This place was surprisingly good considering it was 30 minutes right before the restaurant was about to close. We ordered a bunch of dishes including the wasabi shumai, corn tempura, pork katsu, chef's choice five skewers, and fried chicken. Everything tasted very good and we were stuffed. The born tempura was something that I never had before. The fried chicken portion was huge. read more

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I came here on a whim for lunch and very happy I did. The lunch menu had a lot of options available. The employees were very attentive and the service was quick. The food was light and left you feeling satisfied. I had the salmon teriyaki lunch special. read more

Wakuwaku - Salmon Teriyaki Bento - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

We really enjoyed the Chef's Choice Yakitori, every piece made us dance a little in joy. They were perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked, and the flavors were delicious. We highly recommend getting the Yakitori here!! We were less impressed with the Washugyu steak. It seemed like just a regular steak- not especially soft, tender, or marbled as we had expected for the cost. It also came almost fully cooked, to our surprise, and putting it on the grill felt like we were just reheating it at the table. In terms of spacing, the restaurant is very well socially distanced with glass panels in between if you're in the more open area. We were seated by the bar and we basically had the whole area to ourselves. read more

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Came here for lunch at 12 on a Wednesday. The waiter was polite and friendly . Explained to us they have a staffing shortage and that's why there's no bar tender and no drinks yet. Food was delicious. The sashimi platter was small but fresh. Will definitely eat here again in the future ! read more

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I have had low expectations for the restaurants in industry city ever since visiting the Hometown BBQ there's. On this particular day, my bf and I were looking for something a little more upscale so decided to give Waku Waku a try. I was in the mood for izakaya bites and decided to get their seared scallop yakiniku as an app. It's a must try, with some standout smoky, sinewy scallop meat. I had the Salmon Ikura mini donburi and was expecting the salmon to be marinated. To my suprise, the salmon lacked any marinade and was half cooked. The half cooking ruined the fish for me but dipping it into soy sauce made it more enjoyable. Not a bad experience, but nothing special or noteworthy. It's a cute restaurant with a traditional izakaya interior and mediocre food. read more

Wakuwaku - Salmon Ikura Mini Donburi Bowl - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I've been meaning to try this place despite the mediocre reviews here. The sushi place that I usually go to was packed so came here instead. There were a lot of people here on a Saturday afternoon which seemed promising but I was wrong. We ordered a bunch of yakitori, fried fish bones, seafood tempura, pressed salmon sushi, daikon radish salad. The yakitori was lukewarm and there was no charred flavor to any of the skewers. The chicken skin skewer was fried too much that it stuck to the stick and we couldn't eat any of it. The other skewers (beef and okra, duck) were average at best. The daikon radish salad was really good and refreshing and the only dish we enjoyed. Seafood tempura was not good, batter was soggy, shrimp overcooked and it was lukewarm when we got it. Pressed salmon sushi was a letdown as well, salmon was not fresh and rice was mushy. The worst was the fried fish bones which was advertised as being crispy like rice crackers which they absolutely were not! It was so hard I almost hurt myself biting into it. The fried items here are terrible and everything else is below average. The service was friendly and nice but the food was just not good. I would not come back again. read more

Came here as two hungry people and ordered a few things. Tl;Dr: get the corn tempura, gyu maki (beef wrapped with mochi rice), marinated cucumbers and chef choice skewers. Food came out fast and we almost ran out of space in the table for food. The chefs choice came with cartilage, shrimp, shishito peppers, scallops and mushroom. Appetizers: we ordered the corn tempura, gyu maki (beef wrapped mochi rice), sakamushi clams, crispy garlic potatoes and marinated cucumbers Corn tempura: it was fluffy and crunchy. Sucker for corn so this hit the spot but the matcha salt was a tad bit too salty. Gyu Maki: soy beef wrapped mochi rice wasn't as chewy as I hope for mochi rice but this dish really hit the spot! The beef was flavorful and sweet. The rice was a slight bit too soggy but still good. Sakamushi clams: couldn't taste the sake, and it was very mediocre. Crispy garlic potatoes: very filling and the potatoes resembles home fries that paired well with the spicy cod. Marinated cucumbers: this was probably my fave dish out of everything because it was just perfect. Tasty and refreshing. It's like msg coated cucumbers but better. read more

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Yuck. All of my food had a weird aftertaste, and this place is terrible for vegetarians. Most of the dishes with vegetables are not vegetarian, so I ordered a skewer of shishito peppers to have something before my "entree.". It had three peppers on it, for $3. Then, my tofu teriyaki was just three cubes of tofu with bottled teriyaki sauce, a single, lukewarm piece of carrot, and a small piece of broccoli, also lukewarm. I have had better and cheaper food well, anywhere? I left feeling really cheated and disappointed, especially after schlepping so far for something so mediocre. Avoid. read more

