Incredible food, amazing drink selection, beautiful landmark place. Kenka might be my favorite restaurant in the whole world. read more

This late-night spot in St. Marks brings you straight to Japan with it's casual, wooden interior and great prices. Portions are a bit small but essentially everything is less than $10. And, on their non-late-night menu, their beer is only $1.50! Service is pretty good. We got a variety of small bites from their sashimi to their soba to their udon. Everything was pretty solid--you can't complain much when it's ~$8 for each dish. Overall, good, fun, and casual spot to enjoy drinks and food with friends! read more

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Food: 3/5 | Ambiance: 4/5 | Service: 1/5 Unfortunately, the service really ruined the experience for me. Food was coming out very slowly, we had to call the waiter over multiple times, and they rarely checked on our table. When we tried to order, there was also an attitude that made it feel like they were bothered by us or as if we were inconveniencing them. It honestly came across like they were too good to be bothered with us, which was really off-putting. The food itself was decent. I had the grilled mackerel, which had good flavor, but the texture was pretty slimy and not something I enjoyed. I think it would have been better if they had left it on the grill a little longer. We also ordered edamame twice, and somehow it never made it to our table, which was pretty crazy. The yakitori was probably the best thing we ordered and was definitely the highlight of the meal. The ambiance is actually really cool and has a fun, unique vibe, so I can appreciate that aspect of the restaurant. Unfortunately, the poor service and especially the attitude of the staff overshadowed the positives for me. I expected a little more attentiveness and courtesy, especially given the restaurant's Japanese influence, but unfortunately that wasn't my experience at all. The staff just seemed like they didn't really care about providing good service. Because of that, I have to give Kenka 2 stars. read more

This is a really small spot that's pretty popular. Food is great and affordable. My husband loves this spot and has been coming here for almost 25 years. We have been coming here together almost 17 years. The staff here are always nice and friendly. Food is great and fresh. Everything is affordable. The only thing i would suggest is to remodel the place a bit, otherwise, no complaints. read more

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They have really great prices for food and drinks. The service is good. The food was hot and fresh. I definitely recommend checking them out if you can at the end of the meal they give you cotton candy sugar to make in the machine. The oven was really flavorful and yummy. read more

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I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a place to enjoy drinks and grab affordable food! Everything on the menu is super affordable and definitely enough to be filling! This place is very popular and known as a bar spot in east village. I only tried this Japanese apple cider beer and it was super good as well! The only downside is that it's super busy and packed and it gets a bit overwhelming since the space is pretty cramped. read more

Kenka - Tanin Don, Gyu Don, Apple Cider Beer - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This has been my go to place for some great authentic Japanese food for over 20 years. I came here with my wife on a Sunday after 5pm because that's when they open everyday and the place already had quite a few people but we were seated immediately. This place has such an authentic Japanese vibe with paintings and posters on the walls. You can see the chefs cooking in the kitchen which I always felt was a cool thing to see. I ordered what I usually get which is Onigiri(Japanese rice balls) and gyu don(beef and rice bowl with pickled ginger). My wife ordered the gyu don which is her favorite after I introduced it to her and pork pan seared gyoza. The service was great and quick. When I tell you we ordered the food and within 5 minutes we had our appetizers and 5 minutes later we had our gyu don. Super fast service. Food didn't disappoint as per usual to me. Also it is a very affordable place. The bill came out to roughly $60 for the 2 of us which is a steal. Love this place and will always come back here. read more

Kenka - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I hate to give this a one star rating after my friends shared great experiences in the past about it, but their service absolutely sucked. First, we heard the receptionist say "idiots", cause we were waiting for her to fix the tables and standing around figuring out where we were gonna sit, mind you, we didn't do anything rude so there was no reason to say that. Then when we ordered drinks, my friend genuinely asked why the whiskey highball (which is seltzer and whiskey mixed) and the whiskey shot are the same price ($8), and the waiter gave a blank confused look and said "just order one of them", he was completely confused on every question we asked about the menu. Then of course to make matters worse, they forgot my order and the waiter never passed by after waiting 20 minutes. When the waiter finally passed by, I see him speaking cheerfully and explaining stuff about the menu to the party at the table next to us. After he took their order, I asked him that they forgot the suntori highball I ordered. After a while, instead of rectifying it by bringing my drink, the waiter brought the next table's drinks and took their food order, THEN finally after a bit, they finally brought mine. Maybe this place would be better at a different time, but then again, no place should be providing this kind of service to anyone. read more

