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I had a wonderful time. My kitty of 15 years recently crossed the rainbow bridge, and since I was in New York, I needed some "cat therapy". It's $30 to spend an hour with the cats (a little bit less on Wednesdays,) and they take reservations. Be advised that if you cancel your reservation less than 48 hours in advance, you do not get a refund. I showed up as a walk-in on a Friday just before noon, and they were able to take me in. However, there are no guarantees, but you could always call in advance. There are three areas to interact with the cats, an upstairs, a downstairs, and also an outdoor " catio." The day I was there, the. Catio was closed because of the weather, but I still had plenty of great interaction time with the other two rooms. The cats come and go as they please, and they also have their own separate area from where you interact with them, so there's no guarantee on how many cats you will have to interact with. The day I was there, there was not a large number of cats, but there was enough that I had some good times. They do not let you pick up the cats, but if the cat wants to jump up on you, that's more than fine. They provide toys to play with the cats, and in addition, I also downloaded a "cat toy" on my iPhone, that had things such as mice, and fish going across the screen. A few of the cats, found it fascinating, and we had a great time. The cats here are older kittys, so you may not get the energy of a kitten, but you will still have a wonderful time interacting with them. They all come from a local rescue, and they are all available for adoption. I had a wonderful time, and would gladly come back the next time I'm in town. Thank you.
LOVED it!!! Kitty heaven in downtown manhattan. They also have a cute cafe-Loved their pasteries and watermelon juice! They have different combos we took their happy hour. Which is perfect time(7-8pm) Because its close to Kitty meal time and they are most active in that hour lol. Their staff is super friendly! Kitties are cute and give very NYC vibe haha- Witnessed some really cute moments. Best for weekday dates.
For anyone who is earning to pet some cute kittens, definitely check out Koneko and be wowed. To visit, you just make a reservation before hand, and it normally last for 1 hour. There is an outer cafe section, which is just like any coffee shop with a variety of drink options, but only cuter. The inner section is separated for kitten petting sessions only. When you come in to the inner session, someone will help you to hang you coat, and store your shoes and bags. They also ask you to sanitize your hands. Inside, there are two floors, each have multiple cat beds or small shelters, with a few kittens rest and play. You are not allowed to pick them up, but can pet them gently and play with them. They are have quite different personalities!
Really great place. Cleanly, organized, and staff were very nice! Had a pretty decent selection of drinks to choose from and they bring your drinks to you once you're inside the area with the cats. All of the cats were so cute, highly recommend coming here if you're looking for something fun to do or just love cats like me
Wonderful wonderful wonderful. This is a Japanese-inspired cafe in the front with the cattery in the back. We made a reservation for the cattery at 11am and arrived a bit early to have breakfast. The cafe has super cute cat decor and a mix of Western pastries and Japanese snacks. We ordered Belgian waffles with fruit, a few pastries, and gyoza, as well as pretty typical coffees and teas. Everything was tasty. For the cattery, you swap your shoes for their slippers and leave your belongings by the entrance, but you can take your drinks in. There's an upper level and a lower level, as well as an outdoor catio. The cats were sooooo lovely. The attendant told us their names and answered our questions about the types of cats they were. One cat planted itself under my butt. Sweetheart. We're not local, but we keep up with the cats on Koneko's Instagram page. :')
Koneko was my first cat cafe experience in NY. My friend and I were able to snatch a last minute reservation for the HH experience. Clean and pleasant cafe with nice staff. For the price of $30, I was hoping for a bigger pour of prosecco. It was the tiniest plastic cup ever and no refill! As for the cats, they were adorbs! Majority of the older cats were just resting and sleeping but the kittens were so energetic and playful. I was trying to convince my friend to adopt one.
My friend and I wanted to see the cats so we booked the Kitty Brunch and arrived at 12 noon. The cats are all adorable and very personable and the woman overseeing us was very informative on the history of the cafe and the process of the cats finding homes. The chai tea and pork belly okonomiyaki were both delicious and a yummy end to our session. Whenever I am back in NYC I will come back and say hi to the kitties!
