We had a great brunch this Saturday. It was wonderful environment at an outside covered table. Tasty food. And wonderful service. Especially our server Hannah. We will be back. read more

We heard Rule of Thirds was amazing and the experience simply over-delivered! This was our first experience and our server Hannah guided us through the menu expertly, recommending drinks and delicacies we would have missed. The food and creative drinks were delicious. She was so charming that we got the soufflé/pancake and soft serve (even though we were full) - what a spectacular finish! read more

I absolutely love the vibe of this place. It's SO spacious and offers a variety of seating options, from bar seating and garden seating to an omakase-style counter and traditional indoor tables. The food has been consistently excellent. I've tried the Japanese breakfast (just note that the fish selection can't be substituted), their famous pancake, and the chicken sando. Everything was yummmyy. The pancake is quite large, so I'd recommend sharing it. The staff is attentive and welcoming. Its hard to make resy but you can usually grab a seat at the bar or a smaller table without needing a reservation. read more

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Need to go back for brunch to try souffle cake. Tonkatsu has a bit of red spots so made me feel a lil uneasy to eat and also portion for that was small for the price. Better to go with a group to try out everything. Tuna Nori, Salad, Binchotan were really delish! Service was top notch bc I appreciate how attentive they are. read more

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I've been here multiple times over the span of 5 years and Rule of Thirds is still keeping its charm. The place is always buzzing, so I recommend getting a reservation. Last I was here was for brunch and we sat in the outdoor patio area. We got a two things to share and a main each. Shared plates were the soufflé pancake and silken tofu. Both were a miss for me. The pancake had a baking soda aftertaste and also they brought it out right away instead of after we finished our mains so it sat around in the table for a while until we were ready to eat it. Silken tofu had a mediocre flavor palette. There was no variation in texture either, just one plate of mushy items. We didn't finish either one of those. For a main, I ordered a a Wagyu beef bowl. It was really good but on the smaller side. The service was attentive aside from a spillage when the order came. Then they started placing plates on top of the spill instead of wiping the table. Eventually they cleaned it but overall there was lack of training in this case. I am not dying to come back here but would consider if I'm in the area again. I really like the actual space but food/service can improve. read more

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Came here on a Thursday evening and got seated at the bar, we really wanted to get seated at one of the table on the courtyard but got declined cos we were walk in without resy. we ordered bunch of a la carte including tuna and nori which i was very satisficed, it's a great combo that I'd not think of myself, silken tofu was really smooth and flavorful! however was a little bit disappointed w karages, the batter was abit thick, and the flavor was mediocre. lastly my friend ordered tonkatsu, i had a pc to sample and was not impressed, even not impress that it costs almost $40 for such an ordinary dish. the space is definitely nice, high industrial ceiling w tables spaces out, there are some booth seats and private party room. overall 50% of what we ordered were just mediocre. maybe i'll come back for their brunch menu. read more

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We got there around lunch time on a Sunday and we got a table for four in about 30mins! Because there are many shops you can look around in vicinity, it didn't feel too long. The seating was very cute! It was outside but divided from the entrance/outside with curtains and felt like we were glamping or something. If you like savory cocktail with some kick to it, bloody moon was one of the best cocktails I've ever had! And the appetizers we had was also delicious. I feel like the cutlet could've been a little juicier. It did feel a little dry. I had a great time there! read more

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I had the hottokeki (souffle pancake), which had a nice combination of caramelized exterior with a custardy inside. It was topped with a fragrant compound butter and some syrup. I definitely tired of the sweetness about halfway through and had to take the rest home. The restaurant itself is beautiful, and if the weather is nice I'd recommend sitting in the outdoor area. I sat at the bar which was also nice enough. My meal came to $26 after tax and tip. Not cheap, but also not as expensive as other brunch spots in the neighborhood. read more

