I got the Himokawa dipping udon set with tempura and it was so good! The noodles were perfectly cooked and chewy and the tempura were not greasy with a thin coating. The sauce that they gave to dip the udon was my favourite part. Loved the slight hint of yuzu! Near the end, the udon at the bottom were really difficult to separate so that’s the only thing that bothered me. We came at around 7:00pm on a Sunday and were lucky enough to get seated almost right away with around a 5 minute wait. They close a little early on Sunday at 8pm, so keep that in mind when visiting.

This place is very popular, and on weekends at lunchtime you’ll likely need to wait for a table unless you arrive right when it opens. That said, the wait usually isn’t too long. Their specialty is a variety of udon and cold noodle dishes—the noodles are springy and unique, and the toppings are well-seasoned without overwhelming the natural flavor of the noodles. The way the dishes are enjoyed also feels distinctive, making it a spot well worth visiting.

Marcelo

Last night I came here with group of around 10 friends and despite being busy and a relatively small spot everything went well!! We were accommodated in a timely fashion that I didn’t expect bc it was so busy!!! And despite us sitting so close to each other/everyone I honestly think of it positively, bc it only contributed to the Izakaya experience. I would most def return here!!!!

G G

The best Ramen soup ever ! Love the place, everything is so delicious and flavory, be ready for the line outside, its for a reason.❤️ and the prices are great ! The tables in the back a little uncomfortable to seat but after first bite who cares.

Jerry Young

Lively fun place. Yummy food. And a great value. Not possible, but it is here. Great find.

C Soto

Atmosphere from a bygone era. It’s a Showa-era themed Japanese bar. Similar to what you’d find in tight, dimly lit corner alleys of Shinjuku. It’s relatively cheap and has great drink selection. Most foods are shareable, so I always end up ordering family style for the table. Overall a very unique place in New York for a taste (literal and figurative) of retro Japan.

Katie Nemergut

Unique dining experience with great Japanese bites. We shared the seaweed salad, edamame, and pork dumplings which were all delicious. I got the cold udon noodles which were super refreshing on a hot day. After paying you receive the sugar for the cotton candy machine outside, which makes the eclectic experience.

L

I love this place! They have many appetizers you can share with a group of friends. The vibe is very cool and they also have a massive drink menu.

Nitiphum S.

Kenka – A must-visit Japanese Izakaya on St. Mark’s! I love this place and always bring my friends and family here — everyone I’ve taken has loved it, and it’s never once disappointed. The food, flavors, prices, and overall vibe are spot-on. The restaurant opens at 5 PM, and it gets very busy fast, so make sure to come early and write your name down. It’s a first-come, first-served system. The interior has a gritty, authentic Japanese street-style izakaya vibe — not in a basement, but it feels like a tucked-away Tokyo spot. The menu is mostly photos and can be a bit tricky to understand, especially for first-timers, so take your time when ordering. We started with two pitchers of beer — grapefruit and peach flavors — at only $13 per pitcher, which is such a great deal. We ordered a bunch of dishes: • Tako Wasabi • Japanese Sausages • Japanese Pancake • Takoyaki • Fried Squid • Raw Salmon Sashimi • Grilled Salmon • Mentaiko Onigiri Everything was super tasty, and most dishes range from just $3 to $8 — great portions, great prices. This is a place that’s best enjoyed with a group — it’s fun, flavorful, and full of energy. The staff and kitchen crew are all Japanese, which adds to the authentic feel. One tip: order everything at once, because the second round of orders can take a while to come out. The only downside is the restroom — it’s not super convenient, but it’s usable. Overall, Kenka is an awesome izakaya experience in NYC. Highly recommend — don’t miss it!

+7

Chotiros Setsirichot

If you're looking for a restaurant to chill at and chat with friends after work, this place is perfect. I ordered grapefruit and peach beers to enjoy with my friends. As for the snacks, I ordered a lot, but my favorite was the tako wasabi — great for snacking on while sipping beer and chatting. To finish off, the restaurant has a fun gimmick: a cotton candy machine you can play with and make your own dessert. The atmosphere is really nice too. I’ll definitely come back when I get the chance.