One August day, I ventured into Wakuwaku on a Thursday afternoon with my boyfriend. It is a hidden delight. Having just had breakfast not too long ago, him and I ordered something light + a drink each. The Kushiage, chef's choice was delicious. We had the vegetarian option of deep-fried skewered vegetables. where we had fried quail eggs, scallions, mushrooms, cheese, and my favorite, avocado (the most curious of them all). There is seating at the entrance of the "Oldies" entrance but also seating in the courtyard within Industry City. Because of the time and day, slower business, we were able to speak with the manager and she was incredible. I wish them the best during these hard times! read more

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I came here for lunch right when they opened at noon. Our experience was quite disappointing to begin with, as several items we tried to ask for, they said the kitchen was "still working on," so we couldn't order it. Maybe you would have better luck for dinner once they've had more time, but I feel like a restaurant should be prepared to serve folks at lunch time. Maybe that explains why we were also the only patrons at a prime time. On to the food we actually could get. We ordered the chicken heart, beef tongue, wagyu and shishito pepper, squid legs, and pork gyoza. The skewers and gyoza were all good but nothing better than average, except for the beef tongue which was tough and not enjoyable. The ambiance of the restaurant was also strange. The Japanese decor was very charming, but the vibe was ruined by them playing mismatched 1950s music overhead and the kitchen blasting Latin jams. Overall, I was really excited to try another izakaya spot, but would not return or recommend. read more

Wakuwaku - the interior of a restaurant - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I came here on a Sunday for lunch and was able to be seated right away. This is located in Industry City so there are also a lot of food options nearby! The ordering method is quite simple: you order your food by scanning a bar code and are taken to a website where you add the items to cart and pay right away. Personally, I thought the process was fast and simple, but perhaps others may not prefer this. Since it was quite empty, the meals came very fast. I would say that the meals were more or less what I expected regarding the taste, but nothing made me think "wow, this is spectacular." I ordered the Unaju (eel over rice), but I felt a few items my friend ordered could have had more flavour to it. I'd say this is a restaurant you could stop by and try if you're craving a nicer sit-down Japanese restaurant. Items are quite limited on the menu. read more

Wakuwaku - Tsukemono - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Love the spacious Edo-style outdoor dining space which is a huge structure with heating that protects from the elements. Service was great, everyone was super friendly and welcoming. Loved the potato salad, skewers (chicken heart and gizzard were my faves), chawanmushi, and karaage! We also tried the clams, grilled squid, pork katsu, marinated cucumbers, tail and cartilage skewers, scallop and tsukune skewers. These were ok. Will definitely be back! read more

Wakuwaku - Spacious Edo-style outdoor dining structure - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Food was fresh! I loved the chirashi don! Will definitely go back. Wait staff was attentive and checked on us often. Atmosphere reminded me of Japan. read more

This is a big izakaya restaurant next to Japan village. It offers covered outdoor seating and indoor. I had beef teriyaki, chef selection of yakitori, chef selection of kushi-age, fried jack mackerel, crunch, cabbage for food and yuzu-hoji hot toddy, mulled sake for alcohol. Overall experience was good, service was great, and drinks were great! The fried jack mackerel was the best out of the ones that I've tasted from the restaurant. The food overall was OK and can use improvements, that's the reason behind the 3 stars. read more

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Came in on Saturday for a small lunch before heading to the other spots in Industry City for more snacks. No reservation around 2:00 and was able to walk in and grab a table for 2. We got some yakitori to nibble on: Tsukuni w/ egg yolk, chicken, pork belly, beff, hotate scallop and enoki mushrooms. Everything was tasty but not very flavored as I'm used to at other yakitori spots. They were also promoting some shochu so we had two glasses which was lovely! Tasted extremely clean. Fun spot in IC and can't wait to visit again. read more

Nice menu selection, decent decor, affordable. Definitely recommended for those days when you are craving Japanese food. Doesn't appear to have rolls of any type but a decent sashimi selection. read more

