All was good, food, service and ambiance. I had the pastrami sandwich and the challah banana bread dessert. Just one drawback- It was a bit pricey- not bad enough to not go back... but just enough that I cannot go very frequently. But hey, if you got it and can do it, enjoy it! read more

So I'd been stalking their Instagram for ages. Finally had a reason to come to NY from West coast & immediately made a reservation here. Honestly had lan idyllic dinner- small cozy restaurant, we chose outdoor seating where people ( and doggo) watching was good. Our server was friendly, enthused, hella patient. Made good recommendations, told us about off menu options. We enjoyed EVERYTHING. A bonus surprise: the cocktails were excellent! We each had two, I tasted all four and holy cow it's been way too long since I had a cocktail which truly deserved it's price tag like so. Jacob's Milk, Fauci Ouchie, Velvet Evening, Lychee Saketini. Most importantly, loved the food. Okanamiyaki was amazing as were the lions mane mushrooms, beef tartar top notch absolutely lick your bowl yum. We enjoyed our two noodle dishes as well- not quite as impressive as the appetizers but also who knows if that's partially coz we were getting full already. It does seem more Japanese than Jewish- all delicious. No tummy space for dessert but they looked fab. Tidy restroom w ramen wallpaper. Let us linger long after we were done dining. Very nice people. We both loved it. Would definitely return. We even had a little bit of take home leftovers. read more

See all

The name says it all: Shalom Japan is a unique restaurant in Brooklyn that specializes in combining Jewish and Japanese cuisine. The menu is playful, with dishes like Matzoh Ball Ramen and Okonomiyaki with pastrami. I was quite intrigued by this collaboration and was excited to try the restaurant. For the appetizer, I tried the Local Sea Scallops with Maitake Mushrooms and Miso Butter. Scallops were well-prepared and buttery and the mushrooms added just the right amount of umami to each bite. For the entrée, I ordered the famous Matzoh Ball Ramen and Sesame Temomi Mazemen. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I was disappointed by both of the dishes. I found the Matzoh Ball Ramen to be somewhat bland and the broth to be too starchy. The noodle was overcooked and had a mushy texture. Sesame Temomi Mazemen was somewhat better, but unremarkable. While I understand the restaurant isn't ramen shop that specializes in ramen dishes, I don't think it's unrealistic for me to expect my ramen noodles to be properly prepared and served. I dined here before COVID-19 pandemic in a large group, so the current dining experience may be somewhat different. However, based on my previous dining experience here, I am not sure about the likelihood of me returning to dine here in the future. read more

See all

Pretty damn good! Good vibes. Really interesting combo and will definitely be back. Service was pretty brisk and felt a bit curt, which was surprising because it isn't a big space. read more

See all

Ordered delivery - came quick Very interesting combo but surprised it is not kosher so note that if you have a preference 1. Wagyu sandwich - this was delicious. The sandwich came in a good state, no soggyness. Meat and bread was portioned out evenly 2. Bread pudding - nothing special, good flavor read more

My friend wanted to go here because of it's premise of "authentically inauthentic Jewish and Japanese food." I'll be honest in that I was a bit skeptical at first, but now I'm really glad I went. Definitely worth checking out for a unique culinary experience. They have an omakase option but my friend and I were not hungry enough to do it when we went. Food: - Jew egg: The beautiful runny egg is wrapped in falafel instead of the traditional sausage and sits on top of a bed of hummus with a small Mediterranean salad. Perfectly seasoned and a great way to start the meal. - Duck wings: Just okay. I thought that there was too much of that sweet sauce to appreciate the duck itself. Was a bit pricy for an appetizer but the portion is surprisingly large. - Mazemen: A brothless cold noodle dish that I really enjoyed although I know many people don't like having cold noodles. The sauce was quite addictive and the noodles had a great texture. - Pastrami sandwich: The pastrami was honestly one of the best I've had in the city, and yes I've been to places like Katz, 2nd Ave Deli, and Sarge's. Pleasantly surprised. Our server was really nice and attentive on a very busy night. Overall, definitely worth taking a trip out to South Williamsburg for this "authentically inauthentic" spin on Jewish and Japanese food. read more

