Hands down this is my favorite Japanese cafe to get their green tea frap. They make it to perfection! They also have a good variety of small eats - and sandwich / bread options. Downstairs is a bookstore and they also have a basement that sell Japanese goods / stationary items. Fun place to chill for a while when you're bored or want a snack! read more

Cafe Zaiya - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

CASH ONLY under $10 - I had to run to the ATM. This location of Cafe Zaiya is situated on the 2nd level of Kinokuniya Bookstore, right across the street from Bryant Park. I came here by myself one day to have a nice light lunch while listening to music, reading, and people watching - yes I'm a good multitasker. It's a place where you can chill and eat alone and nobody is going to judge you! Cafe Zaiya always has the best affordable "to-go" style food and my favorite is their onigiri. I've always preferred the spicy tuna, but this time I learned they had spicy clam, which I've never had before. Both were delicious, as expected. Great place for some relaxing "me" time. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Thanks to yelp for suggesting Cafe Zaiya. The look of this place is really pleasant. I ordered Green Tea Roll, which was outstanding. It was so flavorful and yummy. Workers are extremely courteous. They're attentive, respectful and always on their game. It's absolutely worth it. read more

Great inexpensive authentic Japanese cafe on the 2nd floor of Kinokuniya bookstore!! This so called "Japanese fast food" cafe serves much better food than some of the expensive and mediocre overrated restaurants in the city! Whenever I come to Kinokuniya, I stop by Cafe Zaiya for a nice coffee break! They have a decent selection of savory food as well as delicious and stylishly presented pastries at very reasonable price. Just bento alone, there are nearly 10 different options ranging from donburi, unagidon, curry, sukiyaki, etc., which cost around $5-7. Desserts are about $2-4.50, and so far everything I've tried meets my standard. Green Tea pudding and mont blanc are my faves! Few years ago I used to meet my friends here all the time but now it's getting more difficult to find a table as it's becoming more popular. If you can't find a table, you can have your order to go and eat it in the Bryant Park which is right across the street. I wish this place had more seats!! read more

They have a lot of great options for japanese food. I was very pleased to see so many options from noodles, to rice, to breads. And everything there tastes great too! This is a great spot for quick, ready to go food that doesn't hurt your wallet much read more

Midtown lunchtime deal. Upstairs at the fab-cool Kinokunya bookstore this place is serve yourself sushi, sandwiches and the deal of all lunch deals "The Zaiya meal". Available from 12-3 this $4.99 meal deal includes the food- salmon, potatoes, tofu, pickles and rice(today) plus a drink. Now the salmon was a tad tough, but there are other cheap eats here which looked really good. They also serve pretty pastries and nicely potted teas. Nice, comphy seating, and a nice view from the second floor make this a repeat lunchtime destination for me. Shhhhh. read more

Very much mini review. It's like their actual store two blocks away but lacking a few options such as their terrific matcha cream puffs. Black sesame drinks are good but I've had a bad one there also. Mid/low 3. Main location is better. read more

A food cafe located on the 2nd in a bookstore where you can't bring drinks to the floor. You would think it would be better to make the cafe on the basement or ground floor. Mediocre Japanese quick food. Also one of the cafe worker was rude. white girl working Sat 8/18 at 2pm, making my drink. Noticed i placed my purchased onigiri on a collapsible counter by the register while waiting, want on a power trip and made a show of moving it elsewhere and collapsing the counter just because i didn't take the straw she offer with me drink. read more

Best part here is the location and the seats. Very quiet compare to other locations so that I would be able to have lunch while taking a conference call for example. Food options are pretty limited. My fav is the bento with mackerel. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Mackerel bento - yum - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Cafe Zaiya has three locations in New York City; Midtown, East Village and the Kinokinuya book store. Visited the Cafe Zaiya in the Kinokinuya for lunch. The cafe is located in front of the store on the second floor with a panoramic view of the Avenue of the Americas and the Bryant Park. You need to take the escalator or the stairs up from the back of the store. This Cafe Zaiya is not really advertised so you need to know where you are going. Maybe the reason they don't want too many people to know about it is because the seating area is quiet small and it does get very crowded during lunch time. I was lucky enough to grab a chair by the lunch counter facing the Bryant park. They offer bento boxes, pre-made sushi, grilled sandwiches, desserts and a large tea selection which is served in a tea pot. There is a microwave to warm up the bento boxes, if desired. I didn't have too much time so I ordered a "Classic Tomato" which is a mozzarella, proscuitto and tomato sandwich, grilled panini style. Also a tall glass of lemonade and a green tea cup which is similar to a pudding. Food is served on custom hand-baked ceramic "Zaiya" plates and drinks are served in tall glasses or porcelain cups. A lot attention paid to the detail and service here. The total cost was about $14.00. They sell out of the popular items quick so get there early. The seating is limited to about thirty so same applies about getting there early. I shall return to try one of the bento boxes, other desserts and a pot of tea. Pros: Great value. Nice view of the Bryant Park. Good selection of quality tea and desserts. Cons: Gets crowded during lunch. Tight seating area. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Cafe Zaiya at the Kinokuniya Books - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

