This is a fun little bar that mainly emphasizes table seating over sitting at a bar. Reservations are recommended but we were able to sit/stand at the bar which was accommodating for our party of 4 Drinks are great as they have a decent variety of sake and some Japanese whiskey, which is why we came here. We ordered the Houou Biden Sake which is a junmai daiginjo which is always a good sake to choose. We ordered some highballs, shishito peppers and fried shrimp wontons. This was good enough for us to keep drinking but have a snack as we go The vibe is great as there is a live DJ that plays old school records which is what attracted us to this place in the first place. Definitely a great place to grab some drinks and listen to some good music while eating/drinking a few Japanese oriented drinks/snacks. read more

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It was pretty weak on both fronts as an omakase and a "record bar"/listening room. This is the lightest omakase I've ever been to in terms of actual fish served - there were only 7 courses and only 2 of these had any actual fish. One of the courses is also a "shared" plate with the person next to you - I just don't get the skimping given the amount that an Omakase is, like the food costs at that point are pretty minimal compared to the bill. 7 courses is also a bit light overall compared to a lot of other omakase restaurants. I came intrigued by the record bar concept - I enjoy other record bar/listening rooms where they have a DJ for the night curating a very intentional sound and vibe. This wasn't that - they simply had a menu of vinyls and asked all the guests to pick out a song each. So it ends up as a glorified touchtunes bar, the selection is limited and since it's just everyone's favorite song picks, it's a little disjointed and top 40 from a few different decades. Last note, the servers were kind of lazy with presenting the pairing options. Just a quick fly-by of "would you like the cocktail, wine, or NA pairing?" Like... you should mention what exactly the pairings are? and what the prices are? It's bad and awkward service to make your customers ask what it costs and what exactly are you even serving with the wines, NA, etc. read more

Are you looking to plan a special night out? Does your partner love pizza but not fancy schmancy restaurants quite as much as you? IF SO, THIS IS THE SPOT FOR YOU! This was the perfect spot for a special date night with my pizza and chipotle loving husband. The seatings aren't too large so the dinner felt intimate, and we snagged bar seats so we got to watch the chef(s) work their magic! If you're into music, even better: they have an amazing selection of records to listen to. read more

I LOVE the vibes here - it's intimate and cozy. The upper floor is where you listen to vinyl records and enjoy drinks and snacks. The lower floor is a vinyl jukebox omakase experience. I tried some drinks at the cocktail bar. The yuzu sour was so good, and the popcorn was a good snack. The bartender was incredibly fast even though he was the only one working! I highly recommend reserving if you want to visit. read more

Tokyo Record Bar - popcorn ao nori - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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The ambiance in here is amazing! It is a super intimate place with fun Japanese music playing with a live DJ. The servers were attentive, friendly, and helpful. While we didn't get any drinks, the food was really good. The sashimi platter was really good, and both the mango sticky rice ice cream and vanilla ice cream were delightful! I would love to come back and grab drinks next time, but overall this was a great vibe and the food hit the spot as well. read more

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So fair warning that they don't serve omakase upstairs but they do downstairs. It's still a vibe though and the drinks were great! Would recommend read more

