Great cuts. Try the beef sushi

Nice design. Okay service. Meat is decent quality for the price. And the beer is surprisingly really good. Good spot for a date night dinner.

We had the wagyu option, which on this night included shrimp and scallops, as well as a big portion of wagyu beef. The beef was so tender. The server did the grilling, as she explained that the wagyu is more difficult to prepare correctly. The precursors to the main course we're plentiful and delicious. Assorted kimchi, salad, broth with a slice of beef and scallions, a dish of beef tartar with rice and an egg (so good), a piece of beef "sushi. So much food! The price was $98 each, and worth every penny. The decor is lovely and the staff were very accommodating and attentive. Great new spot in the neighborhood!

This is by far the best and most authentic Yakiniku in the city. The quality of the meat was amazingly fresh. The service was great and so was the atmosphere and interior design!!! Highly recommend this place!

We had a fantastic meal here! Highly recommend for an amazing experience. The workers were so kind and the food was really great. It was a unique experience to try out when you’re nearby!

Has TOTO washlet bidets in every washroom with heated seats! Food was delicious for it's price and very quaint high class atmosphere meant to suggest even fancy dinner location.

Very delicious Japanese yakiniku restaurant. The best in NYC

Meat was amazing as always!! Definitely coming back.

Amazing food and service. Highly recommended!

High quality ingredients, well decorated space, and excellent service

Delicious and an overall beautiful experience! The filet was amazing and ridiculously tender, but the bibimbap and the beef cheek were the standouts for us. The staff were all incredibly friendly. I wish I could eat here all the time

Beautiful atmosphere and excellent service. Great salad and yakiniku!

Staff is kind and the atmosphere is fantastic. Beef tongue is a must try!

Amazing food from Toraji An. Would definitely come back

Everything is so good, best beef tongue in nyc!!

The best Japanese meat in NYC!

It was absolutely delicious—the meat and ingredients were very fresh, and the service was excellent!

I’m recommend the Jo Tanshio and Atsugiri Beef Tongue!

BEST. RESTAURANT. IN. NYC. every detail is perfect. From the complimentary corn tea to the light almond pudding to the Waygu pieces that melt in your mouth to the Japanese toilet that heats up your buns… everything Excellent. Great ambiance. Super. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I never write reviews but I love this place. Bimbimbap sooo yum.

Everything is incredible! Highly recommend the table by the window! The food is wonderful and the service is impeccable.

Very fine food, love particularly the sushis and the Japanese barbecue.

Went here with one of my friends, they greeted us with kindness and made us feel at home. The food was delicious, we ordered the toraji salad, tongue, kahlbi, and the harami and white rice. Everything was high quality and amazing and fresh. My favorite was the kahlbi, next time we plan to order different kinds of it.

The thick beef tongue is fire!!!

My goto bbq place in nyc for years!

Very tasty! Excellent Japanese BBQ and more!

+6

got the standard set super high meat quality

By far one of the loveliest restaurants in Manhattan. Excellent food, excellent. Waitress was so polite and attentive. Private booth and relaxed ambience. Come here if you are in the area.

Great yakiniku. Great vibes. Recommend the diamond cut kalbi.

AMAZING!!! This might be the most legit Japanese BBQ place in the city. Location, the price, service, everything was too quality. They have corse menu which is very affordable but I went with à la carte. One of the server even helped us with cooking too. The food was so amazing that I even bought to go Bento box at the end. It was only $25 and totally worth way more than that. I highly highly recommend this place.

+4

I love this restaurant!! I have lived in NYC for 10 years and this has now become one of my favorite restaurants. The staff is superb! We loved our waiter Kenzi was amazing. It was truly a special experience. I felt like I was in Japan. The quality of food was amazing, the ambience was great, the service was top notch and the restaurant was very clean. Everything we ate was delicious. I cannot wait to go back. Highly highly recommend!! It is a true gem!

It’s my second visit to Yakiniku Toraji. The first time was in Ueno, Tokyo! I think they change a bit on their overseas menu but overall the taste, the dining place and service are just like the same in Japan. I’m so happy to see an authentic Japanese bbq restaurant here! Can’t wait for my third visit!