+8

Duy B

A friend recommended this place to me, and I definitely suggest giving it a try! It can get really busy, so be prepared to wait around 10-30 minutes. They tend to prioritize larger groups since most of their seating is set up for that, but they do have a few tables for two as well—just not as many. When we arrived, there were already a lot of people there, but since we were a group of four, we got seated right away. The food is incredibly affordable, with almost everything priced under $10, and it tasted great! Just a quick note—if you order the soups or udon, they might not be as filling compared to some of the other dishes. It’s a fantastic spot to hang out with friends, but keep in mind that it can get pretty loud—that’s just part of the restaurant’s vibe. One of the coolest parts is that when you’re done eating, you get to make your own cotton candy outside using their machine! For reference, we had four dishes, two appetizers, and two alcoholic drinks, and the total came to $70 for four people.

Hana Ismail

Absolutely loved it. Went thursday night and there was a huge line out the door. They take your name and the number of people in your party and the line moved rather quickly and we got inside. I got the agedashi tofu and it was heavenly. The tofu's seared on the outside but it was also cooked all the way through and was very soft and hot on the inside. I also ate the edamame which i liked very much and my friend got the udon noodles with chicken and said they were great as well. Staff was very nice and food arrived quickly. I wouldn't go on a thursday night again though because it was packed and really loud but that's not the establishment's fault.

Lili “Busy Honeybee”

This is a cool and fun place to have drinks with friends who like drinking, but little inappropriate for little kids. 😅The price is very affordable - where else can we find a place that sells craft beer for only $1.50. Can’t wait to try their Nabi and Tuna Bone next time. 😍

+9

Malina Karpinska

We stumbled upon this place whilst trying to find somewhere to eat in St. Marks, the outdoor decor really in enticed us and the indoor decor was even cooler. This is definitely not a family-friendly place, however, the vibe is extremely cool and it really encapsulates Japan's unique nature and pop-culture; it really feels like you're in some underground restaurant in the heart of Tokyo. The menu here is massive so it can suit anyones taste, it is also relatively authentic to what you'd see in Japan. The prices here is what really made the experience worth it, everything was extremely cheap yet the food exceeded the price- the draft beer being $1 is a crazy price anywhere in the world, especially in such an expensive place like New York. The service was also really good, everything arrived at a good speed and the servers made sure everything was okay with your meal. Being able to make your own cotton candy for free after was a really nice touch and it made it a very memorable meal. I 100% recommend this place if you want some authentic and cheap Japanese food in New York as well as a fun experience!!

+8

Amazing food at amazing low prices for Manhattan NYC.\n\nHaving lived in Japan and traveling there yearly for the last 15 years this is the most traditional izakaya experience one can have in the US.…

Amazing food at amazing low prices for Manhattan NYC.\n\nHaving lived in Japan and traveling there yearly for the last 15 years this is the most traditional izakaya experience one can have in the U…

Amazing food at amazing low prices for Manhattan NYC.\n\nHaving lived in Japan and traveling there yearly for the last 15 years this is the most traditional izakaya experience one can have in the U…

Everything from the food, service and ambience is amazing. Will definitely come here again

Everything from the food, service and ambience is amazing. Will definitely come here again

The meal had moments that stood out as special. Amazing food, great service, and extremely friendly staff! This represents the peak of service quality. Every item we selected was fresh, flavorf…

I went with a large party of friends to celebrate a birthday, and despite the busy time of day, they made us feel very welcome. There was a table large enough for us, and everyone was comfortable. …

I went with a large party of friends to celebrate a birthday, and despite the busy time of day, they made us feel very welcome. There was a table large enough for us, and everyone was comfortable. Th…

Good place to grab a quick meal, either by yourself or with one other friend (bar-style seating). The udon portion doesn’t look like much, but was surprisingly filling with the tempura. Delicious, though not at Raku quality.