I have nothing that I dislike here. Inexpensive dishes. There're expensive beverage too if you'd like to try their hi-end tea. Pastry choices are all pretty. $4.99 Zaiya meal sounds like a deal, but I'd rather go with regular bento. Cashier is super quick (as quick as any Chinese and Japanese places.) Nice Bryant park overlook! read more

Ok I love this place. It provides a much needed variety to this area for quick lunches and snacks. I know there are more Japanese markets and even another Cafe Zaiya across the park, but its a much further walk for me. Plus, being able to waste a pleasant minute or two in the bookstore is nice. But jeez, I miss those pork buns so much. I have been thinking about it and by far I think they are the best pork buns I've had in NYC (including Flushing). Understandably its probably a nuisance for the staff to have that steaming cabinet of pork buns there, and I was so thankful to be able to get them. I hope they bring it back someday. Or perhaps, let me know where those buns are from! read more

Cafe Zaiya is a great place to visit if you want something quick on the go. It offers a large selection of delicious pastries, cakes, cookies, sandwiches, sushi & onigiris, and bento boxes for you to choose from. They also offer a wide selection of tea and coffee concoctions. P.S - Give their cakes, spicy shrimp tempura onigiri (rice ball), and their shortbread cookies a try. YUM! read more

Oh how this is my favorite spot for afternoon tea currently.I like how its so hidden from the midtown crowd. Located on the 2nd floor of a bookstore, probably lot of people are not aware of its existence. I am glad I found it. I have tried their lunch boxes several times. My favorites are the Mackerel and the salmon bento with japanese rice and veggies. The fish is so fresh and well prepared. I like their green tea roll for dessert. They have a wide selection of teas which I enjoy. If you like coffee, they have a full coffee bar too. read more

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This is a great place to come to grab something to eat, if you're waiting for friends or shopping at the bookstore. I love their Tea Forte sets, as well as the Soy Cafe Lattes. The tea forte you can only have at the store, but the other drinks you can order to go, or have them tastefully served in decent glassware. I love the lighting here for studying, or to just sit and relax while the views of the city pass by outside, and you're in small cafe setting. Their deserts are kinda sweet, but is artistically presented. I definitely have no complaints. read more

I like coming here after browsing kinokuniya. Just for a quick snack. Never really for a meal. My recent visit was pleasant and for one of the rare times cafe zaiya was not that packed. I've seen it where there was a lot of people and no seats. I got some desserts for myself. A green tea roll and soft pudding. I also got a tuna onigiri. The onigiri was good and was pretty average. The green tea roll was nice and light. The filling was a red bean and creme filling which I was not expecting. Unfortunately the soft pudding (which is really a flan) was not the greatest. The pudding itself was soft and creamy, but the caramel on the bottom was burnt. It's not too bad though. I think next time I'll get a drink. But this place is nice to read, study or have a good chat with a friend. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Green tea sponge roll. Soft pudding and a tuna onigiri (rice ball) - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Ok. I was here last week when I tried to find a place where hot meals were available. I went all the way from the front to the back of the library, and finally settled down with this place because my shoes were killing me. Fortunately I saw it some where that this place is associate with a book store, otherwise I would never find it. The cafe locates on the second floor of a japanese bookstore. The whole place is small. They have a refrigerator and couple microwaves. Basically the only way you can get a meal here is to select from the refrigerator, pay, and microwave them. Not exactly what I had in mind. They have fried pork rice, curry, beef rice, sushi, Japanese style bread (red bean mellon and so on). They can make tea for you, from a tea bag. They do have coffee. Thank god they take cash. Chairs are not exactly comfortable. I do like cafe, but microwave foods are not acceptable for me. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Cafe Zaiya sits at the top of the Kinokuya Bookstore in the Bryant Park area. It's got Interesting eats, but is in need of more variety. The desserts and cakes are a little underwhelming. The ready-to-go bento boxes and the packaged onigiri, however, do bring a little spice to the store. It also seems like there are more patrons and seating available. read more