+6

Best beef tongue in town! Thick cut one is a must try.

Went on a Saturday and they had a good lunch menu. The place seemed new and very clean, and not at all smoky for a yakiniku bbq place. The jou yakiniku set was s great deal. It even came with a yum mochi ice at end.

They opened recently and we went to check it out. It’s still in the process of opening but it doesn’t feel like that, the place is fantastic, and so well put together. We went with the pre fix standard and we’re very happy with the choice. The meat here is absolutely tender and flavorful and the service is wonderful. I can’t wait to visit again.

High quality Japanese style BBQ. Nice services, nice atmosphere.

One of the best meals I’ve had in a while. It’s cook your own meat, but all the meat is super fresh, tender, and tasty. The portion size is just right, and it brings me back to my days of eating Japanese BBQ in Asia. It was $300 after tax for 2pp, but worth every penny. Would definitely come back.

Came here with my husband to eat dinner one day. The interior of this restaurant is so beautiful and had a “zaseki” seating area for customers to take their shoes off and sit comfortably, while enjoying the meal. We decided to order 2 asahi beer first to cheer, then ordered their Toraji course to get the full experience. We started off with the soup, yukke, salad and wagyu beef sushi. They all tasted so good with the beef sushi literally melting in your mouth (cue in the drool). Finally, we started cooking the meat, which we literally finished every single piece in one bite. It was definitely some of the best meat I’ve ever tasted and would absolutely come here again for a celebratory occasion!

+2

My favorite Yakiniku restaurant! I love almost everything here- the food, drink, environment, location.., they are just amazing. I have come here several times and have never been disappointed. If you like authentic Japanese grilled food, this is the best in NYC.

Forget about flimsy cuts - Yakiniku Toraji elevates the yakiniku experience with melt-in-your-mouth, high-quality meats. Each bite is a celebration of expertly chosen and impeccably butchered meats, cooked to perfection over your own grill. Prepare to be spoiled by the variety and sheer deliciousness - your taste buds will thank you!

+4

I’ve been twice and each time it has NOT disappointed. Pricey, but worth it. I’m not a huge meat lover but this meat is honestly such good quality. Their other dishes were soooo good also, you can tell they really prepare it with so much elegance and intention a their flavors are so on pount and there’s so much depth to the taste of each dish.

+1

Yakiniku Japanese style BBQ in NYC! Best quality Waygu, cooking methods and aged techniques! Amazing Japan wood decoration leading the design throughout. It’s the Gem in Midtown New York!

+2

The food here was really great. Everything we ordered was excellent! We did a la carte and so we got try a bunch of things and some of the more popular dishes. Only slightly negative points were that the chopsticks, for such a nice restaurant, are extremely low quality--like the kind that give you splinters. And the staff wasn't very attentive at first...we had to get someone's attention in the end because it felt like we were invisible. All in all a good experience.

+1

The food here and beef here is amazing. I would definitely come back

Good quality meat and Japanese quality hospitality. I loved that there were more veggies and side dishes options then other places I’ve been. Very clean space and multiple bathrooms.

+1

As a person who has traveled to Japan frequently, I consider myself to be very experienced in Japanese cuisine, and Japanese barbecue in particular. The food was absolutely excellent and I would recommend it to anyone, however, the true star of the night was the service given to us by one of your servers named Belal. He truly created a perfect atmosphere for us to enjoy the restaurant to its fullest.

The quality of the cuts of the meat, the on-point performance of the waitress, and the welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant are nothing short of exquisite. It is expensive but definitely worth the price, a must-have dinner location for atleast once a year.

Kenny is awesome! came here at 10 pm, thought it would be a quick awesome “thick cut beef-tongue” journey but none of the waitresses helped me. I waited for 15 min and got upset, then Kenny came and saved the day. Meat is great, service (Kenny) is great!