See all

When this place first opened, I visited and was not impressed. I am happy to say I recently went and LOVED IT. The special seafood hot pot was really the star of the show. But the appetizers we great as well! Drinks were standard. I really enjoyed and would love to see what specials they do next :) read more

Their food is still innovative ,fresh and delicious. I Just tried their excellent smoked lamb ribs . It's very very very hard to get the lamb meat to be At the right tenderness and taste . And they did it! Another side mention is their excellent horse radish . Both needs to be staples in this fantastic place. read more

This restaurant is so unique and fun. I love the background story of its origin! Obviously get the matzah ball ramen it's why I came. It's so different and yummy. The duck wings were the best dish hands down absolutely divine. Order the challah DELICIOUS and crispy. Tuna salad was the perfect green add in to our meal! Skip the hot pockets. Overall: would dine again! read more

See all

Okay let's start from the top of this experience-- wait staff took forever to take our drink orders and there were pre-poured water glasses sitting on a tray on a shelf next to the open front door. Have never seen that in five years of food service. Cocktails are $15+ and each appetizer only serves two people-- NO shareable options. Waiter was short with us and did not want to explain the menu. Brought five friends here and would never come again. One of us got the wagyu pastrami sando-- this was the absolute smallest pastrami sandwich I've ever seen in my life and was basically a snack. I got the matzo ball ramen and it did everything wrong: the broth was like a hot bowl of unseasoned oil and chicken fat, the matzo ball was small and cold/dense in the middle, there was one piece of vegetable floating in the bowl, and that's about it. Was so bad. Another friend got the lox bowl ($27) which tasted alright but was truly three pieces of nova lox on a bowl of rice with pickles. $27. $27. Another one of us got the mazemen ($18) and it was cold and "tasted like peanut butter." The best items were the challah app and the sashimi salad but they didn't blow us away-- the "challah" is actually a bun that amounts to about two Hawaiian rolls. I typically don't write bad reviews because I know how badly it can impact a restaurant, but I needed to do this because this place has such high ratings for truly no visible reason (and I needed closure from this terrible experience). Fusion food can be amazing but this one is all gimmick. read more

Coming into Williamsburg, I was excited to try something on my list to get a sample of what this neighborhood had to offer. Being that it was a Jewish Japanese place, I really wanted to try some dishes that were novel here. Had the matzoh ball ramen, okonomiyake, toro toast, and duck wings. The worst dish was the duck wings. I can't even tell I was eating duck since I thought I was just eating sauce. It was too intense and thick. The ramen...just felt like a very light in flavor and I was just tasting some 8 day old broth that someone forgot about and decided to reheat. The okinomiyake was just forced imo. The Sauerkraut and pastrami didn't really add anything to it. Did it work? Sure. Was it better than traditional at all? No, no, no. The toro toast was tiny, but I liked that one. It really reminded me of a salmon spread on a bagel. I hope this place isn't indicative of Williamsburg.... read more

See all

Advertise a happy hour deal then doesn't honor it "It's written on your door" "oh sorry yeah we don't do that deal anymore" Lame read more