Rule of Thirds - Hottokeki - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Got brunch here on a Sunday with a friend. We split the Hot Honey Gem Salad and Hottokeki (Japanese soufflé pancake). The pancake is gigantic and is absolutely meant to be shared. It was really fluffy and smelled soooo good (reminiscent of the HK street cart waffles). But because it's so big, by the time we ate half of it, we were getting a little tired of the same taste. The salad was good but nothing to rave about. For drinks, we tried the Lebowski-San and Kettl Hojicha Kombucha. It was my first time trying a clarified cocktail and it was really unique. I thought there would be more ice cream honestly but I still loved it. The kombucha though was shockingly tasty. I loved it so much that I bought a bottle online once I got home (they're from Kettl, a local distillery in Brooklyn). The venue is really spacious and I actually planned a wedding here in the past. They host a lot of events and there was even a birthday party happening when I ate there. The only downside is the location. The only train that goes there is the G so it's a bit hard to get to. Food: Hot Honey Gem Salad (radish, buckwheat, fennel, yuzu vinaigrette) 9/10 Hottokeki / Japanese Soufflé Pancake (fluffy hotcake, honey maple butter, sesame) 9/10 Add Mini White Sesame Soft Serve (soy milk, sesame oil) 10/10 - I would recommend just getting this on its own instead of the Hottokeki if you're craving just a little dessert. Drinks: Lebowski-San (green tea shochu, pisco, sakura leaf, clarified matcha ice cream, cold brew coffee floater) 9/10 - This is a clarified cocktail which I didn't expect. I thought I was ordering a matcha ice cream-like drink so although the drink was good, all the ingredients are very subtle in flavor. Kettl x Unified Ferments 'Hojicha' Kombucha (jou yanagi hojicha) 10/10 - This is an absolute must-try! read more

Rule of Thirds - Hot Honey Gem Salad 9/10 Hottokeki 9/10 - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Came here on a weekend for brunch and did not have a reservation so the wait was 1.5 hours. We were seated in the outdoor hut which was initially super warm but they were able to turn off the space heaters and turn on the fan. We ordered the hottokeki, katsu sando, kakuni donburi and karaage. The souffle pancakes were nice and fluffy. The katsu sando was crispy and flavorful. The kakuni donbur was filling and the pork belly was wonderfully braised. It came with an almond miso soup and it was just okay. The almond pieces made the soup gritty and it wasn't great to eat. The karaage was crispy and I liked the sauce it came with. However I wish the sauce came on the side because it was all at the bottom of the bowl. Service was good and they came by several times to refill water and take away plates. The space indoors and outdoors is lovely and I look forward to coming back to try the other items. read more

Rule of Thirds - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Love brunch here! Big fan of the soufflé pancake (I ask for extra butter for sure, their serving is not enough for me). Big fan of their chicken karaage as well! The space is gorgeous. There are weddings sometimes. Servers are always super nice and welcoming. read more

The soufflé pancake is what I came here for and it was everything I wanted and more. The pancake was soft and a little chewy . The butter on top was salted and the maple syrup added just the right amount of sweetness. I am coming back for this! I tried the yuzu mini soft serve but I think I would like the black sesame one more. Coming back for that too! The chicken katsu curry was good. The chicken was well seasoned and cooked. We also got the macaroni salad and it came with pieces of sausage which I really enjoyed. The decor was nice and felt really comfortable. It was a packed house even on a snow day so reservations are recommended z read more

Rule of Thirds - Chicken katsu curry with Almond Miso Soup and a side of Mac salad - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Beautiful space with beautiful food that honestly just tasted fine. Like everything was good but nothing really blew me away, until the dessert that was stellar. Generally shared everything to get a taste of a bunch of things. To start with, the Karaage was really crisp and had a nice sauce. The Oshizushi tasted fresh. House Silken Tofu was very interesting, super duper soft almost like a pudding. Also got the Almond Miso Soup which was divine. Unfortunately did not taste as much almond butter as Id hoped but the broth was incredibly flavorful and super creamy. Tried a few of the Binchotan and sides too. Chicken Meatball had a nice marinade. Macaroni Salad was a large portion. Yaki Onigiri was one of my favorite items despite literally just being rice, but the char and the chicken fat wash made it so delish. Then came dessert which was def the best dishes. The Rice Cooker Cheesecake was so light and airy and the pumpkin, caramel, and persimmons were such a good touch. Then the Yuzu Soft Serve was one of the best soft serves Ive ever had. Sweet and super tart too, perfect level of creamy too I just couldnt stop eating it. Also the soft serve with the cheesecake in the same bite was a legendary combo. read more