Came here at 5pm on a Friday alone and no wait at all. The menu is simple, focusing on Himokawa udon sets. The tempura here is well made and not overly greasy, pairing well with the dipping sauce. The only drawback was the saltiness of the hot broth - I tried drinking it alone and it was unbearable. Considering this wasn’t the cold dipping noodles, I assumed that this broth would be less concentrated and more clear. Service was great and as a solo diner, I didn’t feel rushed at all. Overall, I would recommend people to visit at least once, but would personally not rush back.

the tempura has a light, thin batter that pairs nicely with the dipping sauce, making it very refreshing. The wide udon noodles have an interesting texture, but the soup base itself is a bit underwhelming.

Overall a decent meal. The cold noodle set with the katsu is a must get. The soup noodle is very salty and mid but that comes with Japanese soup I guess. It’s a bit pricey but decent experience

Visited on a weekend afternoon after hearing about their flat udon noodles served tsukemen-style. The place has a Japanese bar vibe with only counter seating—no tables. Ordering is done by scanning a QR code at your seat, but I found it uncomfortable that you’re asked to tip before your food even arrives. My friend got the hot udon and I had the tsuke cold udon. Both came with six flat noodles and tempura. The food tasted good, but the portion felt small for the price, which was disappointing. The biggest letdown was that there’s no restroom available. It’s worth trying once for the unique noodles, but I probably won’t be back.

Udon noodle was great. But the chicken broth was salty in my taste. I liked the cold fish broth udon better. Their shrimp tempura was salty as well. It was a good shrimp tho. I would've ordered 5 myself if it wasnt salty. There can be a wait so I recommend going in a bit earlier than usual dinner time if going for dinner.

Diego Contreras

One of my favorite places in the city. I recommend this place if you want to have an unique dinning experience, with a 90 min turn table I recommend to order everything at once, and if you can, write down your order to help the staff (they can get pretty busy). The food is good and the service is alright, not bad but not the best. Unique decoration and great prices, it is the perfect place to have snacks and beers with some sake. Be ready to wait at the line, especially on weekends.

Hank Chang

Cool Japan-centric theme with a weird dominatrix doll in a display area, and walls with weird decor, and crazy Asian historic music and more at this izakaya spot, lots of small dishes to share and try! Liked the ramen but it was salty - the pan-fried pork with kimchi was just right, not spicy, out of the whole squid; squid legs were a bit tasteless and rubbery, tako wasabi was excellent, should've tried the gyoza, and it took forever and a day to get the agedashi tofu (came after our bill, actually). Cheap beer ($1.50!) and the sashimi Moriawase Deluxe was a nice sashimi and salad plate. Little cup of sugar for you to go out to the front and make a small cotton candy for yourself, too. Service - like I said, delayed dishes, hard to find someone to order from and the guy was better than the girl who was just not happy at being there, I think... but food was a fun mix of Japanese small bites. Will have to try the fried chicken and gyoza here next time.

+12

I wanted to try this place so bad when I came to visit and I'm glad I did. Feels like a classic after-work spot in Japan with impeccable decor and ambiance and classic Japanese dishes that are hard t…

Good drinking place! Great ambiance. Cool decoration. Lively atmosphere. Not for a full meal.

Good drinking place! Great ambiance. Cool decoration. Lively atmosphere. Not for a full meal.

WOW! It's mandatory for me to visit Kenka with friends everytime I'm in the city. $1.50 draft beers, $8.50 pitchers a lively ambiance of younger crowd to start the night! A very extensive menu so t…

WOW! It's mandatory for me to visit Kenka with friends everytime I'm in the city. $1.50 draft beers, $8.50 pitchers a lively ambiance of younger crowd to start the night! A very extensive menu so t…

I love that place the first time going with a friend but when i went the second time alone, they treated me like I was invisible. Terrible place to do solo hangout. I waited forever to place order …

I love this place. I always get two items from the menu because it's so cheap for what you get. The ambience is also super unique in a way that I think is cool, but I could see certain people not l…

Came here for dinner last night with friends.\nThere is a waiting list outside, the wait wasn't too bad. It was very busy, food did come out quick. Food and service were ok. I don't think there w…

This is a cute funky Japanese restaurant in the heart of the east village in nyc. The fish was incredibly fresh melted in mouth so delicious. My hubby said the sea food noodle soup was fabulous sea…

the noodles were unique - we tried the signature dipping set and broth set. my favorite was the sweet potato tempura. we waited almost an hour on saturday evening.

