Been meaning to try this place out for awhile now, so glad I went tonight. Did a walk in with the family - no issues. Ordered a few appz to share - chicken karaage, tempura squid and gyoza. All were very delicious. For mains we ordered Shoyu ramen, tonkotsu and the udon with cod roe for a change. All were very tasty and made with care. The restaurant is a hidden gem. Service was awesome, place is clean and most importantly, decently priced too. read more

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They have so many vegan/vegetarian options, I really appreciated it. However, I would skip the vegan sushi options -- it wasn't my favourite and as a pescatarian myself, I would've preferred the real fish option. The ramen on the other hand was really good. The spicy miso ramen hit the spot, and my friend had the vegan chashu, which was also pretty decent. Although the chashu was nowhere close to what a real chashu would be, so lower expectations on that. The star of the show was the vegan matcha cheesecake. It was so fluffy and light -- we had to order another one after we finished the first one so quickly. read more

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Kei offers a large range of dishes from ramen to katsu curry to teishoku - so many that it was difficult to choose from. However, we thoroughly enjoyed everything we got. We ordered the kushikatsu set (fried skewers: chicken and shiso, pork loin, scallop, and shrimp), tuna creamy hand roll, pork katsu sando, and a teishoku set with salmon saikyo. The kushikatsu was fried well. My teishoku salmon was delightful. We love to come back and try their katsu curry and dons! read more

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Wow! Checked out this gem cuz it's near by and it was not very crowded but it was such a surprise. The food was so good and has a great interior. It's an izakaya so the food was simple and light and flavorful. They have a speakeasy so will definitely be back for drinks!' read more

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The food is amazing, and I liked the vibe and the decor a lot as well. The service could be improved however. They were very nice but were disorganized. The two waiters didn't communicate and came in turns asking twice for things. I guess that's better than not coming at all :) I was also disappointed to see there wasn't any wine by the glass under $17 or draft beers. read more

Easily became one of my top 3 restaurants in nyc!! Every dish was amazing-my fav def was the Smokey Wagyu garlic rice bowl because the rice had such a pleasant Smokey aroma that made the sticky rice very delicious and it complimented well with the soft Wagyu. Their aromatic drinks were also very good and def recommend trying. Staff members were very kind and friendly. Great service. Restaurant was spacious and looked amazing inside. Def coming back here read more

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This place has amazing tonkotsu ramen noodles. Super creamy and flavorful. The waiter is super nice. read more

KEI - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Overall, this was not the best experience. First the good: the place is clean and the people are very nice. For the overall experience: I got the lunch special , which is $20. A fair price for nyc, however, it really is not a lot of food at all. On top of that everything was bland. The only thing with decent flavor was the tomatoes, and the miso soup was cold. The service was slow, before ordering and waiting for a check. And we got our food at different times. I think this place was good but could use some improvements. read more

KEI - Lunch special - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

My friends and I stopped by for their lunch set menu, and it turned out to be one of the most flavorful and unique meals I've had in a while! The portions were generous, and the variety of sides let you switch up the flavor with every bite. The pork gyoza? Perfectly plump, juicy, and had that crisp golden bottom that makes every bite irresistible. The service was excellent. Our waiter so attentive and friendly. The establishment it's is very calming to the eyes. Decor has elements for a calm lunch or even a relaxing dinner date! Easily a 10/10 experience--already counting down the days until I'm back to try more! Follow @blaze_eatsnyc for more food finds and flavor-packed reviews! read more

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New japanese izakaya spot in Chelsea! Had a lot of different variety on the menu. My fav was the katsu sando! read more

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Very delicious ramen & curry . Ramen is thinner than some I've had in California and I really like it. Had the Pork Chasu Ramen and the Omurice Curry has a mound of rice covered with a light omelette. My server Pewter is very nice and accommodating. I really enjoyed KEI and will be back many times when I am visiting NYC. I never noticed it before and happen to see the ramen sign on the sidewalk so as you're walking and not looking it may be missed as many other places. It's a good place to come if you're looking in the Chelsea area. A very nice addition to the neighborhood. I want to come back to try some of the other dishes and sushi. Very delicious ramen & curry . Ramen is thinner than some I've had in California and I really like it. Had the Pork Chasu Ramen and the Omurice Curry has a mound of rice covered with a light omelette. My server Pewter is very nice and accommodating. I really enjoyed KEI and will be back many times when I am visiting NYC. I never noticed it before and happen to see the ramen sign on the sidewalk so as you're walking and not looking it may be missed as many other places. It's a good place to come if you're looking in the Chelsea area. A very nice addition to the neighborhood. I want to come back to try some of the other dishes and sushi. read more