Yanran Le

Good quality Japanese bbq!!! And love the interior of the restaurant. Service was also impeccable

Jingsi Wang

Had a great experience at Toraji. The quality of the meat is excellent — well-marbled, flavorful, and not overly greasy. Portions are just right and the pacing of the meal is smooth, with staff changing grills and serving courses promptly. The space feels more upscale than a typical yakiniku spot, and the ventilation is good so you don’t leave smelling like smoke. Prices are on the higher side, but the quality fully justifies it. A reliable choice when you want a proper Japanese BBQ meal.

mizuki aoki

All the beef tongue plates exceeded expectations. Also, each order of the meat were pretty sizable. I will definitely come back!

Minami Karrasch

The atsugiri beef tongue is super delicious! It is thick as much as steak. The best tongue yakiniku ever!!!!

Richard

Fantastic quality and unforgettable flavors! The wagyu was buttery, rich, and grilled perfectly over charcoal. Everything was fresh and beautifully presented. A bit pricier, but absolutely worth it for the quality. Will definitely come back!

Dolly H

This beef tongue was an absolute standout — beautifully marbled, tender, and full of flavor. Each slice was perfectly cut, giving that ideal balance of chew and melt-in-your-mouth texture once grilled. The presentation was elegant, served on a golden plate with a vibrant orchid and a wedge of lemon that added a refreshing brightness. The accompanying sauce had just the right amount of kick to complement the rich umami of the meat. If you’re a fan of yakiniku or want to try something unique and luxurious, this beef tongue is a must-order. It’s as photogenic as it is delicious!

Lisa Wong

We had a great experience at Japanese BBQ Toraji. The service was attentive and friendly throughout our meal. We ordered a la carte and everything we tried was delicious. We order everything with salt and not the sauce. The kalbi was tender and flavorful definitely a highlight. The Toraji Salad was refreshing and had a nice balance of textures. We also got the signature Toraji Cut, which was rich and juicy, perfect for grilling tableside. Overall, a solid spot for Japanese BBQ with high-quality meat and great service. We’ll definitely be back to try more!

Jamie L

I absolutely love this place! I booked it on a whim since it's close to my job, and it turned out to be an incredible find. We grabbed seats at the bar, and the menu, while simple, offers a few course options alongside à la carte selections. Totally worth it! The A5 Wagyu was exceptional--so tender, with perfect marbling, it practically melted in my mouth. It was both filling and deeply satisfying. Overall, an outstanding experience, and I highly recommend giving this spot a try!

+1

Chen Sophie

Love coming here for lunch with my coworkers. The lunch specials are tasty and reasonably priced. Each set comes with kimchi, salad, miso soup, and a mochi ice cream for dessert. Great food and a nice, quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Foodie Elite

This Tokyo-based Japanese Yakiniku in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown is a must-try! We indulged in their exceptional premium wagyu course. Omg...it's an experience of the melt-in-your-mouth! While their grill selections steal the spotlight, don’t overlook the rest of their delicious menu! From mouth watering appetizers, delightful fresh salads, enticing selection of sushi and sashimi, along with an array of rice and noodle dishes that cater to every taste. Service was top-notch! The whole dining experience was perfectly complemented by an ambiance that exuded luxury and elegance! Follow me @foodie.elite on IG and Tiktok for more!

Zachary Zhu

As soon as I entered, I was instantly transported back to my trip to Kyoto. All the meats we tried here were delicious! The kalbi was super well seasoned and were enhanced quite a bit by the sweet soy sauce + lemon sauce. The porridges were definitely the highlight of the meal: the perfect balance of carbs + spice. The honey ice cream was a nice balance of sweetness without being too sugary. The servers were also super kind and did an excellent job. This was a truly exceptional KBBQ/JBBQ joint in NYC!