I always wanted to go to a cat café, so I was super excited when my friend and I booked a session to come to Koneko. I love cats but don't own any pets, so I was looking forward to being able to relax and pet some kitties. We opted for the happy hour experience, which includes a drink. The cats were adorable, but most of them were sleepy and not in the mood to play. When the cat room is fully booked (which I assume it was when we were there), it can be hard to find a comfortable seat or a cat to give your attention to. The cat room is two floors, neither of which are particularly cozy, to be frank. Coming here did scratch a particular itch to go to a cat café. I can't say I'll ever come back to one.
Not in. the nicest neighborhood, but most cat cafes are on the outskirts--quiet cafes with teas and some food. The cats seemed to like the basement the most.
I love cats. I am a proud cat lady! Of course I have to visit a cat cafe in NYC after learning about it from my sister. So originally I thought this was a traditional cat cafe where you can dine & drink in the same room as the cats and play with them when appropriate. Your food purchase would count as your ticket to see the cat. This place functions a little different. The front of the store is the cafe which looks like a coffee shop and they have a good selection of food and drinks. At the back of the store, is a section of spaces reserved for the cats. To enter that area you would have to purchase entrance tickets ($20), with no requirements to buy food. One ticket grants you 1 hr of cat playtime. It made me happy seeing how comfortable and nicely taken care of these cats are! They take naps with their belly exposed. This place provides enough space for cats to freely roam around - 2 indoor spaces and 1 outdoor spaces. (And I think there are separate sections for the litter boxes that's not visible to public) Some cats might be more sensitive than the others so pick your choices carefully when approaching to pet them. I had a lot of fun visiting the cats although most of them aren't very interactive! I still highly recommend for a therapeutic cat session.
This is a nice cat Cafe a bit of a walk from Chinatown. The cat room at the back have three levels, with the middle level being an open air catio. Most of the kitties enjoy being pet and are very mellow, which makes me wonder if they only screen certain cats to be placed in the cafe. We came at 11am and all the cats are lounging around or sleeping and they seem comfortable with people and aren't afraid when people approach. It was a very relaxing experience and I hope that people who are thinking of adopting cats can come and experience what it is like to interact with them and maybe adopt a cat from the cafe.
ohh koneko i love u. i wish u sold more merch tho. i bought an iced latte. it was like $7.95 but was too milky. there was about 10 cats. mainly sleeping or hiding. 3 different rooms to go to. the price is $30 which seems higher than the last time i was here.
7 years ago
8 years ago
Sign says opens at 8 and I arrived at 9:15am and it's not opened. As I stand here and write my review, a dog on a leash passing by stuck its nose to the door seemingly interested so I guess there's some activity there! I will never know. read more
Clean and spacey environment! Staffs are friendly and informative. Cats are really calm and soooooo cute. You can adopt them if you'd like, one of the cats got adopted while i was there I wish they would allow fewer people to a certain time period. There were too many people and I got distracted time to time. But it was a pleasing experience overall. read more
7 years ago
Kitty dreams come true! We came on a Wednesday and got the 20% discount too. The cats were a fine break from the city's rumble and the staff were delightful too. There are indoors and outdoors petting areas here and plenty of toys to play with them. These furry friends will make the time pass by so quickly =^_^= read more
real japanese cat cafe! for those who may not know, it's exactly what it sounds like -- coffee/tea/pastries in the front; cattery filled with rescued adoptable kittens in the back. what a combo!! unlike in japan though (apparently lol), the two parts are kept separate. cats: to die for!!!! finding some to play with was hard at first, but with patience they eventually warmed up to me. it was so heartening to see that they live in such a lovely space, with plenty of room to roam around and toys to play with. the supervisor knew all 18 cats inside and out, and was so enthusiastic in sharing his knowledge with us. cafe: awesome, too! clean atmosphere, friendly baristas, relaxing music. menu features beer, wine, sake, and japanese snacks, in addition to regular cafe items. would come here if it were its own business :) final thoughts -- $20/hr cover is a bit steep, but the experience is so wonderful. i'd definitely encourage anyone interested to go at least once! read more
