Let's gooooo! This spot rules. Exactly what you want from a Japanese izakaya style restaurant. The seared tuna small plate was soooo goooooooood. Katsu curry was also so rich and flavorful. I would avoid the pork belly which was a bit over cooked and uninteresting. They have a great selection of sakes including three pairings to try. The space is not big but is very inviting and cozy. 5/5! read more

See all

Phenomenal food here. Everything we ordered was rich with flavor. All the dishes are well portioned - the small plates (tapas) and the rice bowls. Here's what we ordered: - Kara-age fried chicken - Japanese-style fried dark meat chicken, lemon slice, homemade spicy mayo - Garlic Beef Steak - 6oz Angus NY Strip steak, cooke rare, crispy rice patty, savory garlic sauce - Nanban don - crispy white meat chicken tempura glazed with a sweet, rich nanban sauce and homemade tartar sauce, topped with sesame seeds, and a pinch of scallion and ginger, served over rice - Una Tama Don - all natural eel, onions, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and a soft-cooked cage/free egg, simmered in a rich soy sauce broth, served over rice - Plum Sake - Kagatsuru, Kaga Crane, Mildly Sweet delicate fruitness, slightly tart - Kiku Masamume Kimoto - kiku masamune kimoto style - delicate and balanced, Well- rounded, smooth Everything we ordered was exceptional - slap yo' mama - excellent! Every bite was SO GOOD. i was full halfway through my rice bowl, but i couldn't waste it. I just ended up eating all the chicken and left the rice. I need this again! I recommend your try this place. The Kiku Masamume sake is the best! Gota try that. read more

See all

I liked the inner-tenderness of the karrage. The fried karaage skin wasn't bad, but when it came to the ten-don it was kind of obvious that the frying part could use some more work. Happy that they even have the anago ten-don option, but hoping that it would taste closer to that of Japan if I visit again in the future! read more

See all

this is a cute cozy japanese spot with home style dishes. the servers were friendly. i love how there's an open air design where the indoor tables aren't separated by a wall to the outdoor seating in the summer. it was a nice way to enjoy the warm spring weather while staying cool inside. i got the popcorn chicken curry and it was filling! wish there was a bit more flavor to the popcorn chicken through seasoning but overall i'd come back especially since i think the prices are pretty decent for manhattan. read more

Updated review! Now including the Unagi don set and the tuna tataki. Unagi don set was massive! Included a giant fillet of unagi, which was marinated with the right amount of soy and sweet sauce. Perfect balance, juicy, and incredibly fresh piece of fish! I also love the ample amounts of nori the Unagi sat on, very umami indeed! Tuna tataki was also incredible. It had a decent amount of heat to it, and the cream sauce that came with it perfectly complemented the fish! The fish was seared nicely, with the centers being sashimi - exactly how i like it. The textures were incredible. Highly recomend! read more

See all

The food was amazing! Very tasty and a wonderful portion size. The server Ilene was great and knowledgeable and made some great food and drinks recommendations! The vibes were chill and the music was a vibe! Would def eat here again! read more

Benemon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Popped in here for an early dinner at around 5:30ish, there were plenty of tables available. We ordered 3 appetizers and 1 entree to share. Originally had a 4th appetizer but they forgot to serve it to us. - shrimp and anago ten don - anchovy fried potatoes - tofu fire - black Miso chicken - tuna tataki (saw good reviews on this and originally ordered but they forgot to serve it to us) Really enjoyed the small plates, it's all izakaya style and was a cute place to chill and catchup. read more

See all

Loved this cute and delectable spot! Hubs snd I came here for a lovely date night. Benemon doesn't take reservations so try to arrive on the earlier side to get a table without having to wait. We were lucky and were seated at the last open table at 6:15pm on a Saturday! I like everything I ate. The Gomadre salad was delicious, light and fresh. I could eat it every day! The Gobo sticks were unexpected and absolutely yummy. They're sort of crunchy, not starchy, and I loved the seasoning! The tuna tataki was very good and fresh. I tried the beef curry gravy and thought it tasty. I'll need to return to try the vegetable curry! Hubs said the Kara age chicken was different, interesting, he liked it. Soft and juicy, flavorful; not crunchy and meaty like most fried chicken. My sake flight was just right and every single one did taste unique. I liked each one! Overall, we really enjoyed our dinner at Benemon, for the food and general vibe of the place. I can't wait to dine there again! read more

See all

Their Don was insanelllly good whereas everything else I would describe is delicious but not mind blowing. Menu is decent but not very large - think tapas style. Pretty intimate indoor area, close to lots of dessert places. read more