Tokyo Record Bar - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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Tokyo Record Bar Overall Rating: (3/5 Stars) When you're whisked into the basement of a cocktail bar and walk down the narrowest staircase of your life, you would never expect a cute, cozy restaurant waiting at the bottom. This izakaya-style omakase sets the tone for Japanese food lovers who don't eat sushi but still want that curated experience at a solid price point. 7 Course Tasting Menu & Vinyl Experience $95 (no formal menu) * Course 1: A fried hash brown with fish and roe to start the night is never a bad idea. A fun, savory opener. * Course 2: My favorite course. Delicious, layered, and full of texture. This is exactly what I want in a dish. * Course 3: I am not usually an octopus fan, but this made me regret getting the substitute. The sauce tied everything together perfectly. * Course 3 (Substitution): Hated it. The green beans tasted undercooked, which made the whole dish feel off. * Course 4: I need this again. Shrimp-filled, flavorful, and supported by a sauce that brought everything together. * Course 5: A duck course, yes please. Simple but done right. The sauce elevated the rice, and the duck was melt-in-your-mouth good. Easily tied for my favorite dish. * Course 6: Not for me. I am not a fruit dessert person, so I already knew this wouldn't land. * Course 7: A second dessert that was also ice cream like. I liked this more than the first, but calling them two separate courses felt a bit unnecessary. * Bonus Take Home Course: A surprise pizza slice. As a pizza lover, I was excited, but it was just okay. Nothing special. Service: Not having a menu made it hard to keep up with each course. The explanations were detailed, but without something to reference, it was difficult to remember everything. That said, the experience itself was fun. The staff was warm and engaging, and getting to pick songs on vinyl added a unique touch that made the night memorable. Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions. Please try these restaurants and form your own judgments--it's what I would do. read more

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AMAZING experience. Uni and Mickey made us feel like a millions bucks. Amazing service. The music was perfect and just such a wonderful time. Definitely do the tasting menu downstairs. Was so so so fun! Perfect friend date/romantic date night/birthday dinner. Sit at the counter with Mickey for sure! Will be back! read more

We got reservations here and I was stoked. The Omakase experience was possibly the most amazing thing that I've ever done all the food was delicious and the service was beyond compare. read more

FIVE STARS for the grooviest spot I've been in a while. I love the neighborhood, the coziness, and the experience is so special to get to curate the vibe with the strangers around you. I was invited as a guest in a group so I don't know how the normal process is, but they had a fixed menu and brought gorgeous delights all night. The food was an extraordinary feast for all of my senses. Beautiful presentation, unique dishes, heaven in my mouth. The vibe we created was cool. They have a live DJ that plays records requested by the guests using little cards on the table. I looked at the menu of songs ahead of time and when I got there, I thought I knew what I wanted to play, but since the whole room is curating the playlist I went with the flow and we all had such a blast. When our time downstairs was done, we went upstairs to hang out in a new vibe with a new DJ and new strangers. We partied on with orange wine and I loved the Tutti-Frutti cocktail. read more

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Everything was exquisite The service was top notch and the place is a bit small and tight. They can definitely work on a new design to accommodate better space. The food was an experience. A must try in nycc read more

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Cute service and even cuter idea of music and food. Hipster friendly place and be ready for going down narrow stairs and tight space but amazing experience read more

Such an amazing experience! Food was an omasake style tasting paired with wine, sake, and Japanese whiskey. The dishes were great from unique sushi dishes to duck to dessert and a slice of pizza at the end. Service was fun and attentive. A lovely ambiance and vibe with the two floors, the listening party upstairs and the omasake experience downstairs where you get to choose a record to add to the curated playlist. read more

Tokyo Record Bar - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

One of the best restaurants I've eaten in. Each dish was beautifully presented and described, as well as delicious and unique. Staff and food was exceptional. Music is an added bonus. Can't wait to go back! read more

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I thought this was a really unique experience. The tasting menu is reservation only, and happens downstairs underneath the regular vinyl bar. The food itself is pretty good - not the most groundbreaking tasting menu I've ever had, but also it's hard to beat $85 for 8 courses. I had the vegetarian menu, and my partner had the standard menu. It seems that the standard menu added some fish to many of the dishes, and the broccoli course was replaced with duck. Potato croquette - a nice first bite. Fluffy potatoes and a creamy topping. Very mild in flavor. Rice cracker - super interesting. There's a frozen tomato puree on top of the seaweed, and there's some cherry tomatoes and a cream sauce to accompany. Tons of possible combinations of flavors and textures depending on how you build your own bite. Salad - this was my favorite. It had a nice, bright dressing on the greens. There's a flavorful herb cream on the bottom, and a pistachio pesto with distinct citrus flavor. Really well done. Gnocchi - rich, savory, and pillowy soft, with crispy toppings. This came out as a shared plate. Broccoli - I'd have preferred seitan here, but the satay sauce was pretty flavorful. The rice on the side also had perfect texture. Sorbet - really good, with salted coconut and fresh mango flavors. Kind of reminiscent of mango sticky rice. Chocolate ice cream - kind of blew my mind. The chocolate had a pretty fruity taste to it, which is pretty uncommon in ice cream. The crispy rice added some nice textural variation as well. For a drink, I had the square root, which is a whiskey based cocktail that comes with a square of hojicha chocolate from Kettl. The cocktail was just fine, but the chocolate was great. They also sent us home with a slice of pizza. The crust was pretty bready, so it's definitely more of a home style kind of slice. Nothing remarkable there, though they did add a candle for anyone celebrating a birthday. The most unique part of the experience is that the diners create the playlist for the night, by writing down records they want to hear on a chopstick wrapper and dropping that off with the DJ. The wait staff and the DJ both seemed pretty energetic and in to the experience, which made things fun. read more