Masaki U

Family and I went for dinner and got a few course meals. The hori-gotatsu style seating where you take off your shoes and sit in a little cubby style seat is great. Overall experience is very Japanese with excellent service and presentation. Food is authentic high end Japanese Yakiniku . It is very good, but the only complaint is that for how expensive it is, the portion sizes are authentically Japanese as well (I.e. small)

Y R

We strolled into the restaurant at our pretty late hour, and were greeted by décor so sleek it practically winked at us. Not a soul in sight - which was perfect, like we’d reserved the entire place on a whim. The waitstaff treated us like royalty, and we were here for it. We savored warm house sake, some diamond-cut meat, and bibimbap that could make a grown foodie tear up. Everything hit the spot, and our waitress, Ami (I think?), was the cherry on top of a night.

+5

Lisa Kim

Toraji offers a stylish and inviting atmosphere, perfect for both casual and special dining experiences. The interior design exudes a sleek, making you feel relaxed as soon as you step in. The staff are friendly and attentive, adding to the overall pleasant ambiance. I opted for the soup set, which did not disappoint. The flavors were rich, and the portion was satisfying. As a delightful surprise, the meal ended with mochi ice for dessert. Toraji is definitely a spot worth visiting if you’re looking for a delicious meal in a stylish setting!

+3

Yubing Ji

You can find $260 luxury set meal or a hearty tasty large bowl of noodle for less than $20 and a huge bowl of salad for only $8. Top food quality. Top ambience. A lot of time it’s not busy and not loud at all even on Friday nights. I thought I would not finish the food I ordered but I actually wiped the plate completely clean coz it’s so so tasty. And to my surprise, after this less than $30 meal, I got a free cup of hot green tea and mochi cake as free desert!

Patrick Wong

TLDR: If you want great yakiniku - Toraji is a solid spot. The original chain is from Ebisu in Tokyo and is still there so you know it's authentic. While you can do the course menus, I find the a la carte is tasty, high quality and not that crazy. Get the signature steak selection, the negi rice and the yukaejang. A chef friend recommended this place many many times but we only recently finally gave it a try. Wow - love it. It's a small spot but you instantly feel like you're back in Tokyo (or if you've never been, this is what a Tokyo resto feels like) sitting down for yakiniku. We splurged on some of the apps the first time. Yukhoe (I can skip personally), wagyu sushi (do not skip). The kimchi platter is good to eat between bites but I prefer the Toraji salad. The negi rice, it's so simple but that egg yolk with all them scallion whites. BOMB. OK, onto the meat. Skirt steak was lovely, nice and beefy, well marbled. The Toraji signature steak selection is great if you want to try the greatest hits. The thick beef tongue (do not miss this please), the filet, wagyu loin, a little bit of everything. It's simple but the cuts are very high quality. We did the yukaejang with the ramen noodles but I think I prefer the soup on its own. Easily one of my favorite places to eat beef going forward. So good we went again a month or two later. They also just opened a location downtown near Chinatown on Bowery if Midtown is too far.

+12

Great meat! The galbi (5/5) was sublime. I also enjoyed the pork jowl and beef skirt. The beef tongue and the a la carte menu items were just alright.

Good overall. But not impressed. A little expensive.

+5

We ordered $128 per person courses. The thick and non marinated beef plate was extremely great(especially the beef tongue)! But the second plate with several kinds of marinated beef was toooooo salty. Overall, we enjoyed this meal.

The food was very good and flavorful. A solo dinner. Most of the stuff were excellent. Only one guy became rude afterwards demanding extra tips at the end. Everything has been excellent, but typing more than 10% should not be de facto expected, let alone demanded. Perhaps their Boss should increase their salary ;) Anyway, I fully recommend this place. Enjoy!

I give myself four stars since I have to cook the food myself LoL. I didn’t know it was one of those places otherwise I wud not come because I’m too lazy to cook myself. Honestly, I never understood such concept because if I was good at cooking I wud not come out to eat. To be fair, server offered to cook but he cooked one piece and then never came back LoL. I don’t fault him for this because he overcooked the beef and I rather do it myself if he can’t cook either. If you’re not good cooking at home, you’re not going to be Julia Child here. Even if you good at cooking, you don’t know the heat source here and cooking at perfect temperature is part of good cooking. It’s nice ambiance but I don’t think I’ll be back since not my style of restaurant.