The udon texture is great—nice and chewy but not overly so. Tempura is also solid, especially the bacon one. It’s my first time trying bacon tempura and it was surprisingly good. The dipping udon broth is flavorful, and with all the extra seasonings, you can switch up the taste, which is fun. But the hot soup version was way too salty for me. That said, the set costs around $22–23 and only comes with six noodles… I mean, seriously? I’m not even exaggerating—it was literally six noodles.

Sabrina Nieves

I was absolutely appalled by the service my husband received by the hostess before being seated at the restaurant. As per the protocol, customers must present their state ID to purchase alcohol. The ID was presented to the hostess. She was having difficulty scanning it. Due to the difficulty of scanning, she proceeded to say that the ID was fake. Additional forms of IDs were presented and was not looked at properly. She said that he was able to eat and not purchase alcohol. She went to scan another party of customers outside in front of the restaurant and their IDs worked. He asked her to scan his state ID again outside in front of the restaurant and it worked with no issue. Now the problem is that the hostess did NOT APOLOGIZE for the inconvenience! She rolled her eyes at him. This was a terrible way to get seated at his favorite restaurant on his birthday. On the other hand, the waiter was excellent. The food was great as always. But as someone who works in hospitality, this is unacceptable!

Funky and incredibly mediocre is how I would describe my experience at Kenka. They are clearly pushing sake and beer while I fear the food takes a back seat. Somehow my bill was $100 for two of us …

Funky and incredibly mediocre is how I would describe my experience at Kenka. They are clearly pushing sake and beer while I fear the food takes a back seat. Somehow my bill was $100 for two of us …

cheap drinks which was nice. Food was mid at best, but that's ok since it's mostly a bar-style restaurant. My 3 star comes from the fact that one of the waitresses gave a bit of attitude when we as…

Cheap drinks which was nice. Food was mid at best, but that's ok since it's mostly a bar-style restaurant. My 3 star comes from the fact that one of the waitresses gave a bit of attitude when we as…

Really neat spot in LES, however the food we ordered was underwhelming. Service was ok! We ordered: yakitori (way too dry), fried rice (alright), salmon sashimi (yummy), fried anchovies I believe…

Food was good. I really enjoyed the squid and the noodles. First time in this place and felt it may need some improvement. \n\n1. Menu is extremely crowded. I appreciate the language and trying to …

Prices are great and fun atmosphere for drinking but the food is mediocre… things don’t taste really fresh and flavors are kinda off. I prefer Oh Taisho next door for food.

Prices are great and fun atmosphere for drinking but the food is mediocre… things don’t taste really fresh and flavors are kinda off. I prefer Oh Taisho next door for food.

Prices are great and fun atmosphere for drinking but the food is mediocre… things don’t taste really fresh and flavors are kinda off. I prefer Oh Taisho next door for food.

prices are great and fun atmosphere for drinking but the food is mediocre… things don’t taste really fresh and flavors are kinda off. I prefer Oh Taisho next door for food.

J

I’ve been a loyal customer since 2015 and I truly love Kenka—authentic food at a great price. However, today I encountered two cockroaches at our table in under two hours, which made us very uncomfortable and doubted all food we ordered. I’m leaving this review because I care about this place. Please take care of the pest issue immediately. ASAP.

dashMOON Design

The food was pretty bad. It might be one of the worst tasting food I’ve had in NYC. I ordered the bbq squid and the first bite, almost spat it out. The girl who served us had a bad attitude. Maybe it was her off day. The only reason I give it two stars is because the waiter who greeted us at the door was very kind.