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It was an incredible experience! I came here for brunch with a friend and we had a great time. The restaurant was very cool and had a nice vibe. The food was super delicious with a great drink selection. Yuzu sake soft serve was incredible. Service was excellent too. I'd recommend it to everyone. read more

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This place just popped up in my photo memories from 4 years ago, when we'd gone there for a friend's birthdays. The main food item I remember from the food was the Hottokeki, so i suppose the rest was not that memorable. I do remember I really liked the ambiance of the place, it was very light & airy and everything was open to the breeze on a nice day. read more

Rule of Thirds - Hottokeki - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I came for their souffle pancake and it did not disappoint! It's a bit pricy, but once in a while, I would come back for it. So fluffy and delicious. Great service and ambiance. read more

I am obsessed with their soft serve and now they have yuzu which is so refreshing and lemony! I love the sesame more though and want to eat AlL of it. Dinner was good but not as great as our first or second or third time here. We sat in a hut and it was so cold and windy. The food was solid especially the sashimi. Don't order the sukiyaki though. It wasn't great. I love the salad and soft tofu. David is an EXCELLENT waiter so all stars for him!! Our 4th time here and extremely disappointing!!! :(( I am obsessed with their soft serve and now they have yuzu which is so refreshing and lemony! I love the sesame more though and want to eat ALL of it. Dinner was good but not as great as our first or second or third time here. We were exiled to sit in a hut and it was so cold and windy. The food was average other than the bluefin sashimi. Don't order the sukiyaki though. It wasn't great. I liked the salad and soft tofu. David is a solid waiter so all stars for him!! read more

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This is a review from August 2025. We came for brunch on a Saturday and made a reservation in advance. We were seated fairly quickly after arriving. The place was pretty packed. The service was very fast and we were brought our drinks pretty quickly. In terms of food, we shared a chicken Katsu sandwich, tuna sashimi, and their famous pancakes. The sandwich was delicious and so was the sashimi. The pancake was very good but definitely filling. They had a good selection of teas and cocktails. The place had a cute vibe and a great brunch spot I would definitely come back again. read more

Rule of Thirds - Chicken Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I'll just cut to the chase -- their soufflé pancakes are HEAVENLY. Soft as pillows and not too sweet. It certainly was the star of the meal for me. In fact, I would go there just for that! I ordered other items as well, including breaded chicken curry (delicious!). Besides the food, the location is stylish and spacious. They provide a rack for you to hang your coat so you're not burdened by it while you dine. I had a good time there and have been planning to return again. read more

Rule of Thirds - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This place never disappoints! I've been several times for different occasions and times of the year. I think my favorite seating was last month in October with my childhood best friend. We ordered a banana cocktail, miso almond soup (amazing), hamachi collar (delicious), tuna & nori (probably the least tasty, but still great quality), house silken tofu with mushrooms (must/order), tonkatsu (wow factor), and macaroni salad. By the time the tonkatsu arrived, we were stuffed but one bite of the nearly sliced pork loin, we just couldn't get enough. This is definitely an underrated dish and do not know why the servers never play this dish up. I do wish the bathrooms skewed a bit warmer, they are completely metal/steel inside. Just waiting to try the brunch and my reviews of this restaurant will be complete. read more

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A beautiful wedding venue and restaurant. Was here for a wedding and was so impressed by the food made by this venue, which comes off their main restaurant menu. Some highlights for me were tuna & nori, karaage chicken, misozuke salmon, white sesame soft service. They do seafood very well here. Hope to be back one day in the main restaurant! read more