Tonkotsu ramen was in sapporo style (yellow and thick ramen with kansui), not the hakata style as they showed in pictures (white thin noodle). Well, Ichiran is just steps away, so no brainer right? read more

Overall, all the food was OK for the price. I got the yakuza curry. It was a very good vegetarian option because they gave a little cutlet that was very fairly full. Also, the curry part was very flavorful as well. I would highly recommend this for any vegetarians or vegans out there as it was pretty good probably the best item that we got at the table other items that we got included the Pork Gyoza however that just tasted like a normal gyoza nothing special. We also got the Katsu sandwich which was pretty good a bit on the heavier side, but taste was still there and the bread still tasted pretty good overall it was pretty mid great place to try. Service was good and the place was very well decorated and fancy. read more

KEI - Crispy Chicken Sando - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Agedashi tofu was definitely the highlight of our meal here. The tsuyu sauce was super savory. I could dip noodles into it and be happy and done. The tofu had a very light breading and surprisingly it had nice pull. This appetizer was such a delight. We also got the Kushi Katsu Set- apart from the scallop, each piece was fried well, made tastier by its katsu sauce. I had the Pork Cutlet Curry (surprise!). Once again the pork cutlet was both tender and crispy and the curry sauce was a bit on the thicker side with pieces of carrots. It came with a couple of sliced grapes. Now, I've never seen that. It went well with the dish. Nice. We were welcomed warmly by the staff. He had a knack of making you feel comfortable right away. The place had an intimate feel. It had an elegant bar. I overheard that they just opened 3 months ago. read more

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My friend and I made reservations for dinner on a weeknight. We were promptly seated and the staff was great - very attentive. We ordered the hijiki salad and tofu as appetizers. The tofu was so refreshing - I love the broth. We shared the curry and sando. Both great - meat very tender and juicy. Would be back! read more

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Hello hello! AllFunNewYork here from instagram! We visited this new Japanese restaurant in New York City. @thekeinyc has some amazing food! Including a delicious vegan Ramen option! Also, Make sure to grab some cocktails they were really good! Like their KEI Pop (Whiskey) - $18 and their Guava on Cloud (Gin) - $19. But most importantly get the Vegan Matcha Cheesecake - $10 it is to dieeee for!!! Incredible!! Yummmm! The service was super good and everyone was so welcoming! And the vibes were so good! Relax but fancy at the same time! Perfect for date night. Def recommend! What we ate: Chicken Karaage (GF) - $13 Tuna-Creamy - $10 Salmon-Yuzu(GF) - $8 YAKITORI: Set A - $17 teba (wing) & momo (thigh and skin) Vegan Kakuni Chashu (V) - $20 read more

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Unfortunate experience ordering from KEI. What I received did not match the description online. Described as "Chicken curry served over steamed rice, featuring tender chicken pieces simmered in japanese curry sauce with vegetables like carrots and potatoes". What I received instead was 4 pieces of FRIED chicken (karaage), curry sauce in a separate container (chicken obviously not "simmered" in the sauce, and no vegetables, just some onions), and rice. This is misleading and disappointing. read more

The staff was really friendly but didn't know the menu well. We asked a couple of ingredient questions about the vegan ramen that they were unable to answer. The food was fine, came out quickly, but a little bland/1 note. read more

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Check out KEI, a modern Japanese dining bar located in the heart of Chelsea, and indulge in authentic Izakaya and Yakitori delights! Sip on delicious cocktails and catch up with friends while you feel the harmony and warmth in every dish. Some of our favorites at KEI include the Agedashi Tofu, Chicken Karaage, Pork Katsu Sando, and Unagi Bowl. The Pork Katsu Sando is made with shokupan, a Japanese style milk bread, that will keep you wanting more, and the Unagi is perfectly grilled with a hint of sweetness in every bite. Perfect to warm up in this winter weather! Exceptional service, delicious food, and wonderful ambiance. read more

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A great little Japanese place with a good selection of izakaya food, drinks, and solid vibes. Food was super tasty and accomplished my goal of pretending I was back in Japan eating a katsu sando read more

KEI - Chicken Karaage - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Beautiful restaurant, from both the perspective of the building itself and the presentation of the good. Went as a party of 5 on a Saturday evening and were seated quickly. Host and server were both friendly and prompt to take our drink / food orders. Food was delicious, nothing that I would change. First time in NYC and this is somewhere I would definitely go again. read more

the wait staff was atrocious. First of all, this is a THAI-run establishment. There are NO JAPANESE..all the way down to the chef.Read their"story" on the website..there is NO japanese culinary expertise discernable from what they WRITE, let alone , what they serve.Each small tumbler/glass of beer was $10 ! At momofuku, it's $4 for an entire can. . The waitresses, waiters and bartender were yelling to each other, having a grand old time cursing out some poor customer..and they didn't stop the entire time we were there... I can speak thai, so I KNOW WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. The food is CHEAPLY made. The Gyoza is not even in the shape of a dumpling. The broth for the chicken ramen was weak, and for the pork ramen, was too milky. The actual ramen noodles were of the wrong consistency , and were not fresh-made, something i would expect at these prices.I hate it when one culture tries to co-opt another, thinking they can fool the unsuspecting customer. They obviously paid some instagram influencer to plug the restaurant.(instagram recommendations are pure BS anyway).Our bill came out to $160. You decide. read more