Shalom Japan. Have you heard such a name? You coulda knocked me over with a paper towel, a wet one even. Because you know what? That was the name of a wacky place I patronized at least twice in SoHo back in 1981. Flashback when my hair was abundant and wavy and I wore Famolare shoes. It was run by Miriam Mizakura, a true Japanese Jew, who wore a mini-skirt kimono and a lot of makeup. She did a floor show where she sang and danced and made everyone in the restaurant sing "Hava Nagila" with her. I remember eating gefiltefish sushi. Blech. But Miriam was a stitch and a half, so it was worth a few shekels, you should pardon the expression. Flash forward a hundred years, and Jamie W. sent me a list he found of the best matzoh ball soup in NYC. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw #8, the Matzoh Ball Ramen at Shalom Japan. Miriam, can you hear me? Miriam, can you see me? Miriam, can you help me not be frightened? It was open until midnight on Thursday, the last night of my trip to NYC, so I decided to steel myself for the bracing cold after seeing "Network" on Broadway. I was out around 10PM, took the M to Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn, and walk two blocks. I made it, but it wasn't Miriam's place. It's run by married chefs Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel who decided to meld their cultural backgrounds into some intriguing hybrid dishes like okanomiyaki made with corned beef. No floor show here. No kitschy decor. It dawned on me that this had nothing to do with my memory of the other Shalom Japan. I also wasn't aware that they only serve their Happy Hour menu after 10PM. The upside was that they offered the Matzoh Ball Ramen, normally $17, for free if you buy a drink from the bar. Sold. I decided to order the $12 Yamasemi Shochu over rocks (photo: http://bit.ly/2UL8rQE). Oy, I needed it anyway if you know what I mean, It was a refreshing glass of smoky light sake that tickled my tongue. My ramen arrived, and it was pretty tasty, probably because I haven't had ramen in months. The noodles had a nice chew, the broth was full-bodied with plenty of poultry flavor with s hint of kombu, and the matzoh ball was grade-A as it soaked in the stock. I had them add a soy-and-mirin-flavored soft-boiled egg for good measure and for two extra bucks (photo: http://bit.ly/2Go5D7U). Enough? No, given the net savings (as if), I ordered the $15 Karaage Chicken for some late-night crunch (photo: http://bit.ly/2Sr2oDn). Pricey yes but rather irresistible when it's cold out. Enough now? Uh no, I convinced myself I deserved the $11 Chocolate-Banana Challah Bread Pudding, and dammit, I did. It came out piping hot and not overly sweet except for the creme fraiche and whiskey caramel sauce that soaked all the way through it (photo: http://bit.ly/2t8oA6U). Bubbeleh, I was stuffed. My stretch pants needed stretch pants. I ended up boring the young server with my stories of Miriam and the olden days, which she tolerated with grace. She told the manager about me who came out and told me she knew about the Shalom Japan from days of yore. I felt like the geezer who couldn't shut up about my days in the Army. Miriam, can you hear me? FOOD - 4 stars...solid Japanese fare with a Kosher sensibility...and a good matzoh ball AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...smaller than I was hoping and definitely focused on the bar SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very nice to this old coot TOTAL - 4 stars...not such a culture clash but they could use some of Miriam's showbiz sense RELATED - Looking for dining options in Brooklyn? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2MZRizT read more

See all

Food is good, a bit greasy and heavy. They serve large portions. Nice service, it was a good experience but nothing that made me want to go back, worth a try for sure. read more

I never write reviews, but this was so incredibly disappointing. 1.5 stars for the pastrami okonomiyaki, that was the only thing edible and we thought the rest of the food would be good since it started on a high. the hyped ramen was so bad. The broth was greasy and kinda tasted like watered down chicken noodle soup. The ramen noodles were oily... and slimy?? Texture was interesting to say the least. Sando was very mustardy. On top of that, our receipt showed that the tip was calculated on the total rather than SUB total (pretax). What a scam. read more

My family and I had an amazing dinner at Shalom Japan! Our waiter was incredibly kind and helpful, recommending a few dishes and suggesting that we order family-style, which is definitely the move. His two recommendations were the Jew egg and the okonomiyaki. Both were delicious but the okonomiyaki was certainly our favorite dish of the entire night. We also shared the lox bowl and the matzoh ball ramen, which were so fun and both packed with flavor. We ended the night with the Japanese sweet potato cheesecake and their apple cake, which I believe was a special. Shalom Japan has one of the coolest cuisine concepts in Brooklyn, if not in New York City at large, and it's definitely worth a visit! read more