Benemon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The food was absolutely delicious! I appreciate spots in the city that retain authenticity and this place will not be forgotten Chicken Katsu Curry read more

everything we ordered was delicious. from the tofu salad to the pork belly to the beef don. matcha cream drink was also surprisingly read more

Benemon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I came here on a Saturday around 8:20 and all the outdoor dining booths were taken. We had till 9 when the kitchen closes to be seated and we just happened to get seated right before 9 but the staff were very accommodating and really kept us updated every now and then with the table situation. I have to say I was pretty underwhelmed with the food and the only explanation I could come up with is that we ordered close to kitchen closing so we just didn't get our food prepared well. Idk but the best way I can describe the food in taste is the taste of homemade food. On one hand that is totally fine, it tastes more clean I.e. not much salt, complex flavors etc but I definitely was not expecting that at all. Food: My favorite was the hot squid because the sauce was the only thing that was seasoned pretty well and had some complexity in flavor, however the squid was pretty chewy. The pork belly was also decent but I kept slathering it with the sauce it came with because it was lacking in flavor. My lease favorite dish ,which I didn't take a pic of, was the una-tama don. I could not enjoy this dish at all. The eel looked amazing but was coated in raw egg white, and like everything the eel was also delicately seasoned so there was no distraction at all from just eating raw egg white which was very unappetizing. The description does say it comes in soft cooked egg but it felt as if an egg was just cracked over the eel and the rice. The garlic beef steak was just nothing to write home about and it was pretty chewy as well. I don't know that I will come back here but I'll say don't come close to closing hours. read more

See all

Amazing, attentive, personal service. Relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. Love everything about Benemon! I came with three friends and it was a great time, but can also see this as a cute little date spot! Indoor + outdoor seating. The rice bowls were to die for...each one of ours were uniquely delicious. you simply can't go wrong. the tuna tataki appetizer was also fresh and flavorful. skip the fried tofu! read more

See all

Swung by around 8pm on a Saturday and the wait was 15-20 minutes. Enjoyed the pork belly as an appetizer then got the chicken katsu curry which was incredible. Very pleasant experience overall. Will be back! read more

tldr: neutral experience, would probably pass because of the price tag Food: 4/5 Drinks: 4/5 Vibes: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Must-Orders: None We were looking for a place to eat in East Village and came across Benemon since we were both fans of Japanese food. Because of the good reviews, we stopped by. Unfortunately, it wasn't my favorite experience eating out in New York, but nor was there any one thing that was particularly wrong- it was simply a very "meh" experience. Everything we ordered was adequate and what you would expect, but there wasn't a single dish where you took the first bite and thought "wow." And considering the amount of money we ended up spending, I would probably skip this place the next time I am in East Village. read more

Benemon - tuna tataki - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Service was awesome, we should have ordered 2 appetizers (they are small). We had the shrimp tempura it was 2 shrimp, 2 green beans and 2 slices of squash. The shrimp tempura was perfect, fresh oil taste and the side of salt was a nice touch. Chicken katsu with curry and rice and namban don was ordered. Both dishes were very tasty and portion size was perfect. The place was dark and busy, my only gripe was the music was a little too loud, American pop music playing. I guess I was hoping for more of a Japanese vibe. It was a very nice dinner. Go here and eat! read more

Benemon - Table decor - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Katsu don was great! Wish they put the katsu on top of the egg instead of having it in the egg since it's not crispy anymore when it's in front of you. Thats the only thing to notch them down one star. The flavors were great though, sweet from the onions and sauce and creamy from the eggs. The food came out HOT and the portions are satisfying. There's a bit of a wait if you come so make sure to be prepared! The waitress / bar tenders were super nice! read more

Benemon - Inside! - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Came here after a full day of flights and the food did not disappoint! Got to the restaurant around 8:30 on a Saturday evening, and waited ~15 minutes to get a seat at the bar (by myself). Ordered the tofu, karage, unagi don, and a cocktail. Tofu had a nice sauce and a nice sweet and savory outer layer. The sauce that came with the karage was absurdly good. The unagi don was pretty much what I expected, solid but not mind-blowing. Though I'm not a drinker, I tried out the cocktail with matcha in it, and it was definitely tasty. All in all, a good experience, if slightly on the pricey side. read more