Heaven is a place on earth and its Koneko cat cafe. Reserve a 1 hr time slot for $15 and get ready for some serious cuddles with some adorable cats.... I have to say that the staff was excellent. very chill/ relaxed environment. everyone there was friendly and there were just positive vibes everywhere! Can't wait to come back! read more
5 years ago
11 years ago
Amazing! To be surrounded by 14 friendly, feisty, adoptable felines, in a spectacularly clean environment...bliss. I'm not sure how they do it, but the cattery is spotless, even hairless. I was wearing a black sweater, laid on the floor to play with the kitties, and came out with a single hair on my back. Also, no smell of litter or cat pee. This place is immaculately clean. You take off your shoes in a small antechamber and are offered slippers, which I declined. Socks are acceptable, and as clean as the place was, no problem. I would never utilize shared slippers, so while I was turned off by the feet-related nature of this exchange, I wasn't bothered by it. Their coat and shoe racks were clean, with new, grippy hangers. Your jacket is still on the hanger when you come back out. Pricing is reasonable at $15/person for an hour. The number of people at an hour slot in the two floor cattery isn't an issue, with plenty of felines and plenty of space to sit in repose. The cortado was excellent and, at $4, well below what you'd expect to pay in NY. The staff was very pleasant and helped get the cats chasing toys and be otherwise engaged with the patrons. All the cats were moving about and playing with the toys, but for one grumpy boo who hissed and took a swipe at the person who woke him up by plopping down on his bean bag and tried to pet him. This place is brilliant. While I wish I could have held the kitties, you're not allowed to pick them up, and with good reason. You're allowed to play and pet them, on their terms. The staff looks out for the cats and are constantly, but not overbearingly, mindful of what's happening. Finally, all the kitties are up for adoption from local shelters. No overpriced fancy cats here. Your run of the mill city moggie, all up to be taken home (after you've been screened). Highly recommend this place. read more
10 years ago
Took my Mom here to spend a fun afternoon admiring some kitties, and we both loved it. The coffee and teas are wonderful too and you can bring them inside the cattery! The cattery consists of an upstairs with an outdoor room that is open in the nice weather, and a downstairs room with couches. The cats roam around and follow you to the different areas. Can someone please adopt Lionel! The minute I sat with this orange kitty he exposed his belly to me for endless rubs. He's a special guy who's really looking for someone special to connect with. read more
8 years ago
Good place to feel relaxed. Good idea combining coffee with cats！Nicely designed room and restroom. read more
This place is amazing. I'm completely in love with what they're doing here. It's a great place to grab a coffee, grab a sake, or even grab a cat up for adoption. You can tell that the staff loves the cats and while there are rules that you must follow, it's all for the cat's best interest. Spent an hour there on a Saturday and it was great fun watching all of the curious cats explore the three rooms that this place has to offer. I encourage anyone who loves cats or is considering adoption to go. Happy that a place like this exists. read more
9 years ago
The beverages and desserts at this little café were great and reasonably priced and the staff was nice but the cat area is very disappointing. First of all $20 to spend an hour with cats is a huge ripoff, particularly when you consider that these cats have attention nonstop all day long and may have no desire to be petted or interact. A smarter business model would be to rotate the cats in and out of the play area. Too many people are also let in to the cat play area for each session, which further stresses out the cats and makes them not want to play or be petted.. the experience gives no idea of the fun to be had from cats. read more
8 years ago
9 years ago
I am slightly allergic to cats, but I went to this cat cafe anyway. I had heard about these being popular in Japan and wanted to see all the fuss was about. My companions and I made reservations a few days before for a Sunday slot. ($20 each for an hour.) We got there about 45 minutes early so we hung out in the front portion of the cafe where coffee, tea, food, and other beverages are served. We had lattes and matcha lattes. Both were good and included some nice latte art. By the time 1:45PM rolled around we made our way to the back through the glass doors where we were greeted by one of the workers. She explained the rules of the cafe and what we could and could not do while being very friendly. My companions and I then made our way to see what