See all

Shalom Japan is a great fusion concept. I can't seem to think of another restaurant like this and that's what made me come back a second time. SJ is situated on a corner. It's beautifully lit outside and romantic inside dim lighting and wood tables. They have a great big bar with ample seating for dinner as well. We made a reservation via phone and were promptly seated. There is a small menu and some specials. There is a lot of drinks and cocktails to choose from. It seems they stick to what they know and throw in a few highlights. We ordered and shared: Challah Bread with raisin butter. It came hot, soft, super light and fluffy. It was well made and flavorful. The butter was sweet and went well with the bread. We also order the Jew Egg. It seems innocent enough but being part Jewish "Jew" is some what annoying to say to someone since it's really not nice to say. Anyway, the dish was good I just wish it was a tad bigger. It had hummus and a had a veggie salad. It was seasoned perfectly and the egg was perfectly runny! A special of the day was kaarage (Japanese fried chicken) This was a tiny app. The chicken was more like nuggets. They were fatty dark meat and unfortunately a tad over seasoned. It came with lemon which I tried over the chicken which didn't help with flavor. It came with a side of red cabbage. I wasn't a big fan of this. The matzo ramen was delicious. The noodles were perfectly cooked. The soup was rich. The matzo ball was fluffy and tasty. The last time though we had the dumpling accompany it now you have to pay it separate. Lastly, we ordered another special a beef hot pot with veggies and cellophane noodles. I have never ordered anything like this before so I didn't know what I was expecting. Needless to say, I wasn't a big fan. (My opinion) Half the meat was raw so you have to mix it in which we did. Some pieces of the meat had bone, Which was a little unpleasant. The sauce was tasty a ginger, garlic, soy and ponzu. The flavors were tasty just wasn't prepared for what I was getting I guess. For cocktails we decided on a Bourbon cocktail with sake and lemon. It was well balanced we just love ice in our drinks. Staff here is very nice and welcoming. Overall, def come here once and a while for a unique experience. The food is tasty and interesting. It's a must try Street parking (334) read more

See all

My friends and I were intrigued by a Jewish-Japanese restaurant and decided to make a reservation for a friend's birthday. The Mahzoh ball ramen was bland, but the Chilled Sesame Temomi Mazemen (Pork) was good and flavorful. Cocktails were delicious, but overall I felt that the pricing was a bit expensive when compared to the offerings. I did like that the menu wasn't heavily extensive, which made picking an entree easier, but at the same time I felt like there weren't enough options to choose from. read more

Shalom Japan - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This is one of those special NYC only places you must try. Jewish and Japanese cuisine - the perfect match! And perhaps only here, now. We had the pastrami soup and the Fauci Ouchi cocktail. We also go the flourless chocolate cake dessert. The vibe is awesome, the service is great, try this place now! read more

Divine intervention brought us to this small restaurant. You must try this place if you're in or near Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Okonomiyaki was out of this world. We shared the ramen matzoball soup because it's huge and they gave us extra matzo balls so we could share. Best combination we ever had. The wagyu pastrami sando gives every jewish deli something to think about. Small comfortable unpretentious little place that really knows what they're doing. We will definitely go again next time we're in Brooklyn. Try it! read more

A cute concept, well executed. The matzoh ball ramen is the iconic dish but honestly it didn't hold a candle to the lox bowl or the Japanese sweet potato cheesecake read more

Wow. This place. Decided to come here after seeing it one. Video and it did not disappoint. Ordered the matzoh ball ramen and it was even more amazing than I could have ever imagined. My friend also ordered the challah French toast which looked amazing. Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun take on Jewish food or Japanese food! read more

See all

A great backup spot for brunch in Williamsburg. I think it's just enough out of the way that it doesn't quite get the peak brunch crowds that make it impossible to walk into a place and get a brunch seat in Williamsburg. Food wise, I'm a big fan of the flavors but I do think it's overpriced. I tried the lox bowl and the okonomiyaki. I really liked the flavors of the okonomiyaki although some of the edges were a bit burnt. The lox bowl was yummy but be warned that it's not that much lox, and mostly relying on the rice to fill you up. Between the two, I preferred the okonomiyaki since it was more interesting. The portions are fairly small, which is fine for me since I wasn't very hungry, but I do think it's fully possible for people to be hungry after eating an entree. Covid notes: Their outdoor dining setup does not leave you very warm on a cold day, since the heater doesn't really warm you up (it's located a bit too high up, or maybe it's just not strong enough), so I would probably wait to come here when the weather warms up for outdoor dining. They also take safety protocols seriously here - the staff won't approach your table until you have your mask on - so you'll need to keep your mask handy during the meal. Also, they're also charging a covid surcharge of 10%, on top of which the recommended tip % is calculated, so just be aware everything adds up super quickly here (20% on top of 10% covid charge + 8% tax = 43% on top of menu price). read more

Enjoyed my pastrami sandwich a good deal. Can't recall what's Japanese about it, I think it was the bread, but nonetheless, it came with a pickle and gulden's mustard and it was delicious. My 11 year old had the ramen matzo ball soup and found it "okay, a little salty," but the grownups enjoyed theirs more. read more

See all

I continue to go back to shalom Japan for the matzo ball ramen. It's something I always crave!