If the rating was solely based on fun I'd give it 5 stars for the vibes and $8 pitchers!!!! Such a cool spot to hang out and chat and drink while feeling like you're at a lil restaurant in Tokyo. If you're really hungry I'd suggest eating beforehand as all our food came cold and a significant while after ordering. Some didn't come at all :( they also don't have ponzu so don't expect to dip your yakitori in it. The servers are nice but also in no hurry so just get ya pitchers and carry on with your conversation, cause you're gonna be there awhile. The cotton candy at the end is also so cool. Would recommend everyone to come here at least once just for the experience :) read more

Kenka - Yakitori Combination - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This is the perfect place to bring tourists and out-of-towners. It's such a fun lively environment right under st marks. Definitely get the shu mai and a pitcher of Sapporo, definitely don't get the salmon sashimi. Good for a late night bite. read more

Kenka - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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A pitcher of Sapporo for $8?? In Manhattan?? I genuinely thought it was a typo until it showed up at the table, cold, foamy, and glorious. I've paid more for a sad pour of beer at a concert, and this place out here serving entire pitchers like it's still 2010. The food is pretty good. Surprisingly flavorful, ridiculously affordable, and way better than it needs to be at this price point. We got a bunch of small plates and left full and happy. The vibe is chaotic. It's loud, it's cramped, and it's absolutely perfect for messy, cheap nights with friends. If you know, you know. And now you know. Bonus: you get cotton candy after your meal, which you can make outside! read more

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It was a 20 minute wait for 2 people on president's day weekend Sunday. It was my first time here, though I've been wanting to go because it was advertised as a cheap restaurant for drinks and food. The prices did not disappoint. Draft Japanese beers for $1.50, pitchers for $8, foods generally below $15. This place has some caveats that I was not made aware of until the time of: there is a 90 min time limit and they will bring you the check once the limit is up, limit of 2 $1.50 draft beers for each person (during the 90 mins), absolutely no seating until everyone in the party is present, no additions of people after being seated. That being said the food was surprisingly good for the price, but don't expect high-end restaurant grade food. I would definitely come again, highly recommended for cheap eats and drinks. The host that received us, Hiro, was very friendly. read more

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Came here for dinner last night with friends. There is a waiting list outside, the wait wasn't too bad. It was very busy, food did come out quick. Food and service were ok. I don't think there was a stand out dish for me, the yakitori combination plate was dry and tasteless, the squid was very rubbery, the onigiri didn't have a lot of salmon inside, the croquettes were average. Place is definitely affordable for big groups. Interesting decor. Don't think I'll be back. read more

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I wanted to try this place so bad when I came to visit and I'm glad I did. Feels like a classic after-work spot in Japan with impeccable decor and ambiance and classic Japanese dishes that are hard to find such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki. With $1.50 draft Sapporos, I could see myself getting absolutely messy and belligerent here. The house cocktails were also great and priced well. I love a restaurant with a lot of small bites because I get to try as much as I can. The funniest part of the whole experience was our host who gave us so much attitude and was not nice at all but I kinda loved it. It added to the chaotic energy. read more

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Good drinking place! Great ambiance. Cool decoration. Lively atmosphere. Not for a full meal. read more