S P

Honestly so disappointed. This place has been on my list for a while and I was so excited to check it out. However, the whole experience wasn't pleasing. Food- okay good thing it's cheap. However i'd rather pay more and eat better quality food. The place is so crowded and loud despite the fact that it was a weekday dinner. I didn't even know who my server was. They didn't bring water, not to mention getting refilled. I am wondering how sanitary the place is. Although you can get diversity of food and the whole system is fast paced, wouldn't recommend. Lucky cat i believe the one in the upper east is way better. Overall so disappointed..

+7

Great vibes. food was okay. I was having a great time until my friend pulled 2 super long hairs out of her mouth that were hidden in her omurice. Then I lost my appetite. Wish I had gotten a pictur…

I really wanted to like this place but the service was unforgivable. \n\nMe and my partner ordered at the same time. They brought my omurice, and they never brought her order. We waited like 40 min…

I really wanted to like this place but the service was unforgivable. \n\nMe and my partner ordered at the same time. They brought my omurice, and they never brought her order. We waited like 40 min…

My daughter wanted to see the place because she had heard about the wild decor and atmospehere. That's about the only thing the place has to offer, maybe other than cheap alcohol. We're Japanese so…

Avoid at all costs. Terrible service, a waiter with attitude, ignoring customers, showing clearly he didn't want to serve us.

Jeff

After finishing a lengthy meeting, my colleagues and I decided to stop into Kenka for dinner on a Thursday night. While we were waiting in the extremely long line, one colleague realized he had left his wallet at the bar we’d just come from. He sprinted back to get it like he was auditioning for a Nike commercial, and during that time the manager—a young woman with fake eyelashes applied with the enthusiasm of someone frosting a cupcake—rolled her eyes and refused to seat us until everyone was present. We explained the situation, but empathy was clearly not on the menu, so she gave our table to another group. After a few more minutes standing in the kind of cold that could turn nipples into medieval weaponry, our colleague returned and we were finally seated. The dining area was exactly what you’d expect from a grungy St. Marks spot—nothing shocking, unless you count the décor, which seems to have been curated by someone who collects chaos. When it came time to order, our waiter, took our order and everything seemed normal. We got our pitcher of beer, and then one entrée arrived… and nothing else. We waited, and then another person’s dish came out several minutes later, then another much later. The food delivery was so staggered I started to wonder if the kitchen staff was cooking each dish one at a time on a single tea candle. I thought this was a restaurant, not a drive-thru with commitment issues. I asked the manager about the missing rice, and she gave me a slow up-and-down like she was scanning me for weapons, then said, “It’s coming.” Fifteen more minutes passed—still nothing. When I followed up again, she responded, “I don’t know, maybe tomorrow,” and walked off. I was stunned. I’m usually very respectful to restaurant staff because I know service work is hard, but this felt like performance art. She then sent our waiter over, who seemed to mock the interaction with a scheming grin on his face by saying my entrée would arrive “tonight.” At that point, I canceled the dish, partly because I was uncomfortable and partly because I didn’t trust squid cooked under these conditions. We finished our beer, and despite the cancellation, the entrée still came out like a plot twist no one asked for. We declined it. Then we waited a long time for the check, which included an automatic 7% gratuity—probably their way of admitting they know exactly how the service is going. Meanwhile, one of my colleagues—who ordered the beef stir fry, theoretically the safest item on the menu—started feeling sick and had to leave early. When we checked on her afterward, we found her curled up on the floor of her apartment like she was auditioning for the role of “Dramatic Hospital Patient #3.” She normally follows a very strict diet, so this reaction was extra alarming. I’m writing this review while she’s still in the bathroom, rethinking her life choices. Overall, the service, the food timing, and the attitudes combined into an experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I genuinely don’t understand how this place continues to operate the way it does. If you want to avoid feeling disrespected—or hearing your stomach make sounds from a horror movie—there are much better options nearby, including the conveniently located Raising Cane’s. Stay safe out there.

Abril Suero

The food is ok but the service is HORRIBLE! The girl who served us did it with a bad attitude, they wanted to charge us for 2 dishes that we ordered but never arrived and after we complained they wanted to bring them to the table so that we would pay for them after complaining. Really AWFUL service. Never comeback again.