a great location.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen

The food was great, the ramen broth was really well seasoned and the portions were generous. The salmon carpaccio appetizer we had, was delicious and the sauce was a bit different from the typical. We loved the look of the place, with it's concrete walls and bare wood. We sat in the window seat which was pretty spacious and we were able to wheel my son's stroller between the seats.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Salmon Carpaccio, Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen

Great place with a relaxing and fun atmosphere. Perfect for after work drinks or before/after a show.

I had Alisa for my server tonight and she took care of everything for me. Amazing service! I couldn’t decide what I wanted so she put together a delicious selection together for me of food and drinks off the menu and everything was matched well and paired perfectly with my drink.

I got the ton tori yaki, cold soba green tea, hamachi crudo, and takoyaki, with Asahi and then Ichishima shuzo kumo nigori junmai after dinner. I will definitely be coming back again.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Takoyaki

It was my first time here. As a ramen lover, this is one of the best ramen I have tried in NYC. It was very delicious. The staff are very nice, attentive and friendly. Overall the food is amazing. Great ambiance. I would definitely come back here again.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen

Awesome izakaya. Had the Gyu Don and a bunch of other small plates. Everything was great this place rocks

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Grilled Sliced Beef Tongue

This place is just perfect!
The ambiance, the food, the service…
O have no words to describe how happy I am after trying this place for first time. I would definitely recommend it.

We tried the Tonkotsu and it was perfect!
We also tried the Nasu Dengaku it was DELICIOUS!!!