we were waiting for: the cats! This cat cafe has three sections. The first room towards the back is where you will first encounter the cats. Outside is the patio where you can sit outside with cats and take a look at the funky looking mural. Downstairs in the basement are more cats. We hung out there as this is where most of the cats congregated. A few of them were agreeable and played with us. However, some of the cats were completely knocked out. (Be prepared for this, if you come after they eat. They will be asleep). Another cafe worker was in the basement with us. She was incredibly informative and clearly cared a lot about the animals. One more star for customer service. In the end, I actually didn't have much of an allergic reaction. I was slightly itchy, but nothing unbearable. This is probably because the workers keep this place very clean considering the number of animals that live here. I had a great time here and found the experience to be very unique and relaxing. I should also note that all of the animals here are up for adoption, if you are interested. read more
8 years ago
This place is amazing and clean. Also, the green tear latte was delicious. The place was comfortable and it was cozy to be it. The cats were friendly. P. S- ignore the second pic. The act was not scared lol. read more
10 years ago
I walked in midday and was unaware about the cats. They charge 15 an hour to play with cats. im not a big cat person so this didn't appeal to me. I ordered fruit with honey for $9 and it was a very small portion. my friends ordered the matcha tea for $5 and it was good. attaching food pics read more
10 years ago
A cat lovers dream come true! Tasty Japanese treats, coffee, beer, and sake with space to sit and chill at the bar. The cafe provides slippers to use while walking through the cat dens (3 in total) and allows customers to eat and drink while admiring the kitties. They are currently caring for a total of 18 cats who all seem to be treated like queens they are. Downstairs den has TV, couches, and multiple large bean bag chairs to lounge on. Will definitely be coming back! read more
9 years ago
10 years ago
The owner of Koneko is super chill and super friendly; I really liked her vibe. I came in with a drink from Boba Guys and she spoke to me about how she goes there all the time (it's refreshing to see how cool a business owner could be); it was great that she was promoting her fellow neighbor. Anyways, I got the green tea dacquoise, which is very similar to a macaron...except I thought the dacquoise tasted better than the average macaron. The matcha was chilled and tasted great with the chewy pastry that held the matcha together. Like, wow, I could've eaten a hundred of these in a sitting. What I found obscure was that you had to pay $15 to play with the kittens in the back or adopt them or even see them!!! Free wifi and outlets; this could be the next big thing...goodbye Starbucks...jk, I still need my coffee fix. read more
Came here about a year ago. This is such a cute place to come and hangout! I didn't care much for the cafe..I thought the iced matcha tasted bland and watery. The latte that we got also tasted weak. Just come for the cats! :) read more
8 years ago
This cafe is amazing. Patti who was working in the cat area was so sweet and very informative of the cafe, and the rescue group. The cafe is great as well offering coffee tea and also sake. I will definitely be a regular guest here. Also everyone you meet here is dope as well ..because is there anything better than cat people ? read more
8 years ago
I didn't eat here though there is a spacious cafe area with ample seating. I came for the cats. 1 hour visit for $20. The cats weren't all that playful but that's just kind of how it goes. There are three areas (only two were open when I was there) where the cats are so it's relatively spacious - especially compared to Meow Parlor. It's a nice way to get your furry friend fix and adopt a cat if you so please. read more
9 years ago
8 years ago
Lovely place. Unforgettable experience with cute kittens. If you are looking for adoption come talk to them! read more
9 years ago
11 years ago
I went to the cafe today with my boyfriend just for the kitties there. It was better than I expect. You may worry about that there are too many people in the cattery, or the place is not big enough to enjoy your time with kitties, or the kitties are not playful or just all sleeping. Don't worry, the place is pretty chill n relaxing, everything is just fine and on point. Maybe you will experience a group of people sitting there n watching all the kitties around. No worries, people come and go, it's not awkward at all, just enough yourself there. And also there's a staff there to help you to know the kitties better and play with them properly. She was such a sweet and kind lady, I enjoy talking to her about her experience and life with these kitties. In