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    Tensai

    4.3 (59 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

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    TENSAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Niku Udon
    Ethan N.

    food: i got the niku udon. the broth was great and light, id prefer my beef to be a bit sweeter but overall not bad. service: service was very good and consistent, staff refilled my water often and checked in one regularly ambiance: very small shop but perfect for a meal for 1-4 people. very cozy and theres a really small ceiling fan they have which i thought was pretty cute.

    Stacy T.

    The food is very pricey. About $17 for a bowl of udon with 3 pieces of broccoli , 3 pieces of carrots and a sprinkle of leafy vegetables, 3 mushrooms. I am not sure about the quality of the udon. I saw they were coming out of plastic bags. The flavor was ok. The udon with beef was similarly sparse. My 4 year old was able to eat the entire bowl. The mackerel had great flavor but was a very small portion. The octopus with wasabi has good flavor but was also a very small portion. We had to go somewhere else to buy more food, even though we spent close to $70 here. Staff was nice and the meal was quick. The restaurant is very small and barely room to walk through.

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    Risa H.

    Tensai is a small, narrow restaurant for homey udon - perfect for when it's cold out! I do think the prices are a tad high for what you get - the Spicy Cucumber was $9 and it was small / not special. I would've paid for the amount for that. The Niku Kimchi Udon for $20 was decent, but it was exactly what I was craving. Would be back again!

    Ebi Ontama Udon
    Lia C.

    I visit NYC a few times a year and have found myself coming back to this cozy spot a lot on colder days. As most have said it's quite tight inside and little seating but service has always been friendly and fast. The broth and chewy udon noodles always hit the spot. Definitely recommend trying the ube chips as well.

    Chicken Karaage
    Edna L.

    I'm always in the mood for noodle soup but on this particular day, I wanted Udon specifically and this place hit all the right notes! When you enter, this place looks pretty narrow and small but actually has quite a few tables. When we went, there was only 1 other party there and the restaurant never really filled up- but I wouldn't be surprised if it did! We ordered the Karaage to start- it was around 6 pieces for $10. Not bad at all! The spicy mayo was a good pairing. Chicken was juicy, not dry. Had a good crunch to it. Flavor wise is plain unless dipped in the spicy mayo. Solid 3.75 out of 5. We both ended ordering the Ebi Niku Udon. Somehow that's what sounded amazing to us both in that moment. It came with 2 shrimp tempuras and a good heap of beef and onions with a little bit of spinach on the side. Broth was so good and full of beef and dashi flavor! Shrimp Tempura itself would be 3/5 though. Udon itself is a 4.5 out of 5. Perfect amount of chew and was great with the hot broth! Overall bowl of udon 4/5. The 3 staff members working here when we went are kind and friendly. Checked in on us during our meal to make sure everything was okay and that we were enjoying our meal during and after!

    Clarissa L.

    Stopped by after recovering from a cold and was craving something warm and soupy. It's a small restaurant with a handful of tables. We had the karage udon and the ebi Niki udon. The noodles were a good texture and the soup was nice. The protein was a little skimpy, only a few slices of beef and maybe 4 tiny pieces of chicken. They make everything fresh and there was a table that got there right before us service was a little bit slow.

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    Sammi K.

    Tensai means genius, but the food quality is absolutely not meeting the genius standards. If I am paying almost $20 for a udon, I am expecting that rich flavored broth and decent amount of topping. Unfortunately the broth tasted bland and the quality of the beef is meh. The waitress asked us what we wanted to drink without serving the water...... Won't come back again.

    Niku udon
    Lise H.

    Tensai has become one of my favorite udon spots in Midtown East. Nestled on a quieter street, their tempura and udon are light and delicious. The udon soup hits the spot and warms the soul. If you want some spice, make sure to ask for the japanese chili powder (s&b branded ones). Seating is on the smaller side, but service has been prompt and efficient the two weekday nights I dropped by. I'd argue the simplicity and quality of the udon by Tensai outclasses Tsurutontan udon. Tensai is simply genius at its udon and tempura. :)

    Ha An N.

    This is a very cute, small udon place. We came a little before noon on Saturday and had no issues getting a table for 2, but by 12:30 the restaurant was full. There were only 3 staff members, 2 in the kitchen and one server/host but the service was great. Food came quickly and the server was pleasant. The seats were more like stools, so it was a good thing they had a coat area inside by the bathroom. Our takoyaki was very good, 5/5. The udons arrived warm, but not hot. I like my soups server boiling hot so that was a little sad on a cold day. The poached egg was on the raw side, it immediately disintegrated into the soup when poked at. The noodles were pretty soft, and the broth was light and clear. Overall it seems like a nice neighborhood spot.

    Ebi Niku
    Winston L.

    Really nice little shop in the Upper East Side. We were able to make a reservation for 4 for a Saturday dinner. When we got there, there was still a couple of tables open but definitely could be helpful if you come with a larger group. The staff here were super friendly and prompt. I loved the no thrill of Tensai and the simplicity and quality of the dishes. I ordered the Ebi Niku and thought the shrimp tempura was the star as it was fried but not too doughy. The broth was flavorful and the beef was tender. I would definitely return and try some of their other dishes!

    Spicy cucumbers were that spicy and not a lot of flavor. I got the ebi ontama and soup was okay, the tempura was pretty crispy and not oily.

    Ken W.