See all

I was excited to find this hidden gem upon yelp search. Fair warning is that it is 11 min walk away from 8th st station-NYU, which can be little far given the weather outside. However, I can tell you it will be worth the trip! I tried soft shell crab as appetizer and pork katsu curry ($15.5) and unagi don ($29) as main dish. The portion size is very filling, and taste was great! I just wish they have miso soup, and keep the inside little cool with fans/AC, as it was very humid to eat the food due to weather. I enjoyed the food itself. Please come check this place out when you are nearby and want to have some homemade style Japanese food. read more

See all

Food 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 Price 4/5 Quality 4/5 This was my first experience at Benemon. My friends and I were looking for a Japanese restaurant to try out and a quick Yelp search helped me find Benemon! They are walk in only and don't take reservations so we made sure to get there a little early around 7 as they get packed during the weekends. We started off with a couple bottles of Hot Sake (perfect for the colder weather) and there are space heaters in the outdoor dining area to keep you nice and toasty outside. We had a variety of food but the best dishes we ordered was the Tuna Tataki, Garlic Beef Steak, Unagi Don, and the Salted Pork Belly. The portion are meant to be small dishes so you can order a variety and share with your friends. Overall this was an amazing experience and I highly recommend. I'll definitely be back with my friends or a date next time! read more

See all

The definition of comfort food! I didn't really know what Japanese comfort food was til I came to Benemon. You'll understand when you eat one of their delicious rice bowls. I love that there isn't ever really a long wait for Benemon. The restaurant isn't too big, and it feels cozy. Their menu consists of apps, rice bowls, and katsu. I always go for one of the bowls! Fave is the oyakodon, but I do want to try the popcorn chicken and eel ones. Just haven't been able to abandon the oyakodon yet. The bowls are not too big, but it's enough to make you feel full. The bf got the katsu curry, but we both liked the bowls better. We've also ordered the salmon carpaccio and scallops appetizer. I'd definitely skip on the scallops. The salmon carpaccio is similar to lox flavors with capers and onions, except with fresh sashimi instead of smoked salmon. They also have a lunch special menu, but have yet to check it out! read more

See all

Good food for a decent price. Had the kara age fried chicken and that was my least favorite, it was a little too fat. The anchovy potatoes and the beef rice bowl were both good! Good drinks as well. Nothing that's a standout however for the price and the fact that they were available on Friday night with no reservations makes this a good spot to try if you're in the neighborhood. read more

The food was good, but it was a lot of fried options. I think we made the mistake of over doing it on ordering fried items, but every one of the waitress recommendations was a fried item. The octopus was good, and so were the pieces of Karage. Some of the better Karage we've had, but everything was just missing a little something. A nice touch of freshness to each dish would have gone a long way. read more

Absolutely amazing una tama don, the eel mixed with the egg and the sauce was perfect. One of the best dons I've ever had. Would come here again and the portion size was great as well. The ambiance is also a great spot for a nice dinner with friends - dimly lit with a calming himalayan salt candle. They also have great sake selections! read more

Benemon - Una Tama Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The Tuna Tataki appetizer was tasty with its tangy sauce and tender tuna, but it was pretty small portion size. The Nanban Dan was also good, though a bit sweet. It's crispy tempura chicken with a Japanese mayo-like sauce over rice. Overall, it was a great experience, and I'd definitely go again. read more

Benemon - Nanban Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Highly recommend this place! Came here with a friend and we split one small plate and two of the bigger dishes. The portions are perfect for sharing and it's definitely great to come in a bigger group and try lots of things on the menu! They have something for everyone and the flavors were so great. The space is very cute and cozy and the staff were all helpful and great! They don't take reservations but we came on a weekday around 6 pm and were seated immediately. I will say it got fairly crowded by 7/8 pm so get there early if you can and don't want to wait! read more

I could not say more good things about this place! Everything I got was delicious and had soooo much flavor. For apps we got garlic beef, karaage and the black miso chicken. I would have loved to put a scoop of rice in the delicious sauce from the miso chicken. For an entrees I shared the Yakiniku don and katsu curry and both were so tasty. In the yakiniku don the beef was perfectly seared and had some crispy edges. I would definitely recommend this place! read more

Benemon - Katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Really like the food here! I'd recommend getting a few plates to share if you're coming with a group. The food was flavorful and reasonably priced. Only con about this place is that it's dimly lit and they didn't have the AC on during a hot summer day. read more

See all

Blown away by the food! Everything tasted amazing and I'd gladly come back to try all the other items on the menu. I also think it's well priced, as 4 of us got these 6 dishes and all ordered sake and it came down to a very reasonable price. A highlight was the salty pork belly- it also had a slight smoky flavor that was very discreet but also very pronounced, and with this sauce it came with, made it something I've never had before! And honestly everything else was so so delicious. I can't emphasize that enough!! I left the restaurant very happy :) read more