the cafe, there are few tables in the front which just a regular cafe that you can order some snacks and drinks before you go to the cattery. You can bring drinks in but not food. The decorations are very modern and clean, entire cafe is very warm. And about the space of cattery, there's one in the back of the cafe and also they have space downstairs. When I went, all the kitties was downside and I liked the space there, it's just more private. There are just enough kitties there, some of them are conscious and some of them are sleeping. They are all gorgeous and gentle but definitely different personalities. The staff happened to "break" the rules for us that she woke up and gather all the kitties by shaking the "food bottle". And then all the kitties woke up and we played with them, some of them are kinda stoned but some of them are pretty active playful even trainable. The admission fee is $15 per person. You should make a reservation online to pay first before you go. You are required to take off shoes before entering the cattery and put slippers on. I enjoy the time there with my boyfriend and kitties. It's a fun place to hangout for couples and friends, recommended to cat lovers and the people who enjoys a relaxing time in a warm cafe. read more
Although this was one of the pricier cat cafes I went to last week, I really enjoyed my time here. This cafe is super spacious, with three different catteries for guests and cats to roam around. My favorite cattery was the outside cattery. After reading through Yelp reviews, I decided it was better if I made an online reservation, instead of risking coming in person and not having a time slot for me. I highly recommend that if you are tight on schedule and cannot afford to wait. Reservations were really easy to make. I forgot his name, but the guy in charge of the cattery gave a great tour and introduced me to all the cats. The space is super clean with many toys for guests to play with the cats. I love how the host (I'll just call him that) mentioned which cats were more playful and which were not because I didn't want to approach a cat that isnt friendly. Although I'm not scared of cats biting/scratching me, I didn't want to anger any of them. Definitely useful information. All the cats were really nice - most of them were sleeping. I had no intentions of adopting a cat, since I was visiting from Boston, but it was great to see other guests come in here with intentions of adopting. This is such a great way for guests to interact with different cats and see which one is more compatible. I'll definitely recommend this cafe to my friends and others who plan on getting a cat. I will be back here, but this time I would love to try the food that they offer here. Besides that, I love how they have a small wall of cat-related items to purchase. I ended up buying a Neko Atsume plushie from them because I seriously couldn't resist! read more
8 years ago
Nice place to stop for tea and small desert. They have 2 floors where 14 cats play with you or just sleep on cute apparatus. The go in the cat rooms, you'll need to reserve upon arrival or on their website and it'll cost you $20/person/hour. The casts are for adoption and all friendly. The rooms are separated by a glass door from the coffee shop side (for those allergic). The Black Sesame Dacquoise was delicious. Staff is friendly and place is cute and clean, music relaxing. read more
9 years ago
My friend & I came for a 5pm appointment to spend some time with the cats & it was a nice experience for our first time here. The staff were friendly and welcoming as well as explained the cat house rules- which consisted of removing your shoes & wearing socks or slippers, which they provide, not picking up the cats, & told us which specific cats liked being pet on their bellies and their head/neck only. When you enter the Cattery area, there are 3 different areas for playing with the cats- there is an indoor area (2 floors) & outside play area, which was closed unfortunately since it was raining. There are lots of toys that they have for you to play with the cats. I would say that it was a little bit difficult to fully enjoy interacting & playing with all of the cats, since some were either shy, distant, or possibly scared? It was hard to tell for sure, but at the same time, it is understandable since a lot of them are still kittens- some of them being a few months old! This cat cafe is a nice place to come with friends when you just want to relax & enjoy some time with cats lounging around. Overall, I thought it was a tad pricey to pay $20 to interact with cats, but I'd probably come again with other friends, since they love cats! Maybe next time, we can try the Japanese cafe items too since they sounded pretty good :) read more
5 years ago
9 years ago
9 years ago