On the Ground Fl of Summit Apt.; good location and nice decor. Service is a lil bit spotty Beef quality on par with Yakiniku FUTAGO but slightly lower price point Beef heart was surprisingly delicious (first time trying). It has similar texture as thick cut beef tongue - juicy, tender and springy - in a good way. Not as gamey as one might think (vastly different from liver/kidney, for example). Add the Yukhoe and Bimbimbap I think this is Korean/Japanese fusion…

Great meat quality and horumon is the best, but service needs to be improved

+6

Eva

The environment is very comfortable — clean, cozy, and with a relaxed atmosphere that makes it perfect for chatting and enjoying good food. The meat was fresh and tender.

Natalie Vera

Not crowded for a weekend lunch. Ambience is great. Waitstaff rushed to clear plates while I was still eating, then disappeared when it was time to call for the bill. Lunch sets are decent. Tried the $20 beef bowl and $30 set of 3 meats. Beef bowl - delicious, but portion’s a tiny bit small. Comes with soup and salad. 3 meats - only the very marbled looking meat was very tender. The rest were okay. Lovely mochi and roasted tea provided at the end of the meal.

Kurt Beyer

Listen, let's start with the important stuff. The food. We did the premium course because my friends and I had two big occasions to celebrate so we wanted to go all out. The courses did NOT disappoint in the least. Everything we had was top quality, fresh, beautifully arranged. The restaurant was also really cool. Very nice décor, cool tables where you take your shoes off and get an intimate corner for you and your group. It all felt like quite the experience. Here's the rub - the service was bad. One of my friends had to ask for water no less than 5 times. We were very rarely checked on. The waiter asked if we wanted to cook the meat or if we wanted him to. We asked if he could, and he walked away and never came back. That was a big disappointment. Regardless, I would definitely come back. The food was incredible and service be damned.

+3

August

Overall very good. Seems really understaffed and some of the meat they cooked for us just ended up getting burnt. Also waited for something like 20mins for our dessert (turned out delicious tho). Ended up being a bit too much fatty meat, but it’s due to my own choice of the royal course :P The next in price range is probably better.

+1

Food was good but the service was horrible. Our table asked the waitress for water and she did not bring it to us until we were midway through our lunch. Mind you the restaurant was not busy at all.

The absolute best food I've had in a long time. But on the flip side some of the worst service I've had in a long long time. The manager pretended to be understanding and apologetic, but I didn't feel that. Very unwelcoming, probably won't ever return.

Cold service with average meat. This is a disappointment. The cuts are so average that we are not impressed. The wagyu cut also has very uneven distribution of fat that I question if it’s actual wagyu. ☹️

Just came for a snack lol. We entered and had to wait over 5 minutes for a server to prepare a table for us (it was 22:15 and not busy at all). He was pretty rude, didn’t catch his name. Same guy also spilled the sauces all over the table when bringing them and pretended not to see. Took 10 mins and no server turned up (there were 4 walking around, only 3 covers). The 2 female servers were very courteous and good at their jobs. The wasian looking male server that sat us down and the big chinese one need to be fired, rubbish at their jobs. No decorum, sauntering around like it’s your sitting room. The food itself was good, meat was good quality, and the taste was legit! I’ve lived in japan for 7 years now, so can attest to the quality! Capped at 3 starts because your 2 servers ruined it. Servers rarely came to check on us, or even offer to cut the meat for us..

Great food with not very good service, it seems this place is short staffed. What made me mad is that we reserved the premium course which is $ 198 pp, and this is not a AYCE restaurant, but the waitress asked us to finish the food before 8:30 pm when we got there at 7:05 pm? I have never heard of a "not buffet" restaurant has a time limit for dining? especially for a premium course experience? No one has came to checked our experience unless we call them, the family next to us had been sitting there for over 15 mins before I called someone to help with with ordering.

