Sake Bar Decibel
Sake Bar and Japanese Restaurant$$$$
East Village, New York
This place is famous for their sake. It's one of the most popular in the city!
"Cozy sake bar with a cool atmosphere and a wide selections of sake!"(14 Tips)
"Great sake selection and cool grungy atmosphere"(10 Tips)
"Great underground sake bar."(7 Tips)
"real Japanese bar food"(6 Tips)
253 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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Ivy MahsciaoDecember 3, 2014Best underground sake place to feel like you're in a place that's the love child of a shire and an izakaya. People watch, sip, get cozy in precious tiny wooden chairs and keep on sipping.
GaryApril 16, 2013Very cool atmosphere, reminds me of alley bars in Japan. In addition to lots of sake, Decibel is one of the few places I've found with pickled garlic! They're at the bottom of the small stairwell.
Russell HirschornJanuary 22, 2017On the outside looks pretty fancy. On the inside you are transported to a Tokyo-like dungeon yokocho with lots of sake options, squished seating and humidity. Great experience.
Vianney BrandicourtJuly 9, 2015If there is a long waiting list to be seated in the main room, ask to be seated at the bar. There is a wonderful corner nook where both hours and lashings of sake mysteriously disappear.
Untapped CitiesNovember 16, 2014They have an extensive selection of sake from the Rihaku to the Kikusui. Just as popular is the yummy lineup of appetizers, one can’t go wrong with the Shrimp Dumplings or Japanese Pancakes.
SageSeptember 6, 2014Great spot to try a lot of different sakes. The small bar near the entrance is the best seat in the house.
Josh WJanuary 19, 2014A dark, underground sake cave with cool bartenders. Get the Hakkaisan Honjozo neat - pricey, but you certainly won't regret it. If you get the munchies, go for salmon or mentaiko chazuke.
Emily KaneNovember 23, 2016If you're a sake novice like myself and don't feel like embarrassing yourself by trying to order something you know nothing about, go for the lychee martini. They're beyond delicious.
nancy t.February 13, 2018Very cozy underground sake bar. Seats and close, but service is great, and the menu is extensive. Their plum wine is really delicious, but dangerous!
Amy WuMay 14, 2017You can write on the walls!!! Try to get there before 11:30. It looks tiny but there's another underground seating area but there's a line. I had to read about sake before I could order.
Wesley BlissSeptember 10, 2014tako wasa, huge sake menu, kurobuta sausage amazing, bonito, dashi tofu, ギンガコゲン, writing on the walls, occasional uncultured ignorant tourists wandering in. get drunk and snack here
Blake OlmsteadNovember 11, 2015The extensive menu, delicious bar snacks, and clandestine vibe make this subterranean bar feel like it's straight out of Golden Gai.
Danny KatzDecember 10, 2016Be prepared to wait. And to be charmed into a drunken stupor. I adore this place and am so happy it's still around after all these years.
Tony XerriApril 21, 2019Perfect date bar. Small, hidden, cozy, affordable, cool. Bring a lady here and you'll look like a stud.
Natalie VApril 11, 2017Neat underground bar with a great sake selection and Japanese appetizers. The shrimp shumai is delicious.
CristinaSeptember 23, 2014Loved this place. Perfect for a date, cool conversation and to try a few sakes. Will come back again, but next time will drink more water since the sakes are strong.
Melody HanAugust 17, 2011Dark, sexy, food only so-so but a cool place to take a date who'll dig the grafittied walls and the Japanese punk rock bartender. If you must eat, dried stingray with Kewpie mayo a good bet.
Underground Japanese spot with small plates that will melt in your mouth. The vibe is dimly lit and very sexy. 👌🏻
Open the door and enter an unexpected underground world as if you are in Japan! Huge selection of affordable sake
citichik chickpeaJuly 21, 2012If you like Sake you'll love this joint. Dark, crowded, small, but friendly staff, good music and lots of sake. Come here with a date or a couple of friends & try a bunch of different kinds.- Cozy sake bar with a cool atmosphere and a wide selections of sake! One of my favorite sake bars.
James StolzJuly 22, 2016Very cool!! Great selection. Girlfriend loved the strawberry sake and I had an amazing Japanese wheat beer. Really cool vibe. Awesome staff!