3.5 stars Came here for anniversary dinner and staff were very kind and gave us a anniversary card. Ambience was very modern and dimly lit. Very great service from staff. For appetizers: we ordered tuna and nori, chicken meatball, maitake mushroom, and duck hearts. Tuna and nori was not our favorite, had more bread crumbs than tuna. Would not recommend it here. Maitake mushroom was our favorite appetizer, it had a good sear and nice seasoning. Duck hearts were solid. I never eat duck hearts but these were tender. Chicken meatball had a soft texture, flavor was okay. For entrees, we ordered mazemen crab and uni pasta,, tonkatsu, and scallop special. Mazemen was my second favorite because I like crab and uni. Flavor of the sauce was a buttery sea salty taste. Our favorite was the scallop special because each component eaten together was a very complex and tasty bite. Highly recommend definitely one of their best dishes on the menu. Tonkatsu was medium rare to rare. For dessert we ordered: white sesame soft serve. It was solid by I wasnt astounded or impressed. They also gave us free sample of the yuzu soft serve which was so nice of them! Overall this was a good experience, I like their staff's attitude and attentiveness (5/5). As for the food, it was definitely (3.5/5) for me. The tonkatsu was too under for me personally. It was basically rare, the fat didn't get the chance to render, still white and raw. It would've been nice to have the option to choose what temperature we prefer for the Tonkatsu. The food was okay. I felt like the price we paid went to the restayrant aesthetics and not actually into the quality of the food. I would say it's definitely not worth the price to eat here unless you're only getting the mazemen and the scallops special. Again wonderful staff! read more

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Went here for my friend's birthday brunch and we sat outside. Service was extremely attentive and the staff were all so so nice! The food was amazing, I have to say the highlights were the wagyu burger (special) and the soufflé pancake. The wagyu burger came with a cured egg yolk I believe, to dip it in and it was phenomenal. So juicy and delicious. The soufflé pancake was not too sweet and came out at the end, it was shared amongst 5 of us and we still couldn't finish it! It was airy, bouncy, and fragrant. I think this is a great place to grab a bite if you're in the area, would definitely recommend! read more

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A little bit over hyped and pricey. The pancake is incredible in the center but gets pretty dry at the edges. The veggies we were really yummy! My friends got the breakfast set and thought it was a little underwhelming. Overall I'd go for the ambiance but the food is just ok. read more

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Large restaurant with a lovely ambiance and solid food. Great place to catch up with a friend, especially when the weather is nice. I came here for brunch on a weekend with a friend. Entering it can feel a little bit like a maze, as the restaurant is huge (there's several rooms, both indoors and outside-- it's so large I know people have had their weddings here while the restaurant has still functioned like normal!). We sat in the outdoor patio area. I will say service was a little bit slow, but perhaps that's due to the number of tables? I'm not sure how the area does if it's really hot/cold, but when we visited the weather was perfect so it was really lovely to be outdoors. For food, we decided to split the souffle pancake and the wagyu burger (which was a special). Both were delicious, with the burger being rich and juicy. The souffle pancake was pretty airy and not very sweet-- to be honest, after a while it got a little one-dimensional so I would suggest sharing with up to 4 people. Overall I think the food is solid and it's nice to have a Japanese brunch option in town. I would come back here with both smaller and larger groups in the future as a spot to catch up. read more

Rule of Thirds - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Came for the happy hour and stayed for the ambiance! Had a great outdoor meal at Rule of Thirds, with quality Japanese food meant for sharing. Next time will come back to try their full menu. My favorite was the miso soup! It was freshly made instead of premade stock at other sushi locations. read more

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Had an amazing brunch here! As soon as we walked in, we were taken by the interior which was a converted open-air concept. Between three of us we shared the: * Souffle pancake (so fluffy and the butter and syrup were the perfect complement without weighing it down!) * Katsu sandwich - impressed with how juicy this was and loved the house mustard though I definitely got a wasabi kick when I dipped too much. * Smashed potatoes - were a little heavy on the gochujang but it's hard to go wrong with potatoes! Left feeling very satisfied and recommend this place for brunch! Prices were very reasonable as well! read more