Kenka - squid legs - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Cool Japan-centric theme with a weird dominatrix doll in a display area, and walls with weird decor, and crazy vintage Asian music and art and more at this izakaya spot, lots of small dishes to share and try - menu has a lot of pictures and items, and they're a bit old and falling apart. Stairs down - not sure this is handicap friendly at all. Tiny low ceiling, low light. Line can take a while with bigger parties - for 2, it was quick. Liked the miso ramen but it was salty. The pan-fried pork with kimchi was just right, not spicy. They were out of the whole squid; squid legs were a bit tasteless and rubbery as food goes. Tako wasabi was excellent, good size. Took forever and a day to get the agedashi tofu (came after our bill, actually). Cheap beer ($1.50!) and the sashimi Moriawase Deluxe was a nice sashimi and salad plate. Little cup of sugar for you to go out to the front and make a small cotton candy for yourself afterwards, too. Service - like I said, delayed dishes, hard to find someone to order from and the guy was better than the girl who was just not happy at being there, I think... but food was a fun mix of Japanese small bites. Will have to try the fried chicken and gyoza here next time. Food - great bites here and there. Service - meh. Cost - very reasonable. I'll be back! read more

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Food - 3.5 Service - 3.0 Ambiance - 4.0 Great value for price. Emulates an authentic Japanese izakaya experience. Lots of inexpensive menu items. I would recommend getting the pitcher if you were to come here as it's only $8.50. For food, I noticed their stir fry items had the most flavor and were the best dishes that we got. The service is good with drinks, but the food comes out painfully slow. Overall, it's a great experience and an amazing place to bring friends for affordable bites and drinks. I would definitely recommend coming here mainly for the drinks and environment not the food, so don't come here on an empty stomach. read more

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THIS WAITRESS NEEDS TO BE FIRED!! I've been coming to this restaurant for nearly 20 years, ever since I was a little kid with my parents, and I have never been treated this badly. From the moment this waitress approached our table, she had an attitude. She was giving us dirty looks before we had even ordered. We had barely sat down when she immediately tried to take our order. We politely asked for a few more minutes, and only about five minutes later she came back and rushed us again. When we finally ordered, we told her we wanted to cancel one dish because it was going to be too much food. We actually told her twice that we wanted to cancel it, and she clearly acknowledged and understood us both times. Despite that, the dish still came out later anyway. It was just another example of how careless and inattentive she was throughout the entire meal. About 15-20 minutes after we were seated, she came back and falsely claimed that the kitchen was about to close and that we needed to place our "last order." This wasn't true. At that point, we had literally only been served two small appetizers (edamame and taco wasabi). We had barely started eating, yet she was already telling us it was "last call" and trying to rush us into ordering more food. We had only been there around 30-40 minutes, and the restaurant has a 90-minute dining limit, so there was absolutely no reason to rush us. Then, while we were still eating and had just received several dishes, she brought us the check as if she was trying to force us to leave. Meanwhile, the table behind us had been there much longer and actually had to ask multiple times just to get their check. When I looked at the bill, I immediately noticed something was wrong. The total came to about $170, which didn't make sense based on everything we had ordered. I then realized SHE AUTOMATICALLY ADDED 20% GRATUITY TO A PARTY OF THREE!!! I spoke to another employee, who was surprised because gratuity is NOT automatically added for parties under six people. They removed the gratuity, and our total immediately dropped to around $140, which was exactly what I expected it to be. That alone was completely unacceptable. Her service throughout the meal was terrible. She tossed dishes onto the table instead of serving them properly, handed food that I ordered to my friends instead of me, ignored our repeated request to cancel a dish, constantly rushed us, lied about the kitchen closing, and brought the check while we were still actively eating. At that point, I had completely lost trust in her. I had originally planned to pay by card, but after everything that had happened, I genuinely didn't feel comfortable doing that. I actually took a picture of the receipt before paying because I was worried something else could go wrong, and I ended up paying in cash instead. You know the service is bad when you feel like you have to document your own receipt just to protect yourself. Because of her behavior, I paid the exact amount of the bill in cash. I gave the tip that would have gone to her to another employee who was helping us and repeatedly apologized for her behavior. The waitress then had the AUDACITY TO CONFRONT ME and ask why I didn't tip her. I told her directly that her service was unacceptable and that I wasn't going to reward terrible service. SHE CURSED AT ME UNDER MY BREATH IN FRONT OF MY FRIENDS!!! they were shocked A tip is based on service. If you treat your customers with disrespect, rush them through their meal, lie to them, ignore requests, and try to charge them an automatic 20% gratuity that you absolutely did not earn, you should not expect a tip. I will be posting a photo of the waitress and the receipt showing that the automatic gratuity was removed because I want people to see that this actually happened. The fact that I felt I had to take a picture of my receipt just to protect myself from possibly being overcharged says everything about this experience. I have never felt the need to do that at any restaurant, especially one I've been coming to for nearly 20 years. It genuinely saddens me to see how much the service has declined over the years. This isn't the first rude employee I've encountered here, but this was by far the worst dining experience I've ever had at a restaurant I've loved for two decades. Management seriously needs to address this employee's behavior before she drives away more longtime customers. Absolutely disgusting behavior. read more