Wakuwaku - Tuna bowl was just what I needed - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I am in Industry City pretty often and can't believe I just found out about Wakuwaku! My boyfriend and I were looking for a place to eat and stumbled about the outdoor dining area. It was pretty cold that day and thank goodness indoor dining was reopened so we had the option to sit inside. We ordered: Corn Tempura ($7.00): very cool concept and I never had corn like this before! Overall, I thought this was OKAY as the flavor was a bit bland but it does pair very well with the matcha salt that comes with this. Geso Karaage ($8.00): fried squid legs with Japanese QP mayo. If you're a squid kind of person, I would recommend this! Portion was big and it was delicious! Unaju bento ($21.00): this was the eel over rice bento. This was good but I thought it was a little too fishy for my liking. Skewers: we got the Ebi (10/10), Scallop (10/10), and Pork Belly (7/10). We came on Valentine's Day and they had a special where everyone in your party gets a complimentary cotton candy! We of course got two and it was so good! Overall, we both really enjoyed our meal here. Service was really good too. I highly recommend if you're around the area! COVID-related: -all tables were at least 6 feet apart with acrylic barriers in between -all employees wore a mask and gloves -temperature checks prior to being seated -QR code menu + ordering is through your phone (pretty cool) read more

They have a variety of menu here and It is cheaper than other Izakaya. I'm going to visit again :) read more

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My party and I dined here back in October and I wish they have ethanol heaters outdoor. The weather is getting cold and I am not confidence enough to try indoor dinning anytime soon. They have a simple outdoor setup; plastic chair/desk for larger parties and tent. I hope they could add more elements to enhance the ambience. It would be great if they could add some partitions between the sidewalk and dinning areas. We ordered Chef's Choice Yakitori, Scallop Skewers, Pork Katsu Cutlet Bento, Fried Chicken Karaage Benton and Unaju Bento. I enjoyed my scallop skewers so much that I will definitely order this again. Their fried chicken karaage is also great; the chicken is juicy and flavorful. My pork katsu is dry but acceptable. Unaju bento is alright, nothing to write home about. I can't remember exactly how the yakitori tastes but they came out cold. They also came after we finished our entrees. read more

Wakuwaku - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This spot is in a cool Japanese market place and the food was good for some quick lunch, not overpriced and cooked well. The service was good also no complaints about that, I will come back with a party to sit traditionally in one of their private rooms. read more

You had me at $3 pork belly yakitori. Wakuwaku is a sit down restaurant in the Japanese village of Industry City. While other eateries within the village are more confined within it, Wakuwaku has its own entrance, space, bar, and restrooms. I had it on my radar for a bit and glad I finally hit it up. It came hungry and it did not disappoint. I got a wide array of stuff, some excellent, some I'd skip again. The main thing is everything is so well priced. Some more than others. Started with the potato salad and cheese wontons. Potato salad wasn't anything special, but the cheese wontons were solid. The potato salad, even at $4 I'm not sure I'd get again, but the amount of cheese wontons you get for $6 is a steal. We got the pork goyza for $8. Probably would skip again. They were good, but nothing special. The stars of the show were the previously mentioned, $3 pork belly yakitori and the Ika Murayaki. The pork belly yakitori came with four juicy pieces on a skewer, it can't be beat. Ika Murayaki is a whole grilled squid in a yakitori sauce. Wow! It was phenomenal and at $11 it's a no brainer. The drinks are where the business makes its money. They're more on par with other Brooklyn restaurants, so don't expect any deals there. Still, they're well made cocktails, good foreign beers, and a nice selection of sake. If you're visiting industry city, Wakuwaku is definitely a must try. read more

Food was good. We tried a few skewers , spring rolls which were my favorite ( had mushrooms inside). The shrimp broccoli was good. Order it with rice. We didn't like the wasabi pork shumai- some bits had way too much wasabi. Our waiter was cool and gave us great recs. Good selection of Japanese beers. Not to mention inside seating was nicely decorated. read more

This is good place to have friends and family, the food and the service was fantastic we had great experience , the food taste and as wow indeed good love to come back again and sont need to go anywhere else its right by our neighborhood, the chef did great job on food and services was great read more

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I came here with a group of 4 people on a Sunday afternoon for a friend's birthday. I booked a tatami room on Resy. They actually have a few tatami rooms which were so nice. They're very comfortable and you have to take off your shoes before entering. It's very private and you're not bothered by surrounding tables. Also, it's very convenient to order food and drinks from your phone. The food was average at best though. We ordered the gyoza (pork dumplings), the edamame, wasabi tako (raw octopus), corn tempura with matcha salt, geso kaarage (fried squid), cheese kushiage (deep fried) yakitori, chef's choice yakitori set, the kushiage (deep fried) yakitori set, bacon enoki yakitori, and two pitchers of beer. Hot tea was unlimited and complimentary which was a plus. The best dishes were the edamame and the chef's choice yakitori set. The edamame was nicely charred and the grilled yakitori had a great smoky taste. The gyoza had a skirt but was not crispy. The deep fried dishes were all average at best. The deep fried yakitori were not fried very well since the breading came off. The corn tempura looked pretty but did not taste any matcha in the matcha salt. The prices were not bad though and the ambiance was great. I would come back if I have a group for a tatami room but not for just two people. read more