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We had been dying to try this place for years and finally got a reservation. The whole experience is so fun and the restaurant/ bar have a nice hole-in-the-wall vibe. We got to sit at the bar and watch the chefs work, they were so nice and personable. The food was absolutely delicious! read more

A hard to get reservation but we snagged one. Sat downstairs at the bar next to the record player. Up close view of the food being prepared and the vinyls being switched out. Seating is about 15 to 20 and everyone chooses a song from a preselected list. Everyone had great taste and the dj did the mashup just perfectly. I lost count but I believe there were about 7 different courses. Each one more inventive than the other. Not a lot to say here. The evening hinges a lot on you and the crowd so your outing will be different than mine but no less awesome. This place is pure vibez...really dope experience. Can't wait to go back read more

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Cool basement tasting menu with a soundtrack that all the diners help contribute to. The concept is fun, but in practice, it's okay. The food is very good and creative. A lot of fresh ingredients and nut creams made for a refreshing yet filling meal. My favorite was an early dish which was crudo with, I believe, a jalapeño sorbet and cashew cream. I didn't love the cocktails as they were all very alcohol forward, and I don't think they paired well with any of the dishes. I'll probably get sake next time. read more

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Needed a really cool birthday dinner spot and I truly found the perfect place for it. Let me start off by saying the energy in here is truly unmatched. A Japanese tasting menu restaurant that exclusively plays music on vinyl records!! At the start they had everyone choose one song from their catalogue so they played everyone's music tastes throughout the night, how cute!! My song of choice: Dreams by The Cranberries While seating, they have some spicy popcorn and cucumber salad as small bites as you wait for everyone to arrive. I made sure to sit at the bar to watch the chef prepare each dish! I also ordered a glass of their Yamadanishiki Sake as suggested by their Kikisake-shi (Sake Sommelier) and it was delicious throughout the meal. First course: Japanese Cold Noodle in a Pork Broth. Ive never had cold noodles but what a refreshing dish despite being savory / salty! A great start to the meal especially in this summer heat. Noodles well cooked, broth very concentrated and flavorful, great textures with all the remaining ingredients. Second course: DIY Sushi Hand Rolls with Rice, Shrimp, Avocado, and Roe. A Japanese staple, cannot go wrong with a classic shrimp and avocado sushi! Third course: Balsamic Braised Pork with Watermelon, Sour Pickle, and Feta Cheese. Favorite dish of the night, incredible! Unbelievably tender meat, and pairing that with sweet juicy watermelon was perfection y'all like I could have all 7 of my courses be just this one dish omgggg. Fourth course: Fennel and Onion Purée with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Cilantro. The colors and plating of this one is like a painting, so beautiful!!! Fifth course: Soy Marinated Wagyu Beef Short Rib with Heirloom Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, and Potato Purée. One bite two bite three bite four, all I can think is I want more! Hope y'all enjoyed that rhyme I just came up with. Anyways yes this was so good and putting all the ingredients into one bite was like mmm mmm mmm yum. Sixth course: Kabosu Citrus Cheesecake with Pretzels, Strawberries, a Salty Whipped Cream, and Balsamic. Hello all of the flavors melting on my tongue wow. I'm now a kabosu stan ive never heard of this fruit before and I need to go to japan to try it. Seventh (bonus) course: they send you home with a slice of pizza to go! HOW CUTEEEEE. Chef was like lol the stereotype of a tasting menu is that all the portions are so small so to make sure you don't go home hungry everyone gets pizza to go. I LOOOOVE THAT!!!! And they put a candle in mine for my birthday :') The food, the ambiance, the music, everything was amazing and I won't forget this spot. Their menu changes weekly so I will DEFINITELY be back!!! read more