See all

Met a friend here at 6:30pm on a Monday night, and we were able to be seated right away. There were a definitely a few tables open, but the place does fill up later around 7ish. If you have a party of 2 it's pretty easy to grab a table, otherwise, you'd likely have to wait a bit. For food, we both split the tuna tataki, fried pork belly, and the unagi don. Everything was really good quality. The tuna was really fresh with a good flavorful sear around it. The pork belly was interesting. I expected it to be more fatty, instead of lean, but still good. The unagi don was really good. I'm a big fan of eel, and was happy that they gave you a good portion especially since I've found other Japanese restaurants skimps out on it for the same price. It is on the pricier side for the amount of food. We spent about $80 for both of us, including a bottle of soju, but overall, I would come back again. read more

Benemon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Food - 5/5 Spot on! Tapas style and also entrees available. Personal recommendations are the garlic steak and tuna tartare. The steak is medium rare, coated with garlicky savory soy sauce. Out of this world! Must have! Ambiance - 5/5 Outdoor dining available. Very cosy set up with ceiling heater. Music in the outdoor tent too! Service -5/5 Family owned business. Everyone is so friendly and attentive. Must eat if you're in the Lower east side read more

See all

Stopped by for dinner a couple of nights ago and my boyfriend and I were impressed by everything from the food to the service. The atmosphere was nice and the interior was simple. Our waiter was friendly and he gave us a couple of suggestions of some of the popular dishes on the menu. We ended up ordering the following to share: Salty Pork Belly ($9)- This is a smoked pork belly dish with black haimi sauce. Initially I was afraid that the pork belly would be too salty but this wasn't the case with this small plate. The meat coupled with the sauce was the perfect mix. Karaage Fried Chicken ($8)-The chicken was tender on the inside but crispy on the outside and this dish came with homemade spicy mayo which was delicious! I kept dipping the chicken into the spicy mayo with every bite. Una-Tama Don ($19)- The presentation of the donburi was impeccable. It really hit the spot with the warm rice and soft cooked egg. The eel was perfectly cooked and was wasn't too sweet. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a place for small plates or Japanese comfort food. read more

See all

Very scrumptious and clean food. Although I was a little disappointed it didn't have sushi, I realize it was a traditional Japanese restaurant that serves fried burdoch root, tuna tataki, and curry sauce. The decor is rustic and welcoming. read more

Three friends and I ended up at Benemon because it seemed it was the only place in East Village that didn't have a 90-minute wait on Saturday evening (lol). But we were quite (pleasantly) surprised at how well-crafted all the dishes were, and at the value of our meal. H. and I ordered a black miso chicken appetizer to share, while R. and C. split the tuna tataki. Unfortunately, the first ended up rather one-note - the taste of black miso being much too overpowering, and the overall dish being too reminiscent of a simple, chicken teriyaki. The nuts and greenery garnishes showed finesse but could not rescue the dish. The unremarkable tataki was cooked well and the quality of fish was acceptable. However, the meal took a drastic turn for the better with the arrival of our main courses. The vegetable-based curry (used for all three curry bowls) showed as much depth of flavor as traditional beef-based Japanese curry, melding its warm spice into the perfectly steamed short-grain rice. I was entranced with each spoonful of curry-smeared rice. The chicken katsu was fried perfectly, with an even, crispy, and non-greasy breading. The egg and chicken of the oyako don were still steamy and tender when it landed at our table, and I felt as if I were transported to an authentic donburi stall in Japan. Truly a harmonious coming-together of ingredients. The waitstaff met expectations but it did a while to get the check and get it back. Maybe they were simply short-staffed once the restaurant got a bit more crowded. Overall, Benemon best succeeds at the traditional, pleasing purists much more so than foodies of fusion. read more

See all

Vibes: casual, trendy, fairly quiet, bring a friend or a few for drinks and small plates or go alone for a satisfying rice bowl Tasting notes: -Plum wine: comes chilled, fairly sweet with a tart aftertaste -Scallops aburi: three large, very sweet scallops, each sandwiching a refreshing and fragrant shiso leaf; torched top adds just a touch of toastiness; comes with yuzu chili and soy sauces for dipping -Una-tama: definitely mix the dish so the sweet broth is counterbalanced by the fluffy white rice; thick cuts of eel are surprisingly gelatinous and pick up the broth thoroughly; egg comes very runny, but gives a nice creaminess to each spoonful Will come back to try mixing and matching the small plates, paired with a sake flight! read more