Yummy bento box. I had the salmon one and it was very tasty and filling! Limited seating but I was able to grab a spot. A nice place to enjoy lunch for the right price. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Salmon bento box - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

I was yearning for the sweet potato pastries from years ago and realized Cafe Zaiya MOVED to a new location nearby inside the Japanese bookstore. The hazelnut bread is very yummy and the onigiri is convenient and good. It's not like before but still good. read more

Cookies are so delicious! I have tried their butter leaf pie and almond cookies, both are very crispy and tasty. The small pack of cookies is about $2, and the bigger portion is about $5.50 Pudding is okay, the texture is creamy, however, the cake and the cream on the bottom didn't taste so well. Cheesecake is normal standard, not so good, not bad either. I will pass on their cake, and go through their cookies directly next time. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Butter Leaf Pie - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

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If you're lactose intolerant, you know how happy I felt when I found out they can make their frappe with soy milk. Even though soy also makes me bloat, their black sesame frappe is soooo worth it! Especially on a hot summer day. Whenever I want to treat myself when I'm at work, this is what I get. It's creamy and not overly sweet like starbucks frappes. It's so refreshing and it's like drinking a milkshake. Their cookies are also very good. I like the thin almond cookies which also comes as sesame too. They're light and crispy. I don't know anyone who doesn't like these. I heard their cakes are also very good. read more

Convenient location inside Kinokuniya, but offers a limited selection compared to their other location. For example, no soft serve ice cream, and smaller assortment of pastries. The bookstore kind of compensates for the limited offerings. Running into a renowned model also vastly overcompensated for the limited offerings. I came here on a weekday afternoon and ran into supermodel Ming Xi, though, which made my experience at Zaiya unforgettable. She, on the other hand, I believe, was looking for some privacy and a somewhat secluded area to chill and talk with her friend, but I ruined that by getting excited and asking for a photo. I'll be back, but perhaps she won't. My apologies! read more

Every time I go to Kino, I want to try this place, but the lines are so long. Luckily it wasn't this time. I wanted to get a mochi donut, but they were out:( also they have a $10 minimum for credit card users, so I browsed around for something else. I eventually got a chicken teriyaki don, yakimochi, spicy salmon onigiri, and a small hot chocolate and the total came to around $15. The yakimochi was pretty good, I liked how chewy it was and red bean is always delicious lol The spicy salmon onigiri could have been better, it lacked any spicy. I think spam would have been a better filling The chicken teriyaki don was nothing special. Chicken teriyaki with spicy mayo on some rice and seaweed and a few broccoli and greens. The hot chocolate tastes like dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate and watery read more

Cafe Zaiya - Spicy salmon onigiri - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

The name has change from cafe zaiya to Tomiz and the service goes from great to terrible. I live in queens and I always go in the city to grab their soft serve ice cream. Today when i went in to grab 3 ice creams, i was told they can only serve it in a cup. So i said ok, you can give it in a cup but i still want the ice cream cone that comes with it and she said it will be extra 50 cents for the cone. I said it is not my fault u can't serve the ice cream in the cone, but i am willing to take it in the cup and yet she will charge me extra for the regular cone that comes with ice cream. She give me excuse that weather is so hot that the ice cream is too soft on the cone. I missed my beautiful looking soft serve on the cone. Service sucks. I will never go there again. read more

A small cafe with limited selection, but I love this company's pastries and onigiri. I only get the cooked salmon but they are delicious! Green tea and red bean bread is great. I got a lychee bubble tea once it was also good. A nice place for a quick bite as I love coming into the bookstore anyway. read more

Cafe Zaiya - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

As far as ambiance and location goes, this cafe has it in spades. Inside the Kinokuniya bookstore, Cafe Zaiya is right across Bryant Park with nice seating for you to look out at a pretty popular part of Manhattan. I stopped by after a search for onigiri in the city and found some nice packages of Japanese convenience store food along with pastries and drinks. I picked up the chicken katsu, tuna, and egg sandwich combo and the salmon onigiri. Both were okay, both lacking. The katsu sandwich was dry, but the tuna and egg sandwiches were both tasty and great for me to munch on while I was on the go. The onigiri lacked in filling and ultimately a little lackluster. Since I've had better and cheaper versions of these meals, the food did not impress me. However, the bookstore is adorable and it's a great place to stop for a quick bite if you're walking around the city and you don't want to spend too much money for a meal. read more