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There's no way you're gonna look at this platter and tell me that my meal at Kenka was in anyway forgettable - this little basement restaurant had a line wrapped around the corner for good reason. the prices are unheard of especially for a spot on St Mark's place. we had a table of four and got a pitcher of beer and multiple things to eat each and it was an $80 bill. even as a non beer drinker I have to shout out a $8 pitcher of Sapporo - there are so many yakitori options so anyone in their right mind would get the $25 sampler platter. it came with four different types of meat: succulent herby bbq chicken, the softest melt in your mouth meatballs, salty chewy pork, and....nasty flavorless hard squid. three out of four seems like a pretty good win considering the chicken is a double portion. - the menu is massive with photos for every item in a collage sort of format. it's hard to tell what you're getting but you get the idea you can't really go wrong. we got the katsu over rice and the chicken was light and crispy sitting on a bed of moist rice with a light salty sweet sauce. - the Katsu curry was a solid portion for 10 bucks with the same crispy light chicken in a rich curry sauce! def recommend - they have $6-8 sushimi that despite the price isn't sus at all. we split items so couldn't try the ramen options but saw all the steaming fat bowls of noodles heading to every other table - the whole restaurant is filled with bizarre art of anime and nude photos. the tables are all tiny and go up to about your knee. you feel like you're sitting in a doll set. this is such a unique experience and a great place to take out of towners to show them New York's true personality. at the end of your meal, you get little pots of sugar to go make your own cotton candy in their machine outside! read more

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WOW! It's mandatory for me to visit Kenka with friends everytime I'm in the city. $1.50 draft beers, $8.50 pitchers a lively ambiance of younger crowd to start the night! A very extensive menu so there's something for everyone to enjoy with dishes being under $12 mostly. Right when you step in, it feels like you're taken back to Japan, friendly fast service as well. If you do mind a wait go right when they open at 5 pm and add your name on the list! I've never waited more than 20 minutes during the first hour of opening. read more

Kenka - Free cotton candy given after meal. Storefront as well can be hard to miss - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

TL;DR Go for the izakaya ambiance. Prices are low, but quality isn't high. Order up and share plates/drinks. Kenka, located in NYC's East Village, is a pub serving both traditional and modern Japanese cuisine. While walking through St. Mark's Place, the crowd of people gathered at the entrance caught our eyes. We decided to give it a try! There's a clipboard at the front for you to write your name down on the waitlist. Weekends are PACKED, so be prepared. The first notable thing I have to say about this place is that the decor and ambiance are spot on. The entire restaurant is decorated head to toe in Japanese memorabilia. You will really feel like you were transported to an izakaya in Japan. It's loud, a bit rowdy, and very dark in there. Actually, a bit too dark because we were struggling to read the menu. It was also FREEEEEZING COLD... I don't know why they didn't have their heaters blasting on a 15 degree day. Wild. Anyway... we squinted our eyes in the dark as hard as we could to look through the menu. There's a large variety of dishes to choose from, ranging from street-style food to sushi to noodles to grilled meats to seafood to desserts and so on. They also have a full drinks menu with sake, beer, wine, ramune, and milk teas, so you can drink your heart away. Prices are SURPRISINGLY CHEAP! You can definitely order and share a bunch of items tapas style. We ordered: *Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) with curry and rice $9.50 - I was disappointed in this. The breading wasn't crispy or flaky enough and the pork wasn't that tender. I've had much better. The curry was good though; it had the right amount of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. *Yakisoba (stir-fried noodles with pork, squid, vegetables) $8.50 - Skimpy portions of meat and too many vegetables for my liking. They chopped up the squid in pieces that were so small... The noodles were decent, but nothing to rave about. *Miso Ramen $9 - My +1 liked this and finished the whole bowl. *(2) Sake (Japanese rice wine) $9 each - We both got the Junmai sake. This was actually the highlight of the meal! It was strong and refreshing, but went down smoothly with a dry finish. Overall, the food was average and was just enough to fill our bellies when we were starving. The cheap prices made up for it. Service could have been improved. It took awhile for someone to come over to our table once we sat down. Our server didn't introduce himself and wasn't very attentive throughout the dinner. After we placed our initial order, we didn't see him until it was time for the check. I understand that they're super busy, but that doesn't excuse lackluster or poor service. When we got the check, we were also given small cups of these pink powder mixes. We had NO IDEA what this was... we even googled it lol. We wanted to wait and ask our server, but didn't want to be stuck waiting there in the cold restaurant any longer. It wasn't until I did my research later on... The pink powder they give you is a COTTON CANDY MIX! They have a machine at the front of the restaurant where you can make your own for free. That's such a cute idea and a sweet way to end a meal. I wish they would have just told us because we would never have figured it out. Oh well. read more