Rule of Thirds - Smashed potatoes, Chicken Katsu sando, and soufflé pancake - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Came here for a Saturday dinner, interior is absolutely beautiful, great date night vibes, quality meats but the food tasted okay in my opinion The pork tonkatsu is cooked to medium rare? Not my cup of tea. mazemen was good but also threw me off with the ramen texture and pesto sauce Kaarage uses real chicken pieces which was unique BUT THE SERVICE..! Really respectful and understanding. Our waiter saw that the tonkatsu was untouched and offered to take it off the bill for us since we didn't like it. read more

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David R was an awesome server. Top top service, good was killer too. Made excellent recommendations and selections for us. Def will be back bro!! read more

I've been here many times but mostly for brunch. The brunch is good but not my favorite. The pancake is delicious! I've had their dinner a couple years ago but I don't remember it being THIS good. I would have given it a 4/5 a year ago. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience this time around. I had an interesting glass of Shochu (it's strong, and maybe not the drink for me but glad I tried it) The summer menu is amazing. The summer corn was a highlight of the meal and the branzino was superb. I enjoyed some yuzu sake at the end of my meal along with the mochi cake, it was chefs kiss. Our server was also well versed on the menu and explained every detail. The ambience of this restaurant is very open and modern yet comfy and inviting. The menu is pricey, the best way to enjoy this place is with a crew IMO. I had a a great night! I'd highly recommend. read more

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The rule of thirds entrance is a little hidden so I had a hard time finding it. The food is delicious. I loved everything I ate. My favorite was karaage with the sauce it comes with. The pancakes are a must try, you can definitely share it. The butter it comes with makes more delicious. It didn't even need syrup. The gyu don was good, you can add egg for $2 more. I don't think it needed the cauliflower, it did nothing for the food overall. read more

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Rule of Thirds is a modern Japanese-fusion izakaya restaurant that has dim, romantic lighting with lots of seating. The six of us stopped by for dinner a couple weekends ago, and we had a fun experience trying the various "tapas" which were honestly all interesting. We ordered four "smaller" plates and two "larger" plates to share. OSHIZUSHI - 24 This is sushi rice topped with kanpachi and sakura leaf. Each order came with 6 pieces, which was perfect for us. I expected it to be like a typical piece of nigiri (fresh fish that's firm, yet soft on top of sticky and tender sushi rice), but it was crunchy? Definitely not the texture I thought it would be. There was also an almost citrusy flavor, too. I thought this was interesting, but wouldn't get it again. KARAAGE - 17 This was easy to share within our group, but even with the ginger soy and tartar sauce drizzled on top, I didn't think it was that flavorful. The batter was crispy and delicious, but nothing out of the ordinary. MUSSEL MAZEMEN - 22 I felt like this was like 1/2 spring mix with a koji emulsion sauce, some bits of mussels and ramen. I didn't love the combination of flavors and would have preferred it without vegetables. TUNA & NORI - 16 This was probably our favorite "smaller" plate. It was like an onigiri with lots of tuna tartare, seasoning, and sesame seeds. It was delicious and flavorful, and went well with the piece of nori on the side. I would recommend this even though the portion size was small. TONKATSU - 36 On its own, the katsu was pretty bland and needed some of the mustard-wasabi on the side to spice it up. At least the meat was tender and juicy. Overall, this was OK, and they gave us a knife to saw off the bone meat, which was more flavorful. WAGYU SUKIYAKI - 56 Hard to share between six people, but the broth was rich and flavorful, which is probably made with dashi and mixed in with the bone marrow we scraped in. The wagyu was tender and melted in my mouth immediately. Good amount of meat, tofu, shirataki, and veggies. This was warm and hearty, definitely my favorite out of everything we ate. Overall, pretty unique and interesting experience, but can't say I loved all the options we tried. read more