Love this place! When I can sit eat fresh unique sandwiches when the places is not packed. I enjoy the beverages they have from coffee to bubble tea frap. Reminds me of a lil cafe in Tokyo. It just has that Asian Japanese atmosphere to it. Plus its within a Kinokuniya bookstore. So theres plenty of Manga to checkout read more

A few years ago, acfriend suggested this place for black sesame ice and I have been stopping by for their black sesma ever since, even during the winter. There are other bakery options but I never tried it. I hope to try it someday. read more

The curry was room temperature, the dish was flavorless, and the tea tasted watered down. The meal made me pretty sad. We had the pork and chicken tonkatsu curry and we agreed we've never had that dish so dry and flavorless from head to toe before. My friend who I was with enjoyed the deserts they ordered though. read more

This Cafe Zaiya may not have as much variety or offerings as the 41st street flagship, the goodies they do carry are pretty solid. I can't complain about the fact that it's only a block from the office across from Bryant Park and the staff are always nice. I really like the onigiris, extremely cheap at under $2 a pop. The desserts in the glass display case are yummy and affordable as well, perfect for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. I especially like the matcha green tea pudding served with red bean paste, soft mochi rice balls and condensed milk. The natural bitterness of the matcha is perfectly balanced by the azuki paste and sweet condensed milk. Holy crap just thinking about it makes my mouth water. The little cups of steamed custard and green tea frapp are delicious sweet treats as well. I only wish they had more pastries here... but perhaps it's better for my waistline that they don't. read more

What a pleasant surprise! I did not eat breakfast, and went for a long workout in the city, and after the workout I was looking to eat because I was starving. A friend asked if I wanted to come with him, so I did and he brought me here. WOW! First of all, I am a pretty cheap fuck, meaning I LOVE a bargain... especially a good one. This place was one big bargain put into a bookstore. My friend suggested the jumbo chicken sandwich, which after tax comes out to 4 bucks and 8 cents. Now, you may think, Jumbo in Japanese will mean TINY in english, but this is not the case. The sandwich was probobly almost a pound, and it was SO GOOD! No joke, this was one of my all time favorite sandwiches. It was simple and perfect. Big chicken cutlet, very soft nice bun, little bit of lettuce and tomatoes and a delicious mayo based dressing. It came together SO perfectly. I liked this sandwich so much, that I got up and got a second one. Yes it was that good. I also loved the store, it was my first time here and they had so many cool things in the basement. Will be back, many many, many, more times. read more

I had an onigiri craving, so i stopped by and picked up 3 salmon, 2 tuna with mayo, and 1 spicy cod roe. All were DELICIOUS. Really enjoyed the spicy cod roe! + i also purchased a chocolate cornet (sp?) and the milk bread. YUMMYYYY the milk bread was like a little baguette with cream. so good. can't wait to go back! preferably with more $ so i'm able to buy books i don't need (but want) and all the super cute stuffed things they have downstairs LOL read more

Neat little hideaway on the second floor of the Japanese book shop. Picked up some onigiri and a package of sushi roll, grand total was under $15. A gem for people who work in the area and need an escape from the greasy joints all around. A relatively healthy lunch that's tasty. I didn't try the tea--maybe next time. read more

Love this place! Plus it is such a price relief in the midtown area for lunch! This is actually a smaller café than the one just the other side of Bryant park on Library Way, however it is inside one of my favourite bookstores- so added bonus for the ability to rush downstairs and scoop together a handful of my beloved squared paper notebooks, skinny Japanese pen cartridges and babushka doll decorated tapes (that's for a separate review though- watch this space)... The lunch specials are awesome- $4.99 (tax included) for a dish of sushi rice, pickled vegetables and meat or fish on the side plus a tea, coffee or bottle of water. There's also a good selection of teriyaki chicken, white fish, spicy/ fried chicken sandwiches all between $3-4 (ham and cheese in croissant sandwiches too). Chicken katsu curries, wasabi crackers, onigiri, sushi, cakes, chocolate-dipped butterfly cookies, pocky sticks, sliced bread, cream-filled buns, seaweed-rice and tempura snacks... yum yum lots to choose from and all very cheap! There is also a microwave in the corner so you can heat up the food and have it hot too-awesome. They serve the pyramid sanctuary teas in beautiful clear glass teapots, cups and saucers like a proper tea shop, which last for several refills of hot water- perfect for an afternoon of reading in the corner or looking out over the west side of Bryant park on the bar-style seating by the windows. The seating fills up quickly during the lunch rush, but people normally come and go at a high turn-over rate- I always manage to find a seat. read more