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This place is oozing with vibes. Maybe not the vibes that you like, but vibes regardless. They certainly give off a gritty and rebellious aesthetic: writing in the bathroom, NSFW mags on the walls, a BDSM display on the side of the restaurant. It really brings the izakaya experience together. I got in at 5 on the dot since I knew that this place was going to have a pretty solid wait. The restaurant was quite packed even upon opening. There is a huge selection of items. The menu is very much clutter-core. Options are inexpensive as well so you can order a lot to share with the table. There is $8.50 ramen! The quality isn't incredible, but I think you're getting what you're paying for (still delicious, don't worry). And I'm sure you're not caring about the quality too much when you're getting drinks as well. We got sake and it came in an enormous bottle! I thought the service was fast and efficient, and they kept the good times coming with more drinks for our large table. Also, they gave pink sugar at the end of our meal that is used for the cotton candy machine outside! What a cool way to end the experience. It's hard to say what would ever make this place 5 stars. But I know they give a unique feel that isn't captured by many restaurants. read more

The food is good and the prices are very affordable but my husband received his food AFTER I had finished mine. It gets very busy

I have been coming here for at least 10 years, you'll never have 5 star service here but you will always leave with a smile on your face after having a great time. Be prepared to wait, people start lining up for 30 mins before opening most days. First come, first serve and most people that come, come in big groups. Drinks are cheap, their house cold sake is pretty good. The beer flights are such a steal! For food, anything fried will be great, we always love to try something new, everyone orders one thing and we all share. Plates range from $5-$12 for most. I don't know if their kimchi is house made but I will go through at least 2 bowls myself. For ambiance, the decor looks like someone had an acid infused dream about Asia and decorated it as such. Do not bring your grandmother, she will be in shock read more

Kenka - Gyoza & Kimchee - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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As someone who lives in SoCal, I don't know any other place that serves alcohol for $1.50 (and if you do, please let me know where)! Kenka is a pretty cool Japanese-themed izakaya/bar with an extensive menu and several alcohol options. The menu can be quite hard to read though, but it's part of the ~experience~. My friends and I came here on a Friday night and it was poppin with a line out the door. I'm assuming it's not as crowded during the week, but I can see why it can get busy on weekend nights when everyone is going out to drink. My group was on the smaller side (there were only 3 of us) so we got seated fairly quickly, before any of the larger parties in front of us were able to be seated. So if you're coming with a large group, I recommend coming earlier in the night or be prepared to wait a bit. They sell beer for $1.50, which is a crazy cheap price in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of beer though, so I got one of the soju cocktails, which range from $5-$6.50 (which is still a huge steal). I got it with the lychee soda base and it doesn't taste like there's alcohol in there at all, but a few sips got me buzzed very quickly. Perfect for a girl who likes to get drunk but hates the taste of alcohol. We were told some "requirement" about ordering but we couldn't quite understand since it was so loud, so maybe you have to order above a certain price point or order food? Either way, we got another lychee soda cocktail as well as fried squid. The squid was pretty good as it wasn't your typical fried calamari but more of a Japanese-style squid which I really like. I think their biggest selling point is how cheap the alcohol is here, so I would say come here for the drinks and order something small as a snack if you have to get food. read more