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Tokyo Record Bar is such a fun, out of the normal dinner experience in NYC that I would highly recommend, especially if you are someone who is interested in vinyls and classics. One thing to note is that I wouldn't come to the dinner with the expectations that you will be getting authentic Japanese meal. I would rate the experience with 5 stars, but the food is more 3-4 stars, hence why I am rating it overall 4 stars. The seats are first come first serve so if you would like to choose your preferred spot in the room, arrive early. I think the best spot is sitting by the bar area next to the record player. They offer snacking popcorn and pickled cucumbers as a sides right when you walk in. Dinner is a pre fixed menu that isn't published anywhere online and seems like they change depending on the season. The food items were all okay, but nothing stood out to be besides their risotto duck. The one menu item that seems to be a constant is the pizza at the end which was actually my favorite because of how fluffy the dough was. Overall, I really enjoyed my dinner experience here! If you are interested, I would recommend planning ahead and making a reservation because they have limited spaces for dinner. read more

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This is a quintessential New York City experience. Reservations are required if you want to be seated for their dinner. Get there early so you can spend some time at the upstairs bar. You walk in to the entrance for The Listening Room. Vinyl will be spinning at the bar when you arrive. The bartender, albeit he is new, was a seasoned veteran and knew how to connect with you and make you feel welcomed and comfortable. The staff love to chat. They have McIntosh audio equipment upstairs AND downstairs. I was blown away. There is limited seating, so reservations are necessary if you plan to have dinner. The host was incredibly accommodating. The food is served Izakaya style - like Japanese tapas. I got the sake pairing. When asking more details about the sake from the host, Tony, he went and researched all the sake before coming back for the next pour. Above and beyond my expectations. Don't miss this place and remember to tip well. read more

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I'm not sure if I will ever shut up about how great of an evening Tokyo Record Bar was! It's a small dining experience where the menu regularly changes, and everyone gets to select a song to play on a record player! I absolutely loved the vibe of the place since the second we walked in. We had spicy popcorn and a vinegar cucumber dish waiting for us when we sat down - both of which were so good! Favorite dishes on the menu include the hamachi hand roll, pork with pickled daikon and collard greens, black sesame cheesecake, and of course the pizza! Also huge shout out to Chef Sean! We sat at the counter and he kept the vibes fun all night. P.S. Chef Sean, if you're reading this - Nicole thinks you're hot read more

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Got this reservation for Friday night at 8:15pm. Make sure you make the res at 10am, 10 days before the day you want to dine! We were seated a few minutes before 8:15 and its basically first come first serve. We got a table seat which was nice, its a really small space so the earlier you come, the better chance you have of getting a good seat. When seated, we are given chopsticks and told to pick a song off of a list. Each guest picks a song that becomes the playlist for the evening! We are greeted at the table with some cucumber salad and popcorn. Soon after we are served our first official course! I think it was a great experience and we enjoyed every course we received! My only gripe is that it was $85/person no matter what. Which means my vegetarian meal was also $85 which to me seems a bit unfair given my partner was given loads of meat while I was given all plant based items. That being said, I did thoroughly enjoy every item I was served. Overall, this is a great place for a date night or a dinner with a friend! read more

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walked in for a pre dinner drink and stood around at the bar just to be ignored. Finally I asked the bartender if she was making drinks and she responded that she was not unless you were eating at the establishment? Very unfortunate. read more