Jewish meets Japanese cuisine at #shalomjapan! It's not hard to love this union of flavors. Imagine matzoh ball ramen or the crunchy hybrid of okonomiyaki & latke with katsuobushi, dishes that have both the Jewish and Japanese stamps of the husband and wife chefs who are originally from these cultures. It's a food experiment that works! Since almost everything on the menu inspires curiousity, omakase is the best way to do it. We had 9-10 dishes including one of the best desserts I have ever had this year, chocolate-banana challah and yuzu sorbet. The sake challah at the start of the meal is also worth mentioning as it reminds me of the Ilocano #binubudan ! I hope the restaurant starts selling this to non-diners soon. read more

See all

Delicious food and incredibly creative menu! Great unique experience--highly recommend

The one and only downfall this restaurant has is it's size, but that doesn't mean it's worth taking away a star. The quality and the taste of the food is really impeccable. Very inventive mix of cuisines and perfectly executed. The staff are polite, attentive and pleasant. They have rotating specials, tonight it happened to be a scallop dish with shaved fresh black truffles that was delectable. The wagyu pastrami sando and the matzoh ball ramen are what keep us coming back. Just collectively the drinks and every dish we've had thus far are incredible. We've added it to our current rotation of favorites. read more

Shalom Japan - Wagyu pastrami sando - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I went to Shalom Japan w/ fellow elite Yelper & friend Eunice C. I must say that this place has an interesting play on typical Japanese cuisine w/ a Jewish twist. I loved the okonomiyaki pancake - your traditional Japanese pancakes but crisped better on the edges like a potato latke & topped w/ pastrami. The scotch egg was perfectly fried on the outside & the yolk just spewed like lava flow once my friend was able to break into it. Well seasoned, I must say & great compliments w/ the hummus & beets! I was a bit disappointed w/ the foie gras dumpling (it was $4 for literally 1 dumpling) & it only had a hint of foie gras in it. The matzo balls were pretty good & the ramen itself is pretty standard so no disappointments there. It's a small space so I would recommend reservations prior to going! read more

See all

Amazing blend of flavors and techniques I will definitely be coming back The okonomiyaki was incredible read more

When I heard about a Jewish/Japanese fusion restaurant with great reviews I knew I absolutely had to try it! I came with my boyfriend on a Saturday evening and I was not let down. The place itself is fairly small and exactly what you'd expect from a restaurant like this (trendy/upbeat yet still chill and cozy). The staff was attentive and friendly. My only qualm was that they kept taking our plates away before we were completely done eating the dish (every bit counts!) and we felt rushed, so this is not the place to come for a quiet, relaxing meal. As for the food, here's what we ordered: Sake Kasu Challah: the golden raisin butter was divine but the challah bread was slightly dry Tuna tataki: yum!! The black tahini sauce was so good Jewish egg: get it! So flavorful Teriyaki duck wings: delicious, especially the sauce Sesame Temomi Mazemen: The best thing we ordered! So so flavorful. We added a soy egg and that was the move Matcha and Matcha (dessert): 2 crispy matcha cookies (tasted exactly like these matcha cookies from Minamoto Kitchoan) with a small scoop of green tea ice cream I in between. Like a lot of Japanese desserts, this was not super sweet which I liked I also had the most delicious nigori sake I've ever tried here (kurosawa nigori). Order this! read more

See all

Love love love ! I cannot express the magnitude of umami in the food, the craftsmanship behind the cocktails, the cozy feeling in a tiny restaurant... this was joyous date night! Splurge on the duck dumpling and spend the money- its well worth it! read more