This is my favorite izakaya in NYC. A little bit noisy and dark, but lots of variety of sake. I recommend Nigori if you are tired of regular sake, particularly "Nebuta Genshu"
Jessica de OliveiraDecember 9, 2015The quintessential cool east village spot with a cozy setup and an amazing selection of rice wine.
No Leftovers Jackie GebelJanuary 11, 2017So much Sake, writing on the walls- funky bar bites. Always a good time, but always leave VERY drunk
You don't need to like sake to come here... the awesome edgy atmosphere, Japanese beers and snacks are other great reasons to pay a visit to Decibel!
Bradley KayFebruary 19, 2017Superb underground sake bar with a full food menu. Doesn't get too crowded due to well-spaced tables, though the wait will be horrendous on weekends.
Derk DoijerMarch 4, 2012A downtown secret, walk past the stairs heading down and you could very well miss it! Awesome sake list but be prepared to wait on the weekend this place is small and gets quite crowded
Colleen SheaNovember 12, 2017Super cool speakeasy type Sake bar. You might wait to sit but they will get u seated as fast as possible, it’s a tad cramped but fun
AntonioFebruary 20, 20165$ sapporo or Kirin (for an appetizer😆)! Almost all the 300 ml sake is perfect for two if ya wanna have a good buzz for the night!
Horace LuMarch 8, 2015Everything is good apart from you might have to wait inside a crowded and heated place for a while to get in.
Gunnar AasenApril 26, 2015Cozy little underground sake bar. As expected, they have a large selection of all different types of sake. There's usually a wait and the tables can be cramped.
Lucy MariaOctober 25, 2015Very extensive sake menu to choose from and this place had a great vibe! Loved it!
Hole in the wall sake place with huge sake selection and great ambience. Entrance is down a flight of stairs from street level.
Brian StraussOctober 17, 2017Super fun late night spot. Great place to introduce out-of-towners to the deep cuts east village Japanese scene.
Bill SnyderMarch 20, 2010Try the Beni-Kanbai (scarlet plumb in winter) nigori sake. I love nigori sake, but this is something of it's own. Pink colored, thick, taste of plum. It's so rich, it reminded me of rice pudding. Read more
Really chill vibes to just hang out with friends. Waitstaff seems to know the drink selection well. The sake we got was pretty killer. $8/person minimum
Derek TerrellAugust 9, 2013Good to see my old cool out, down low, underground spot is still going strong after about 12 years. Sake selection is crazy and udon noodles is dope as well. Been a minute but ill be back. Count on it
Simran DassMay 15, 2023I like this place a lot - really cool vibes, great food / shared plates & good sake. It’s a bit cramped and loud but enjoyed it overall
Christina ChinFebruary 27, 2022Pretty sure its a hot date place, everyone in there on sunday night were couples lol. Dark grungy underground japanese bar with chill vibe
Marc SchneebergerFebruary 12, 2017Amazing sakes, similar as big brother sakagura !!! Food cheap and good!
Friends from out-of-town get sooooo impressed when you show them this place.
Lori LuoSeptember 4, 2014This below-ground sake bar offers a number of Japanese bar bites (okonomiyaki should not be missed) as well as an extensive array of sakes.
Kenneth KaasteskaftOctober 19, 2015This little gem is a personal favourite. The underground atmosphere is awesome and so is the extensive sake menu
Summer IzkovichSeptember 3, 2014Such a cute place. It has great selection of sakes. The food is pretty good too.
Drink some of the best sake in town, wolf down their delicious udon, and scribble your name in Sharpie on the wall!- Teddy LuFebruary 17, 2015my absolute favorite bar in nyc. sit at the bar in the front, not in the back room for a more authentic, intimate experience.
Manda ShettletonFebruary 13, 2012A favorite haunt of mine for a low key evening. They had these terrific wasabi puffs maybe a yr ago that disappeared from the menu. Lychee martinis are nice!
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Closed until 6:00 PM (Show more)
- Mon–Sat
- 6:00 PM–3:00 AM
- Sun
- 6:00 PM–1:00 AM
(212) 979-2733
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express)
Outdoor Seating
No
Food & Drink
Menus
Happy Hour
Drinks
Beer, Wine, Full Bar
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