Honestly, if you want an incredible experience for dinner. This is the place. You have to get a reservation as they only serve about 16 or so people inside this place. The service is outstanding. The actual spot itself is so cute. All of the courses were FIRE. I'm talking flat out incredible. It is going to be pricey so be ready to spend some money. You get what you pay for. If you're still hungry you can hop across the street and grab a $6 slice of pizza so it's not all bad. Regardless, I'm loving this place. They give you great recommendations for drinks and the music is so fun. I'm so impressed with this place I'm surprised someone could rate it less than a four. Go in and enjoy. Cheers! read more

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The prix fixe menu here was just incredible. Every dish was delicious (my favorite was the Katsu fried chicken), and they accommodated so many types of dietary restrictions - vegetarian, shellfish allergies, etc.! These accommodations also included a gluten free selection of items, although they didn't even need to make many modifications. Some of the dishes included oysters, salmon, rice and noodle dishes, and the fried Katsu chicken (breaded with rice flour). They ended with some pizza for the group to-go but very kindly made me some tater tots with a delicious curry sauce. The little dessert dish of custard (chestnuts, tahini flavors - so good) even had gluten free pretzels on top! We sat at the bar area right in front of one of the chefs and got to talk with some of the guys in the kitchen. Everyone was so friendly, explained what was in each dish, and drink service was fantastic and consistent the entire time. Last but not least, the bonus here is getting to choose a record for them to play during your seating! Such a fun night from start to finish. Will definitely return next time I'm in town. read more

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This place is perfect for a fun date, it is a little bit loud loud so I do not suggest coming with more than one other person because you likely won't be able to all talk to each other. This was not your average dinner. It was more of an experience. It starts off with everybody, choosing one song to be played during your meal and rounds of complementary sake. The food was not amazing, but the service and ambience and how fun the experience was makes this place a vibe. read more

Tokyo Record Bar - Ceiling - Izakaya Near Me - New York, New York

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GET THERE EARLY AND SIT AT THE CHEFS BAR. We got 5 dinner, 2 dessert, 1 munchie snack plates. Had two drinks, one whiskey and one off the menu. The chef and sous chef(s) were excellent. You get a completely different experience sitting where the food is prepared. It's small but I'm 6' 220lbs and was fine and not claustrophobic how some other suggest. (I was in a corner also). Would recommend 10/10. read more

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I have consistently had excellent experiences here and am sorry to see the negative reviews. Perhaps some don't understand the full concept this eclectic spot. It is a tasting menu, you never know what you'll be having until it arrives to your table -- how fun! Each course was a fresh combination of ingredients that left you wanting more. It's an intimate space and everyone is served the same course together. It feels like you're at a big dinner party with strangers, everyone was chatting across tables and guessing who requested which album. The service was so good especially when they are juggling so much to ensure it's well timed without rushing you. Will definitely be bringing friends back here! Update: adding photos from an additional visit to represent the variety. read more

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Was visiting NYC and on our last night here stumbled across it. The employees were so nice and let us in despite it being so late. We ordered some sake and enjoyed the ambiance/music they were playing. 10/10 such a cool little hidden spot. read more

We came for the izakaya menu downstairs. I can't believe how low quality everything was for how much we paid. I knew it wouldn't be top notch for the price point, but I still expected the dishes to be better than they were. Also, they sat us in the corner with an AC unit right next to my boyfriends head. Since we were in the corner we didn't get as much service as anyone else in the room. It took like 20 minutes to get someone's attention to order drinks and then another 20 for them to arrive. Pretty crazy for how much hype this place has. Most of the reason I gave a 2 was due to the service and where we were sat. You're sat randomly and it's crazy that the two seats next to the AC unit are even considered seats. It was uncomfortable. Also, not having drinks until 40 minutes into a 1.5 hour experience sucked. read more