Came here to celebrate bf birthday! Party of 13 fits A bit crowded though Favorites: toro toast, the mezeman meat in the noodles so creamy tasty. The pastrami was solid too. Not much stood out to me. For bday he got a sorbet with candle!! Small space Clean toilet Kind servers :) Williamsburg read more

See all

Food: 4/5   Price: 4/5  Service 5/5  Ambiance: 4/5  Bang for your buck: 4/5 Recommendations: Make sure you look at the specials! We got the scallops, and it was to die for. The challah bread is a must get! Would I come back?: Not dying to come back, but it was delicious. Tips: The restaurant isn't as popular, but make sure you get a reservation ahead of time. Review: My boyfriend found this place and what a find. Not sure if I ever heard of a Jewish and Japanese fusion food before, but I'm glad I tried. The whole restaurant is not big at all; I would say a larger group would have a much longer wait. The overall story of the husband and wife is adorable, make sure to go on their website to read it! The Okonomiyaki is a must-have. They put pastrami on top, and its literally melt in your mouth pastrami already on a delicious fried Japanese classic dish. Unlike the other reviews, I actually like duck wings. I would agree you don't taste the duck flavor as much, but the teriyaki on the duck was tangy, savory, and umami. The only dish that was a let down was the matzo ball soup ramen. I already think matzo ball soup is pretty bland and boring, so I was expecting a lot. Sadly, I thought the ramen was bland and didn't have much flavor. The texture of the soup was also off-putting. Overall, it's a great place to take a date and enjoy a great variety of food that combines Jewish and Japanese cuisines. read more

See all

The food was interesting, could have been a tad less expensive, but my issue was something else. My issue was having been told people were waiting for our table while we were still eating dessert! I find this absolutely RUDE considering we had a reservation and there were plenty of other tables. There were 3 tables available outside and many others inside. Clearly the people waiting just wanted the table we were sitting at. We were only at the table 90 minutes at that point and we weren't skimping, we had ordered appetizers, entrees, drinks and dessert !!! WTF read more

Came here for my birthday dinner and it was great. The food was really interesting and delicious. The staff were incredible and super nice. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

My friend and I were promptly seated with our reservations. It's fairly small inside however it didn't feel packed nor was it excessively loud. We both ordered the ramen but also had grilled oysters and the duck wings to share. Everything was great with the standouts being the grilled oysters and duck wings. Service was steller and I'd definitely go back. read more

Amazing food, lovely atmosphere, great service. Definitely a place I will be returning to in the future. Also, the Summer Jew Egg was remarkably good, by far a stand out of the evening. read more

This is one of those compact, new age Brooklyn eateries with a small menu and an abundance of attractive staff that usually stress me out because I don't know how they make enough to pay their bills. Instead of feeling sad wondering if the owners borrowed against their house and what will happen if they close, I'm pleased to report I left Shalom Japan with happier, food-related thoughts of the meal I had enjoyed there on a hot mid-week summer night. Shalom Japan's matzoh ball ramen soup marks a new dawn for Jewish Penicillin with a broth that easily contends as the best in the city, if not the Western world. What lay inside the broth was as carefully curated as the finest plate of sushi, including a thick slice of the moistest roast chicken I think I've ever encountered, save for a Michelin-starred experience many years ago where the chef cooked the bird in a sous-vide. I thought I'd never live that one down, but alas, here we are. And in South Williamsburg to boot. The rest of the menu is an experimental mix of Jewish and Japanese hydrid dishes, none of which feel familiar or sound particularly good to eat. The Jew Egg is a middle-eastern take on the Scotch egg and involves falafel. I stayed clear. If the ramen is anything to go by, the rest of the dishes are worth the leap of faith required, and will hopefully result in similar rewards. This is not the sort of place you take an aging relative who likes diners, or the friend who special-orders plain pasta as a main course. The good news is, like me, you'll leave thinking about the food you just ate and not if the wait staff make any tips from the notoriously cheap hipsters that often fill these little restaurants in Brooklyn. read more

Disappointed. Had recent family get together. Ramen brith was lack luster & they were out of holly bread. . My wife was not haooy.