Food was very good, excellent service. I would recommend it to try and hang in this area in industry city. Price was very reasonable and perfect for sharing small plates. read more

Wakuwaku - Be adventurous - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Came in to eat dinner on 4/8. The interior decor of the restaurant is pretty good which prompted us to eat there. I would like to first start of with food. We got a chef's choice of skewers and can't believe how disappointing the 'choices' were. I tried asking what are in the chef choice but got laughed at and told that as stated on menu it's the chefs choice leaving us taking the risk what's in it. Then we also ordered udon with shrimp tempura that came in very soggy and the taste of the broth was mediocre. The entire time we were sitting we felt like we were on a constant rush and not sure if it was because it's closing time but we notice that customers are still being seated so it was weird to be rushed like that. Overall place decor is good but the food are mediocre. Service could use a little bit more of having patience. read more

Wakuwaku - Nabeyaki Udon Tempura - Izakaya Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Mediocre food. Terrible service, not just my table but other tables as well. Appetizers should come first. Dishes shouldn't be spaced 40 minutes apart. Having worked in a kitchen before, timing dishes is just standard. An online system shouldn't mean that the wait staff just brings out the food and ignores the table. Your app still defaults to a minimum of an 18% tip... read more

Okay, I was SO EXCITED to learn an Izakaya-style place had opened up near me! So, my first opportunity, of course I HAD to go! I went on a Thursday, and although a good number of tables were taken (seating in the IC 3/4 courtyard behind Japan Village) there was still (socially distanced!) room for more people! I started things off with the lemon sour drink special- soju, soda, and a lemon half to squeeze and put in your drink. It was delicious! Tart and refreshing, just what I needed after today! I got the marinated cucumbers and corn tempura with it. The cucumbers came first. They were also a very refreshing, light app that I'd definitely get again. Not overly marinated, but just enough to add interest and some savory/sweet flavor. Do you all have a mental picture of corn tempura? Good! Neither did I when I ordered it! What came was like a fried cake of sweet corn kernels held together by a web of tempura batter. I was concerned about chopstick etiquette here, but I was actually easily able to get reasonable pieces off and dip them (lightly) in the matcha salt without any catastrophic happenings. Then I ordered the homemade orangina. I love the soda- LOVE- but I can't have it anymore because it has grapefruit in it. This version didn't! And it tasted better than the bottled stuff! Hope they keep it because I'll be coming back for it for sure! The avocado karaage was maybe one dish too many for my small stomach for this adventure. Again, few/no expectations of what a fried avocado looks like/is presented as- this was a large chunk of about 1/4 of a fruit (yes they're technically a fruit) fried with Panko and served with a sweet (hoisin? No... wrong flavor notes... anyways, sweet) sauce. This was where I eventually gave up on chopsticks and held it in my hand and took bites. Maybe my least favorite dish, but probably because I'm not a member of the avo cult. (I'm not one to sit down and just eat a naked avocado on the regular like some people do.) Would get the shishito peppers next time. I also hope they bring non-breaded skewers at some point! And a veggie tempura mix! I'd LOVE both of those! I closed the meal off with the way, in my opinion, every meal should end. With cotton candy of course! I got grape. This ended up being a race against time and 98% humidity as it was about to rain. (It actually reminded me of a time in an amusement park when I was like 6!) This proved no match for me though- I inhaled the stuff! Definitely going to get it every visit! So happy with my meal, and so glad to welcome this new business to the neighborhood! You'll definitely be seeing more of me! read more

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Had a surprise birthday here and could not have been more happy! The food, service and atmosphere was truly a 10/10' experience. For a party of seven, ordering was easy and collaborative which made it more fun! Food comes out as you submit the order, so if you do want more as your eating you can do that! We had so many different things that were all really good but some that stick out are the black cod miso, eel over rice, lamb chop, hot pot & panko fried skewers. The drink menu here is also really fun taking some classics and re-designing them with Japanese liquors. The dining areas are semi-private but there is also a bar you can sit at as well. I will definitely be back to try more things on the menu. read more

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Not that good at all. The price on the menu seemed decent but you get what you pay for. The ramen noodles were over cooked. Some of the yakitori wasn't even cooked thoroughly and wasn't even hot. Waiters prioritize paid drinks first(which came out immediately after ordering) even thought we asked for a glass of water several times to two different waiters, one we had to ask again after several more minutes. I don't think I'd trust this place enough to try anything raw. The space overall seems dingy. read more