Benemon - Una-Tama Don - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all

We came for a 8:30 dinner on Friday and were excited that we got a table. I thought it would be impossible given their high rating. I'd like to come back here and give it another shot, but here's what went into the 3 stars. - ambiance... [4/5] Cute spot! Definitely felt like a nice dining experience with the chopstick holders, lighting, bar, etc. - service... [3/5] We had someone that told us it was her first month and we basically got ignored after our food came out. another waitress wound up giving us our check. - drinks... [3/5] If you get a cocktail anticipate heavier pour on the wine. Decent sake list - katsu...[3/5] I enjoyed it, but honestly it was just missing a texture or flavor. not a real depth. Didn't taste like anything particularly special. - curry...[3/5] My bf had the curry and said something really similar. decent curry flavor, but definitely fell flat. Again, I'd like to come back and see if this was just not a great night or if it's actually a trend. Plenty of other japanese restaurants in the area that may be better quality though. read more

STAY AT HOME, EVERYONE. FLATTEN THE CURVE!!! AND DON'T DRINK/INJECT BLEACH INTO YOURSELF. Alright, brace yourself because this is going to be a doozie of a review. Not for anything bad, mind you, but because my friends and I are gluttons and we ate our weight in food here. We were even there so long that we ordered dishes more than once! This was also our last group meal before quarantine started, so it has a special place in my heart. We stopped in, left our name with the hostess, and then went to get a drink. As always happens, they called us back a few minutes before their original estimate. We got sat in the back in a nice little booth that was more intimate than a lot of the rest of the seating. Perfect for our group, which was surly and not particularly avoidant of sensitive topics. Anyway, onto the food. Here's what we ordered: (Taking a deep breath...) 1) Salty pork belly 2) Tuna tataki 3) Anchovy fried potatoes 4) Scallops aburi 5) Kara-age fried chicken 6) Hot squid 7) Black miso chicken 8) Unagi (eel) don bowl 9) Katsu curry (with pork) over rice Oh, did you think I was done? Well, after we had all that, we decided on our favorites, and ended up ordering more kara-age, black miso chicken, and tuna tataki. We basically did in one meal what it takes Pete Wells three to do. The fried chicken, tuna tataki, and pork katsu were the real stars of the show for me. The pork katsu was served in these fishstick-like fingers, and the curry was incredibly rich and flavorful. Definitely the best curry I've had in a long time. Everything, however, was great and you can't go wrong with anything. We did everything family style, so it wasn't necessarily coursed out. Things just arrived, and we ate them. My friend with eating restrictions loved the kara-age! We also had a couple of sake bottles throughout the night. I couldn't tell you which specific bottles they were, but they were all delicious. read more

See all

Wow! Tonkatsu Curry - absolutely delicious!!! Incredible! Crispy on the outside. Tender flavor on the inside. Enough said. Chicken Karaage - perfectly crispy. Perfectly juicy. Perfectly seasoned. Yakiniku Donburi - puts others to shame. I came with friends after an afternoon of drinking and wasn't hungry. At all. I inhaled the food here. It was so good I couldn't help but gorge myself. Great spot among many great spots in the Lower East Side. This one stands out! read more

See all

So many great dishes at Benemon. We especially enjoyed the eel over rice, chicken nanban over rice, and the beef curry over rice. The appetizers were just okay. I would and will get the shrimp and eel tempura over rice next time instead. read more

Great cozy little place nestled on east 4th street. We wanted a new place to try katsu and found this. We got here at 6:30pm on a Saturday and luckily got seated before the arrival of a few more couples who had to wait. The service here was fantastic. The server kindly and patiently explained the menu and gave recommendations when we asked for them. I ordered the chicken katsu curry and Pork Katsu don. We thought food would take a while since people who were there before us still didn't get their food, but it actually came out rather quickly. The chicken katsu curry ($15) was fantastic and relatively inexpensive. I liked the fact they served the chicken katsu outside of the sauce, this preserved the chicken's crispness. It was also interesting that they didn't serve the katsu the traditional way in the form of strips but rather chicken chunks. The chunks were also quite meaty. The sauce was great, a very slight kick to it but not strong. Made the rice very tasty. The Pork Katsu don was superb as well, with the katsu being very juicy and went well with the egg. I have to add the server's attentiveness. My glass of water was never empty for more 10-15 seconds. They always refilled it. The food isn't too expensive and pretty good. Definitely drop by for some Japanese comfort food! read more

Benemon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

See all