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Came here for the soufflé pancake. Did not disappoint. The place is much larger than I thought it would be, which is nice (you have to walk past the outdoor space/garden in order to the actual restaurant). Their matcha is fantastic, super high quality. And the star of the show is definitely the pancake. Super soft, fluffy and light but also has a nice crunch near the crust. It's perfect. read more

Rule of Thirds - Hot Honey Yuzu Salad and potatoes - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Very nice to hang out with friends! The cocktails are very creative, highly recommend grabbing their fusion drink! The food portion is probably a little bit small for a group of men. read more

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Beautiful interior and great service. The food was good but also on the pricier side. The portions are decent, on the smaller side, but does fill you up after a few dishes. Really popular space that speaks for itself. I also went on a special occasion and they prepared a nice note congratulating me on my special day. Additionally, I loved the high ceilings and natural light from the skylights above. Definitely recommend the chips with the potato salad and caviar. I still think about it sometimes and even created something similar when I host events! They also have a lot of fun cocktails that make this place a great place to gather with friends. read more

Such a cute place!! This place is definitely worth the hype. I love the open airy ambiance and blend of tables, perfect for a light fall or spring day. Cocktails were so creative, a must have. - Breaking wave: $18 sweet potato shochu fermented rice wine, a fruity frozen summery blend - Lebowski-san: $18 matcha shochu, clarified matcha ice cream w coffee cold brew, our favorite! We shared the - honey gem salad: $18 beautiful presentation, yuzu vinaigrette and hot honey, light and just what we needed - japanese breakfast set: $31 branzino, almond miso soup, and asparagus + pea shoots. fresh light and the almond miso soup was soo good! - soufflé pancake: $20 very fluffy but did not think it paired well with the honey or salted buttery cream, happy I tried but would not get again. cant wait to come back and try their sandos and more clarified cocktails!! read more

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Impeccable ambiance, food was good but not too memorable (perhaps it was overhyped for me). The pancake is a delight for the first few bites of the buttery center but can get really heavy - make sure to share with a few people! read more

Rule of Thirds - Pancake - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A really delicious izakaya spot with an adorable atmosphere! Everything on the menu is meant to be shared, and our server was very helpful in telling us how much to order from each category for our party size. We did 3 appetizers, each got a yaki onigiri, and had 2 entrees for four people. The tuna sashimi appetizer was small but so delicious, and the snap peas and chicken karaage were also good. The yaki onigiri was also delicious, but I always love yaki onigiri. The real hit, though, was the Tonkatsu. It was so tender, crispy, and not too oily. If I find myself back in Brooklyn, I would come back here. They had a nabe special that sounded good and lots of other menu items that I would love to try. Highly recommend! read more

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The food, ambiance and service is all top notch. However, you will pay premium Brooklyn prices for it. For those not from the 5 boroughs, Brooklyn has a well deserved reputation for being effortlessly expensive. This fits that description! However, you won't be mad about spending $100 person (for food and drinks)...the food is elegant, nuanced, and so tasty! Recommend sharing plates and ordering 2-3 small Plates per person, with one large platter. Also try the sake, it's the best sake list in BK! Food: 5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Value: 4/5 read more

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I've had this place in mind for quite some time but admittedly I kept getting too lazy to make the "trek" to Brooklyn. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and I actually liked the cute vibes in the outdoor covered booths. To start, we got the roasted sunchokes as recommended by one of the staff members. I've never had sunchokes before but they tasted very similar to artichokes. The creamy sauce was a little too umami for me and the sauce to sunchoke ratio was a little too much, but otherwise a very interesting dish! We also got the chicken katsu sando, which was absolutely delicious. The star off the show was the hot cake. It definitely has more of the consistency of sponge cake rather than what you would typically imagine for a pancake. I also really wanted the white sesame soft serve, but was too full. They were nice enough to give me a small cup to sample! I've heard dinner here is also incredible, so I'll have to plan a trip back for dinner soon. read more

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