    Took my mother here as she was visiting for a work trip from the west coast. We were exited to try a highly rated Japanese restaurant within NYC. We each ordered a bowl of udon and a fried calamari appetizer. Unfortunately the food was sub par. Very weak, very un-flavorful broth. Tasted cheap. I felt bad as my mother ate only half her bowl due to the dish being so poor. Not sure if it was just a bad batch of the night but I would not recommend this spot for udon or Japanese food

    I have been here 4x just this week and I'm never disappointed. Small place, great Japanese beer, and Ud

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    1 year ago

    Quiet, cozy, delicious, with fast service. I had the veggie tempura udon and it was excellent.

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    2 years ago

    Service was good. Good vibes. Food was good, but the Udon flavors weren't as strong as I had hoped. I might try something else another day.

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    2 years ago

    Food and service amazing! Tasty Udon, delicious cucumber salad! Great music! Good feels!

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    2 years ago

    amazing service, food and a very positive /welcoming atmosphere! their veggie tempura udon soup never disappoints

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    Dun Huang

    Dun Huang

    4.4
    (394 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I was pleasantly surprised by Dunhuang! It definitely hit the spot on a cold, rainy day. We came by…read moreon a Sunday around 3pm and were seated immediately. The restaurant itself is clean and well lit--a great place to stop by for a good, hearty meal. We ordered the Lanzhou Beef Noodle and Pork Hamburger. I really enjoyed both dishes. The noodles were cooked perfectly, and the beef was delicious. I will say that I wish the broth had more flavor, but it did feel light and clean. The pork hamburger came with a good amount of meat, which I appreciated. It was super juicy and flavorful. The service was quick and attentive, and I felt that the prices were reasonable. All in all, super great meal!

    Was looking for a restaurant nearby since it was pouring outside, and this place turned out to be a…read moregreat find. Came here for dinner on a weekend. The restaurant is near my friend's place. The place was exactly what we were looking for... Inexpensive, cozy and comfortable atmosphere! The place was a little busy, and didn't take reservations, but we were seated immediately. Amazing service and delicious food! The food was fresh and came out fast. Portions are generous, so you definitely won't leave hungry. My favorite dish was the Signature Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup, which was delicious and flavorful, and also gluten free, dairy free and soy free. Others had something else I had no interest in to remember the name. Their menu has many options to offer, including gluten free, soy free, and dairy free options. We would come back again and highly recommend you check out this place if you are in Murray Hill Manhattan. My only complaint was that I noticed a male staff member leave the restroom without flushing the toilet, which took away from an otherwise positive dining experience.

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    Dun Huang
    C1. Fried Eggplant in Garlic Soy Sauce
    C1. Fried Eggplant in Garlic Soy Sauce
    Dun Huang

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    Mi

    Mi

    4.0
    (3 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    Had walked by a few times but a on post gym Trader Joe's run the pictures were enticing enough…read more Got a Lanzhou beef noodle combo with a drink and a lamb burger. The beef soup is clear and light and the noodles have a delightful texture, with a slight chew and good bounce. There's a good portion of braised beef as well. Tender but a bit fatty for my taste, but given the portion it's not going to kill you. Lamb burger ended up as overkill and will be consumed as leftovers but a quick sampling let me know that it's gamey and fatty with strong notes of cumin. Not a bad thing, but something to note for people that might not generally enjoy lamb or cumin. Black pepper beef rice bowl was solid too. Spice wise, you can calibrate accordingly but I'd recommended at least their regular spice level. Decent amount of tenderized but still chewy beef. Both dishes came with a salad of celery, carrot, cucumber, peanuts and seaweed strips in a light sauce. Couldn't quite figure out the sauce but it was lightly tart and refreshing. Space is clean and modern. Neutral wood, well lit. Service is friendly enough. If you dine in, you order at the kiosk and they'll deliver to your table. We had leftovers that they graciously packed up. Solid choice. I hope they stick around as they do bring a different cuisine to the area.

    first time trying chinese halal food and it did not disappoint!…read more had a mix of more common chinese dishes and uyghur dishes. got several of the popular noodle dishes and the bun. all were very flavorful!! service was fast. the portions were a bit smaller than I would've liked but still fairly filling. overall quite good and a good regular spot in murray hill.

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    Mi
    Mi
    Mi

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    Tonchin

    Tonchin

    4.4
    (2.5k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Loved it! The chicken wings are incredible with the perfect crisp on the outside and juicy…read moreunderneath. I loved the classic ramen broth but the spicy tantan is also good. Save room for dessert for the huge shaved ice in all sorts of flavors. We had to wait for our whole party to arrive before we were seated. After that, the service was really fast and helpful. It's not a huge place, they have a mix of small tables, one or two larger tables, some booths and counter seating.

    I made a reservation and arrived 4 minutes early, only to be told to leave because the staff was…read morehaving a meeting. They should have kept the door locked instead of having customers wait outside in 90 degree heat and humidity. I came back to a line but was seated right away. I ordered the Classic Tonkotsu with the chashu rice ball lunch set. The presentation was beautiful, and I liked the fortune card. The bartender/server was friendly, attentive, and provided great service. Unfortunately, the ramen wasn't for me. The broth, ramen, and egg was extremely salty and oily to the point where all I could taste was salt. The chashu was extremely salty. I should have picked some off. The tonkotsu...I couldn't finish it, and it didn't sit well with my stomach. I didn't say anything at the time because I thought maybe it was just me, but after reading more reviews, I realized others had a similar experience. I do want to come back and try a different dish, like the cold noodles or a bun I saw another customer enjoying. For now, it's 2 stars. I'll come back one more time and give a new update.

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    Interior
    Interior
    Chicken Tsukune Bun
    Chicken Tsukune Bun
    Kimchi mushrooms

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    Kimchi mushrooms

    Tensai - japanese - Updated August 2026

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