I LOVEEEEE this place! It's located on the top floor of the Kinokuniya bookstore right across bryant park! This place has BOMBB japanese food for BOMBB prices! I always get their donburi, chicken katsu bento box, spicy chicken sandwich, or tuna/salmon onigiri! It's sooo cheap and sooo goood! FREALS! It does get quite busy around lunchtime so beat the lunch rush and come a bit earlier! And if you come past 3 a lot of the food is gone so you won't have much choices.. So come early and grab the best food! 1. donburi- meat and tofu on top of rice for like $5.75 2. bento box- chicken katsu, rice, pickled radish for $5.75 3. spicy chicken sandwich- $3.75 i believee 4. onigiri- $1.50 are those prices unbeatable or what!! They also serve tea and coffee if you have the time to grab a seat! There's also a small variety of Japanese chips and bread! All the Jap food you can think of.. they have!! This place is pretty tiny but exploding with yummy food so check check check it out! BTW amazing view of bryant park if you get the window seating! :D read more

Cafe Zaiya has a special place in my heart. While I was working writing business school essays from July through October last year, I came here at least two to three times a week. I spent countless hours on Saturdays and Sundays nestled in a corner booth, pondering questions like "What matters to you most and why" and"What do you want to do--REALLY?" However, every time I trashed an essay or felt frustrated with my twenty-some odd draft, it was okay, because there was a salmon onigiri or mapo tofu rice bowl or curry bento or green tea cake mere footsteps away. And whenever I felt sleepy, well, there was the trusty iced coffee to lean on. It's kind of hard to find this place the first time, which is why I think it's less crowded/touristy despite its location in Times Square. You enter through Kinokuniya, the Japanese bookstore and go up the escalator (near the back of the store) to the second floor. There's no WiFi, which is both good and bad when you are trying to get work done. There is also no electrical outlets to plug into, which is also good and bad when you're trying to get work done. If you bring a laptop here, it means that you actually have a deadline to get your work finished by (namely, when your battery runs out). Bathrooms are on the first floor. Now that I'm done with all the essays, interviewing, and ready to go back to school this fall, it means that I can start devoting all my attention back to Yelp (sorry for the hiatus, friends!) However, it wasn't until I wrote this review that I realized how much I actually missed all those days I spent working at Zaiya. read more

This cafe situated on top of a book store reminds me of a very popular bakery we have back in the east coast called 85degrees (except on a smaller scale). I got several different breads and although you don't spend a large amount, it is still quite expensive for bread. I could have got 3 times more at any decent bakery back in the west. I guess it would be a good place to go to just sit, maybe study or read a little. The vibe made me feel uncomfortable for some reason, maybe it was be cause of the seating, but it feels like everyone is looking at you while you browse the bread. Not any absolute deal breakers but not somewhere I would go out my way to go to. read more

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I come here for one thing: Onigiri. It costs $1.50 or $1.75 depending on the type. The people who eat it favor the salted salmon, so it always runs out first, then the shrimp tempura, then the one with seaweed in the middle. If you want some onigiri, best to get there before 1, closer to noon is best. yes, the place is crowded around that time. I didn't say you should sit down and eat. Grab your onigiri and go! If it's a warm day enjoy the park. There are other foods here including bento boxes and sushi and fried chicken and loaves of bread. I've tried the chicken and the tofu bread, both are acceptable. Still, I come here for onigiri. That's it. Everything else is incidental. Their stuff is good and fresh and I love it. So I overlook the non-delivery and the running out of my favorite type before I can get there. This area is a wasteland in terms of non-standard food. You take what you can get. read more

Good cheap food. Nothing can beat that. For once I saw a cafe inside a bookstore that isn't selling just coffee (starbucks/seattlebestcoffee). Pretty neat and got a pretty view from the window (over viewing the bryant park) I need to get their bento next time. It looked very delicious. I forgot what I order. Gf got shrimp onigiri. Oh, their black sesame smoothies/fraps? was also very good. This place will be on my list of places to go the next time I'm in New York. read more