Kenka - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This is the closest you can feel to an izakaya in japan! Great food for a very affordable price in NYC! It's very loud but some can perceive that as a charm but the ambiance is very lively. Good for group settings and relatively fast service! read more

I really wanted to like this place but the service was unforgivable. Me and my partner ordered at the same time. They brought my omurice, and they never brought her order. We waited like 40 minutes before we we asked. "It must have gotten lost" is what they said. Really? We waited like another 20 before we both finally had our food on the table. The omurice isn't even real omurice by the way. They simply put egg over rice. Not what the dish calls for. Also we asked for a compensatory beer pitcher for the egregious experience we been having and i'm pretty sure we got charged for that in the end too. Goodbye. read more

Kenka - Omurice. Hardly authentic - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Fun, funky, and eclectic spot to experience. The best word for this place is maximalist. The menu can be overwhelming. I was not impressed with the sashimi but the okonomkyaki was good. Service was fine, they got the job done. They also offer sugar to make your own cotton candy at the end of your meal. It was definitely an NYC experience. read more

Amazing food at amazing low prices for Manhattan NYC. Having lived in Japan and traveling there yearly for the last 15 years this is the most traditional izakaya experience one can have in the US. The lines waiting to get in the place speak to all of these. Hope to be back soon! read more

This is a cute funky Japanese restaurant in the heart of the east village in nyc. The fish was incredibly fresh melted in mouth so delicious. My hubby said the sea food noodle soup was fabulous season perfectly. Btw the price was right a bill was a bit under 100 bucks for the below dishes plus warm tea. read more

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I think the vast majority of people who go here and leave bad reviews for the food don't know what to order. If you ever go to Kenka,,, get the cheap and delicious Japanese beer and the stuff I ordered in the receipt I attached in photos. It all comes hot, insanely delicious, and filling. My favorite is the Buta Kimchee and Yaki Udon. For 3 people--38.65 is nuts. Service is mid. They're definitely trying to rush you out and the food is sometimes really slow to come. BUTTTTT they get the job done and that's all I can really ask for. It's still a really good time. The decor and chaos of the place does make up for it. read more

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It's so difficult to find Japanese food for a good price in Manhattan, so Kenka is very special for that. Their menu has so many options, and everything is quite cheap. I had a katsu curry, and it was a huge plate, with delicious crispy katsu and a heaping side of rice. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is pretty rowdy, and there is usually a line during busy hours. The staff are extremely friendly. After you eat, they give you some sugar so you can make cotton candy yourself at the machine right outside the restaurant. I definitely recommend! read more

Kenka - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great place with the real izakaya spirit with several options for an affordable price. The portions are not huge which will allow you to taste several meals. We shared the kaarage, oyakodon, saba and croquettes. Everything was delicious We had a great time ! Ideal to go out with friends for drinks read more

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Went to catch up with friends and had a great time. An izakaya vibe, a little loud but it was expected with how large the space is. My focus will be on the food, though I have to say the decor gave raunchy 70s Japan, so think twice before bringing your mother. The food was mostly good but I have to address the burnt squid. Because the environment is fast pace expect things to be a little on the greasier side. The soup dishes were amazing especially on a cold day. I recommend all the rice dishes, takoyaki and gyoza as well. The warm sake was pleasantly nice, again for a cold day. At the end you get to make your own cotton candy, which was pretty cool. Beware of empty cups in the machine though. Probably should be cleaned out more often. read more

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My friend brought me here and it quite crazy the amount of times I've walked by this spot. All you need to some dirt cheap draft beer and that's what keeps bringing me here with other group of friends. Can't beat $1.50! The food are also pretty affordable as well, although I haven't ordered any food here. Great for college students, which attracts hoards of them anyway to St. Marks Place. Service is okay. Expect to put in effort in waving down a waitress to place your order or to get your check and pay. read more