Impromptu dining experience. One of us got the A5 wagyu Christmas special, and we also got other wagyu and galbi a la carte. Quality was excellent, and very flavourful. A couple items of note that reduced the rating. 1. For $280 for the wagyu, one would expect to have plastic or even metal chopsticks instead of disposable chopsticks. And not even the higher quality chopsticks. But literally the < 10 cent ones. Ok, fine, I can deal with that. 2. If the servers are going to wear white, I feel it would be prudent to at least spot check to make sure they're not filthy. Extremely off-putting to see dark stains all over their uniforms while bringing us our food. I mean, darker uniforms are also a thing. A major positive, the staff didn't nag or even bother us while we dined. However, they would regularly check to ensure our glasses were full. I plan to return to try again after they fully launch. And if items 1 and 2 are resolved, I'll revise my rating.

Only 3 waiters covering all guests. Usually took 10+ min to get attention of any one of them, for order/bill etc. no service at all basically. And they will watch you enter tip amount. Food is okay not as good as expected. 2 star for this price (150+ pp).

Absolutely terrible experience. We went to celebrate my birthday, and the service was beyond awful. We dropped a piece of raw meat on our kimchi plate—the waiter rolled her eyes when we asked her to take it away. They charged an expensive cake fee but didn’t cut the cake for us, expecting us to do it ourselves. When we asked them to cut it, they were impatient and rude. The food tasted okay, but 3 out of 5 of us had diarrhea afterwards. Would not recommend. There are way better options for BBQ in NYC. Not worth $100+/person.

I had a dinner last night and waited for first 30 minutes to get the menu. I actually have to call the waiter to get the menu. Then the order of food serving is wrong and then no one came to the table after the food serve. Kim Jung should train all the waiter the correct way to serve the food. I wouldn’t suggest anyone else to go to this restaurant. The food is really bland and I think I would get better food from a Chinese restaurant. Lastly the food is way too expensive than the quality…….

The waitress service was terrible, it was probably the worst Japanese restaurant I've ever had in Manhattan, the meat was not even cooked and she put it on our plates, a huge piece of wagyu she would even cut into 3 servings, maybe it was easier for her? Take away our water glasses before we left, we left a 20% tip for the unnecessary trouble. Our bill was 400 + for two people. The service was simply not worth the price

If you enjoy being ignored and unwelcome, definitely come to this restaurant! Being seated for 15 minutes, no server brought us water. Despite waving for attention, servers pretended not to see us. Service was terrible and table was never cleared. The server was rude, threw the bill at us, and rolled her eyes when we left less than a full tip due to the unsatisfactory service. I would not recommend this restaurant due to the poor service and lack of basic attention to guests.

I have been here for 5 times and every time I remember someone helped us to cook the meat but this time only one seat in bar and wait so long and no one asked me if I need the help to cook just putting the food down then no any services. So unappointed.

(1) I had terrible diarrhea after the dinner here and went to toilet twice at 5am and 9am (2) The server was reluctant to cook the meat for you, which is uncommon for high end asian bbq place. (3) The food was mediocre considering the price.

Be aware. This restaurant not only use the percentage AFTER tax (tax is not the bill, it goes to the government, the restaurant should not use the excuse of tax for the tips), the waiter would claim that you MUST give 20% instead of 18%, just this attitude along she deserves zero tip). I do not know why people tolerate this service at a place that basically you cook your own food.

Food was great, presentation is great. But they’re just meat resellers. That’s why Yakiniku is all about service, and the service was HORRIBLE. They messed up my eel rice. It was HARD. And they didn’t replace it right away, they asked me what happened like it was unbelievable, and gave us normal steamed rice replacement afterwards. We waited for water refill way too long. They filled mine then forgot my girlfriend’s… we waited to order way too long.

Please read all!! Meat quality is great but I barely had any service. I had to ask for water refill and remind an order that was missing and cook my own food. Asked twice to change the grill that was burnt. No one came to ask if anything was okay. Finally, they do payment next to you and watch you tip. I gave around 12% tip because I wasn’t happy with the service but the server saw it AND TUNRED AROUND AND SAID THE TIP MINIMUM 15%. She then pushed the machine to my face asked to change the amount. Tipping is based on quality service. Don’t force your customers.