This place makes me so happy. Cats, lattes, wifi, and drinks?? What more can you want? I have been here twice: once for their cattery play time appointment, and once solely in the cafe. The cafe itself only had 4-5 tables and a bar area, but it hasn't been too crowded the last two times I was here. Not to mention, their coffee & teas are legit! I ordered a chai latte when I sat down at a table to do some work, and never had I had such a creamy chai latte before. Yummm, honestly I would have ordered another one but I just couldn't get myself to do it, my wallet would have hated me. Speaking of which, Koneko isn't the most wallet-friendly place...their drinks are priced at $4-5 per drink, and while that does not seem like much, their portions are significantly smaller than what I'm used to. However, what they lack in quantity they definitely make up in quality. As I was waiting for my drink, I was watching my barista make the drink from scratch...good shit! Also, they serve drinks here (sake and beer I believe)! My boyfriend was pretty happy about that but we did not get a chance to partake in alcoholic beverages at 4 PM in the afternoon. As for the cattery, you have to make an appointment online. I had originally booked it for 3 pm on a weekday, but due to an unforeseen event, we were running late and called to ask if it was ok to come in an hour later. As long as they don't have the slots full, they allow you to come in later. They provide you with hand sanitizer and a mini closet to put away your bags, coat, and shoes. You are given slippers to wear into the cattery and they even have a hamper for you to put your slippers in after you're done using then. How cute! All the cats present in the cattery are available for adoption. Since I'm currently traveling a lot and don't have the luxury of staying in one place too long to have a cat just yet, Koneko provides you with that experience of cuddling with a cat without owning one. At the particular time I was there (around 4:30 pm-ish?), the cats were quite sleepy indeed and hardly engaged. However they were playful and gentle; one cat even moved from its extremely comfortable pillow to go sit on my lap! They have an upstairs section (which the cafe can look into from the open glass panel) and a downstairs section that looked more cozy looking. Price per hour is $15, which is not unreasonable, but means daily Koneko trips cannot be a thing. However, the money goes towards their rescue organization, and if you were thinking about adopting the cats, their adoption fee is only $125, which is pretty reasonable compared to other organizations like ASPCA. read more
This was my first experience with a cat cafe ever and I'm happy to say it was a good one. The cafe part and the rooms with the cats are separated from each other, however you are allowed to bring your food and drink in with you (just don't feed it to the cats). While you can make a reservation ahead of time, my friend and I just did a walk in. It was $15 for one hour of time with the cats. We had to take our shoes off and put on some slippers before entering the cat areas. There are three floors of cats, two indoor and one out (called the "catio"). The cats are used to human interaction so they're all very chill for the most part. A couple rules at Koneko are to not pick the cats up, and if they don't feel like being petted to just let them be. Definitely good advice if you have a child with you or somebody not used to being around cats. There are plenty of toys to have the cats play with, so you shouldn't be using your hands as play things for them. Overall I enjoyed my experience with Koneko and would definitely recommend it for those who love cats like myself. Even if you're just okay with cats, I'd say to just try it for the unique experience of it. read more
More info about Koneko
26 Clinton St
New York, NY 10002
Lower East Side
Directions
(646) 370-5699
Call Now
Visit Website
http://konekonyc.com
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Ask the Community - Koneko
Any vegan options?
Yes! There are usually vegan cakes and they have some vegan options on menu (hiyayakko).
I have a kitten that I can't keep, was wondering if you would foster it for the time being?
No, you can only adopt them, I believe
Does anyone know if I am able to bring my kitten here so she can be social with other cats?
No. It's only for the resident cats.
Planning to go there sometime soon, do we need to call for reservations if we want to try out the cat area or we can just walk in? And how long are we allowed to stay there?
We just walked in - didn't have to make a reservation. I don't know if it's different when they're busy. And you're allowed to stay in there for a whole hour.
Do you have to pay $15-$20 just to get into the cafe? Is there cats roaming around in the main seating area or is that only in a separate room?
Hi Kelly, The cafe and cattery are in two separate spaces, divided by a glass partition. The cafe…
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