I had to come here because I saw the menu, and it was designed similar to the menu of an izakaya I went to in Japan. The vibes were similar too. Fried Rice: I'm not a big seafood person (outside of fish and shrimp), but this was really good. The flavor is unique and addictive. Karaage: Very solid and good karaage. Tonkatsu: The crisp is real! However, I likely wouldn't order this again, since the meat was too hard for my liking. Calpico Sour: I couldn't find this on the menu, but they were able to make this for me. This is shochu and the Calpico soft drink. It's my favorite cocktail, and I can't ever find it at bars in the US. The alcohol in this was a bit too strong for my taste, but it was really close to the way I like it. (The service is amazing -- the staff is attentive and helpful.) If I go back, I would consider ordering this again. Yakitori: I would personally skip. It wasn't marinated enough or didn't have enough flavor. Cotton Candy: You get the sugar to make your own cotton candy at the end of the meal, which is a cool experience! I wish I had room for more, but I guess I have to return to try everything else. read more

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Came here with a group of 4. Walked in around 530pm on a weekday and didn't have to wait for a table. Chairs are kinda small and uncomfortable. Ambiance is somewhat dark. Menus smelled funny. Food was ok. We ordered a bunch of things to share. The only things that really stood out to me was the fried squid legs and buttered mushrooms. The takoyaki was decent as well. I didn't like the combination yakitori plate. The sticks were just average tasting and I didn't really like it. We ordered the seafood nabe. It was quite big and just right for 4 ppl but taste was kinda bland. Overall, it's good for cheap beer but food is just mid. read more

Kenka - Combo yakitori - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Came on a thrusday night around 5pm. It wasn't busy at the time, but as we were there there were more people coming in. Eventually when we left, there was a short wait. Decorations are interesting. Definitely not your typical izakaya. The okonomiyaki was soggy. The flavors were there, but it didn't have the nice pan fried crust on the outside. Everything fell apart too. The meat could've been more distributed as well. However this was the better food option. Yakitori combination platter either lacked flavor or tasted strange. The meatballs threw me off. Not sure what they were seasoned with. The chicken skewers could've used more salt. Squid was super chewy. Katsu skewers also could've used more seasoning as well. Kenka is good if you want a cheap eat and low cost alcohol. A pint of Sapporo or Kirin was only $1.50 each, and they have a good variety of other low cost alcohol options. However, there's more to be desired in regards to food. read more

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The bar is very lively at night! It is a great place to bring a group of people to drink and have cheap eats. The service is fast. The menu is extensive which is nice for people to get different items. My party got the skewers platter which was really good. I liked the chicken skewer the best but the meatball ones were also a hit. The fries were nothing special but are good to munch on. I would come back if I want a lively place to eat and drink! read more

Kenka - Skewers - Sushi Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I'm really sorry to say this but I'm so disappointed by Kenka. Every time I walk by, there's always a huge line out the door so I knew that I had to try it out. We came at around 5:45 and were easily able to grab a table for 4 which was great. The inside decoration is actually insane - it's like the peak of a specific sub-culture in Japan all crammed into one place. Honestly I would recommend going just to be in the vibes. However, the food was very mediocre to say the least. - Okonomiyaki - I think this was also one of the better things to order as I did appreciate the thick cut pancake filled with lettuce. - Chawanmushi - I think this was the biggest disappointment of the night. It tasted like the egg was steamed in water and the mushrooms were just chopped in there with no flavor. - Green Apple Soda - The soda was interesting and definitely very alcoholic and artificially-flavored. - Tantan Ramen - This ramen tasted a bit like it came out from the frozen food aisle but I will say that unfortunately this was one of the better things of the night. The quantity was quite big compared to the other dishes we recieved. - Gyoza - The gyozas here felt like they got some frozen dumplings with very thick dough and pan-fried them. It didn't feel like anything special. - Yakitori - We got the huge plate of yakitori and honestly none of them were good. They were all a bit cold with no flavor. We also ordered a lot more but unfortunately I cannot remember them anymore. Go for the vibes and not the food. Honestly one visit is enough. read more