The place was aesthetic the salad was too salty. The service was unattentive. The salmon sushi was tastey. I wouldn't come back nor recommend this place. read more

Amazing menu. Well done across the board. Hand rolls are superb. Will be back! Service was top notch.

This has been our go-to spot for izakaya Japanese food for the past year in Chelsea. We live around the corner, and eat here almost once a week. We love introducing friends to this "hidden gem". The ambience is beautiful and classy, but relaxed. The service is amazing, we have loved getting to know each of servers. The food is really high quality, with fresh ingredients and carefully thought out flavors and beautiful presentation (the plates look handmade/designed and compliment the food perfectly). There are so many types of dishes, it keeps the food interesting each time. I like kushi katsu (cross between katsu and yakitori), sashimi carpaccio, curry, sushi rolls and ramen. We usually eat tapas-style and have small bites of a variety of food. The banana crème brûlée is a perfect way to end the meal! read more

Food was executed well. Sashimi was fresh. Pork katsu was freshly fried. Appetizers were well-prepared, especially the savory blistered shishito peppers. Noise level was a bit high but I would come here again! read more

It was a very comfortable and pleasant space to hang out with a group, but the tonkatsu ramen was average and the prices are very high for the quality. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

Pork cutlet dish was good. Tonkotsu and Chicken ramen were both average. The kitchen and service is very slow. Waited about 20 minutes for appetizer and then another 30+ minutes for the ramen to be served. read more

The service was great The food was even better We have a new star in the Chelsea food scene read more

Weird vibes, food came out at separate times so one person was left without food for over twenty minutes, and we didn't get an appetizer we ordered. The food tasted good but the service left us disappointed. Tips prompt for 20% minimum. read more

The Smokey manhattan was spot on. Better than wha it had at a fancy place in Boston. My Ramon had the right amount of creaminess and full of flavor without being salty. I loved the banana crème brû·lée - fresh light so yummy. I could have two more rounds of it. read more

The food was fresh and home styled as a Izakaya. The staff were attentive and quick with their service. And the atmosphere was nice a relaxed even during the dinner rush. Dishes were order were Crab Croquettes, Philadelphia and salmon avocado roles. For our main course we ordered Pork Curry and Vegan Spicy Miso Ramen everything was out of this world! read more

Good food and vibes! I got the pork sando, we tried a few apps and everything was very yummy including the drinks. read more

KEI - Guava cloud - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Come here for expensive & underflavored food! Shockingly consistent mediocrity across several dishes (pork gyoza, tonkatsu, even miso soup)

Amazing food, drinks, and service. Beautiful speak easy. Can't recommend it enough!

Really nice people working there/great service. Ordered the salmon yuzu handroll, roe udon, tonkatsu, unagi rice bowl, and the two desserts. All were excellent. I especially thought the unagi was cooked well and the rice was perfect. Nice music, not too loud. Nice restrooms and there either is or is going to be a little speakeasy portion in the back. read more

Amazing ramen and cocktails! They use a special method for cooking pork in the ramen and you can really taste the difference. Can't wait to come back! read more

Had a great night at KEI. The cocktails were really well done -- the popcorn one especially was surprisingly good and ended up being a favorite. The crab croquettes were another highlight, and the pork katsu sando was right up there too. I didn't get to try the ramen this time, but I'll definitely be back for it. The staff were friendly, attentive, and had some great recommendations without overdoing it. Overall, a fun and relaxed spot with solid food and drinks. read more

This place seems to be a hidden gem! We sat in the speakeasy area, which has a very cool and laidback vibe. I got the strawberry shiso cocktail and absolutely loved it--the perfect fruity drink, not too sweet, with a hint of shiso. The Hijiki salad was delicious (I want to recreate that simple but lovely dressing!). We tried all the donburi (salmon, tuna, and hamachi), and the hamachi ended up being our favorite, but they were all yummy! The servers were all super sweet and efficient. Loved it here and will definitely be coming back! read more

KEI - Salmon donburi - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Wow! I am so glad to find this restaurant. Wonderful food and staff. I want to come back as many times as I can and try different menus.