I loved wakuwaku in industry city! Came in early December to celebrate a birthday. It was 6 of us at early evening and we had no reservation. We had our Covid cards checked and were led to our table. The table was set into a platform so it feels like you're dining on the floor (but much more comfortable). The decor is nice, our table was surrounded by slats of wood which made it feel like a small private room. We ordered: pork katsu, salmon teriyaki, seafood tempura, pork gyoza, mixed sashimi, salmon donburi, chefs choice yakitori, chefs choice skewers, fried squid and grilled squid. No complaints from my entire family! Even my 8yo nephew cleaned his plate! So the food was flavorful and came directly from the kitchen as it was made. It was super fresh. For dessert we had mochi ice cream and cotton candy. Delicious, I'll be back! read more

Food and service were exceptional. Would definitely recommend to anyone with a large gathering of friends. I could easily spend hours here.

This was the worst experience that I've ever had in a restaurant. Starting with the young woman in the front, giving attitude to my sisters when they tried to get a table, to the head waiter sitting us, a party of 5, on a 4 top. Please understand If the young woman had told us which table to sit on, we wouldn't have had such an issue. Unfortunately she didn't so we grabbed a table. As we were explaining the situation to the head waiter, he just seemed anxious to get us out of there. Unfortunately we had already placed our order through the app, so we couldn't walk out, which is what I wanted to do. The food came, and we had no utensils nor water. We had to ask for the utensils. Food was nothing to write home about. Needles to say, will never go back. The 1 star is simply for the ability to post this! read more

Came in close to 4 pm. The place is half empty. I was told there's no table. No sure I really believe the guy that all those empty tables and seats are on hold with reservations. I walked around and came back at 4:40 pm. A different person came to help me. He was able to get me a seat at the bar. Service was night and day. read more

First off let me tell you the place is visually stunning and the staff is very friendly. You have to make reservations to have a nice fast entry. We were sat in a private room which was an excellent plus. Ambiance alone would give this place a 5 star but the food just didn't hit with me. First off is you serve small portions you have to have some sort of flavor on your food. Second prices need to reflect portion size or taste. Of all the dishes the corn tempura was the best I tasted out of all the food I ate. Everything else could have been served out of a street vendor for cheaper or made at home with more flavor. Besides all of this the staff was friendly and fun and very attentive to our needs. Again if you are looking for a beautiful place to eat this is up there but if you want flavor and slightly bigger portions for your money this is not the place. read more

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Five stars for the private tatami indoor seating area. We had a great family dinner with a large selection of dishes. Everything was delicious. Thanks to Amanda for great communication to confirm our reservation. read more

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Good food, okay service. Corn tempura is (surprisingly) really good. Skewers are nicely grilled. Beef tataki could be a little thinner so its easier to chew. Agedashi tofu is perfect. Some of the staff do their best while some others are visibly incompetent and lazy. I asked for a hot green tea to some bartender/waitress in a sweatshirt and jogger pants (the only one out of uniform), and she served lukewarm tea. One waiter with a red beanie delivered my food to a wrong table next to me and doesn't even realize it, and another server who is nice had to apologize and pick up after the first one's mess. The same red beanie dude also spilled sauce onto the plate of chicken karaage. He didn't even replate it, just squirt some more sauce to the bowl and serve it. He didn't even notice i was watching the service window. I feel bad for the good few servers that has to pool tips with the lazy ones. Sunday 11/28 around 4 pm read more

My group got a few select items on the menu: edamame; a potato appetizer which ended up tasting like dry, unseasoned steak fries; tiny meat skewers; flavorless noodle dishes; and a teriyaki chicken dish which was served with cold, uncooked vegetables. They have a good selection of sake, but we were mainly there for food. The food prices are awfully high, too,. The service was fine, but service really can't make up for such poor quality Japanese-style food. You can surely find much better Americanized Japanese food with just a bit more searching. Avoid if you can. read more

Really happy about this place! Delicious Japanese fair with many varieties. It's a lovely space and there is parking in the back of industry city which is never a bad thing. We ordered the pork belly special and it literally was like butter. Salmon teriyaki was perfect. Chicken karage so juicy and tender. Miso black cod was really good and the skewers were delicious. Honestly super happy with our meal and experience. read more

I totally loved my experience here today. My server ( Kenzo, according to the check ) was polite and quick to welcome me. The most important thing to me was when he asked " Do you have any food allergies ? ". Customer safety first ! Everything from the taste to the presentation of the food was amazing. Everyone's taste buds are different, but I believe that the food is very fresh. The tempura was crispy and crunchy but not thick/overly oily. Since this is their soft opening, the menu is limited. I look forward to their future ! read more

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