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Entering through a nondescript door, Tokyo Record Bar at first seems chic and modern until you descend down the steps leading to a more 'underground' experience. Staff and service is friendly and cheerful, introducing themselves at the start of the meal for their 6PM and 8PM services. Still, once you settle down at one of the tiny, cramped tables (understandable, given the lack of space) you start to wonder what you've gotten yourself into. Most tables are two-tops, with one space available to accommodate larger groups up to 6, and there are two tables facing walls which we recommend avoiding at all costs. It's a 'seat yourself' situation so arriving earlier will help guarantee a better spot. We sat down at the bar near the speakers and were simultaneously blasted by both hot and cold air (there's a lot of radiant heat being downstairs which they attempt to remedy with a variety of fans and ACs). While a cool concept (picking your own vinyl record to play) none of the food or styles felt inspired and I was curious what, if any, Tokyo references or themes were incorporated outside of sake. Most of the food was a bit bland or one-note (the beef rice bowl was a bit salty, while other items lacked depth) and their complimentary pizza at the end was pretty rough. Overall, a very cool and unique date spot that shines more as an Instagram spot than a fine-dining experience. You get your $20 deposit back in the form of a credit for your $75/p.p. tasting menu. read more

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Was simply amazing! You have to be on time as seating starts exactly at the time of the reservation. You get to pick which song they play - get to pick one song from a list. Food was simply perfect! They asked about dietary restrictions earlier in the day. The food ranged from fish to red meat. They gave us a slice of pizza they made at the end in case we were still hungry (they do that for all customers). Highly highly recommend! read more

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Got a reservation the day before and came for the 6:00 pm seating on a Friday. They let you pick a table or bar spot (also depends on size of your party). You then choose a record from the vinyl list, and it's a 7-course pre-fixe for $75/person (I visited in January 2024). Food was eh, but service was great. If you are thinking "$75 sounds like a suspiciously great deal in this economy," know that the food is priced appropriately. Meaning, it was merely fine. If you're looking at experiences like this one, I would recommend Sushi on Me over TRB - the food is different, but definitely better, and you get that "dinner theater" vibe. 3.5 stars. read more

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Incentive and yummy dishes! Vibes were immaculate, as was the music and interior design. Friendly and busy staff read more

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I LOVED this concept. At first I was intrigued, but a little wary about the whole communal offerings towards the playlist. After all, what if everyone had vastly different taste in music? Would it be weird if the majority of the people dining were from a different generation? Well either everyone strangely just had great taste in music or Tokyo Record Bar did an amazing job of curating a master list that appeals to just about everyone. Really fun atmosphere and a great night out. Food was good, but the star of the night for me was the takeout pizza which was an odd but delectable focaccia/pizza hybrid. read more

Super fun restaurant and music scene. If you want to have an intimate get together or occasion, you'll find it here. Our 7 course meal was shared and served family style between me and my partner. They take great care in making sure accommodations are made for those with food allergies. We aren't drinkers, but they made sure we still had non-alcoholic bubbly. The food was delicious, the music divine, the company incredible, and the staff was extremely gregarious and friendly. They made our anniversary perfect. They also tacked up my partner's Wolverine cosplay trading card proudly on their money wall. read more

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We had a lovely time listening at the Tokyo record bar! We went for the tasting and it was a fantastic experience! The chef Fernando was enthusiastic engaging and prepared a culinary extravaganza of flavors! We sat in front at the bar - it's the best seat in house. The turntable is there too spinning with the selections. Try it out. read more

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Always goood Vinyl spinning, great drinks and nice interior w the feel of being in a record studio lounge. Djs mix it up nice. It's a whole vibe check it out. read more

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Really fun atmosphere and ambiance. This 20 seater restaurant is under Air's Champagne Parlor. Guests pick a song from an extensive vinyl collection and those songs are played throughout dinner. Service is excellent; very attentive staff. I was served: udon noodles in dashi broth, shrimp toast, pork belly with nectarines, peaches and fennel, winter melon and cucumber salad (refreshing and served as a palate cleanser), kobe beef with mushrooms, some sort of berry dessert and...a slice of pizza. Highly recommend the sake pairing. One of our carafes was a sake that wasn't on the list and it was my favorite out of the 3 that we had. read more

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