Izakaya MEW

The food is really great. Omu soba was perfect as was sashimi don

Izakaya Mew offers outdoor seating during these times shared with Cho Dang Gol. Although it proclaims to be an izakaya restaurant, it offers a variety of nigiri and sushi roll options. The dynamite roll was fairly solid although I think you would be better off going to a dedicated sushi restaurant if that is the main course they are seeking. The yellowtail carpaccio is excellent with fresh tasting fish and a bright, apple ponzu dressing. The hamachi kamayaki is very nicely grilled while still retaining a moist, tender flesh. The takoyaki is exactly as you would expect with a crisp exterior and a tender piece of octopus inside. The entrees are primarily fusions of Korean, Japanese, and Western dishes, think Yoshoku with some Korean flavors as well. The omu soba is a play on omurice but with yakisoba as the starch, pretty good although honestly a bit much in terms of quantity. The kimchi cream udon is basically a creamy shrimp and asparagus pasta dish but with bouncy, chewy udon noodles as the pasta. Really quite tasty although it is fairly heavy on the palette and the kimchi offers much more in the way of color rather than flavor. Would definitely recommend this dish to everybody who comes here but I would recommend sharing it with another person as I think it simply becomes too creamy and homogenous to eat an entire plate of on your own. The yuzu cheesecake is a pretty nice NY style cheesecake but there isn't any taste of yuzu which I think would really help. The warabimochi and azuki on the other hand is a really great dessert with the cold, chewy warabimochi coated in kinako being a true delight. Although I wouldn't describe the food and atmosphere as being a particularly authentic izakaya experience, it was a great Japanese fusion food experience and certainly one of the better fusion restaurants in Manhattan. I recommend coming with a friend and ordering a variety of the sides and sharing the mains.

Just received my order and everything was incredible! The food was fresh, packaged carefully and most importantly delicious! Hands down the best sushi I've had in Manhattan. Highly recommended! Will be back again. Thank you!

The food here is really good. The restaurant itself is clean and spacious. The wait staff is really friendly. The food come out pretty quick. It was a good experience. I highly recommend coming here for great Japanese food.

With its extensive menu that offers everything from ramen to sushi, I was skeptical whether the quality will be high. I was pleasantly surprised by how good everything tasted. To be fair, this isn't a purist Japanese place; they use sauces and such to elevate and sometimes overpower the ingredients, but it's flavorful nonetheless and I'm not complaining. The vibe is casual and chaotic. They unfortunately have placed the bar right at the entrance so it's crowded right when you enter the restaurant. Once you squeeze through the crowd, there are maybe a dozen wooden tables. Service was very friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. It was kind of loud with no interior decor element to absorb the noise. Overall, a pretty decent place to visit. The wait was very long though so make sure you plan ahead.