Taishu-Izakaya Kenka
Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar$$$$
East Village, New York
Has a stamp of approval from The Corcoran Group and New York Habitat
"Don't forget to spin your own cotton candy :)"(25 Tips)
"Still consistently long wait- but amazing cheap beer and food."(14 Tips)
"Get a bunch of different small plates and an $8 Sapporo pitcher."(10 Tips)
"Order the tuna bone - for $5, it's like the poor man's sashimi!"(3 Tips)
151 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- Japanese food
- cotton candy
- bull penis
- beer
- good for groups
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Lori LuoSeptember 8, 2014There's usually a line at this signless izakaya for good reason; cheap beers and small plates keep the place packed, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Get your cotton candy spun at the door!
AlexJune 20, 2016maybe the closest you could get to an actual izakaya in japan, but in new york. sanma, tonkatsu, yakisoba, and kaki fry (fried oysters) are delicious. $8 pitchers of sapporo! super fun & lively place.
Clovis RApril 12, 2018Good for this Japanese fast food 🙊. Some times you have to wait for a free table. The Sapporo draft beer is coldest and cheap also the food that they serve has very good tasty. No regrets
Upvoted 1 week ago- Vivian RamirezSeptember 26, 2016Been coming here since high school! Still consistently long wait- but amazing cheap beer and food. Great for a big group of friends or casual low key night out.
Sacha SJuly 5, 2017Cheap beer, fun food and lots of college kids. I've always had a great time here. Come if you want to get drunk and laugh! They give you a basket for your things. And you can order weird animal parts.
Cadiea SchusterJanuary 5, 2014Always long lines to get in, Kenka is definitely worth the wait! Time spent in here really feels like you're in old Japan, with the decor, music and authentic dishes! LOVE the green bean ice cream!
AnthonyAugust 18, 2014super fun japanese street food. This is the real deal! Try the okonomiyaki and tori no kara age
Be prepared to wait at least an hour, but worth it! Cheap beer options and really really good yakitori. Moves faster with 2 people, but they can accommodate 4+ groups.
A L E XAugust 11, 2014The Taiwan Ramen is wonderful. Spicy but not nose dripping. The gyza was really good. Draft beer is exceptionally inexpensive! 1.50!! Bring friends. Expect a wait during peak days.- Nate BeattyOctober 17, 2015Real-deal Japanese yakitori and street food with massive mugs of cheap draft beer. Best spot for grub alone it with a group on St Marks.
- Julia LeungJuly 21, 2013I love this place. Kitschy decor. The fear of being watched by Yakuzas. Cheap eats. And beer beer and more beer. Be wary...sometimes the line gets long but the wait moves pretty quickly.
- Gabriel d. A. L.November 7, 2015Great place! Don´t forget to ask for the unfiltered sake (Nigori). Tasty okonomiyaki and delicious giant oysters! Here you can also try a sea cucumber and stuff like a bull penis.
Michael MuseAugust 16, 2014Great place to bring a whole bunch of people to for pitchers. Study hall style tables & bright lights give this place an institutional feel. Like its your job to drink beers. A+- BlackBook Magazine ManagerDecember 4, 2012This Japanese spot on St. Mark's Place satisfies with their popular phallic dish. Flocks of NYU students & adventurous eaters come here for 3 things: $8 pitchers, bull's penis, and free cotton candy. Read more
JR -May 31, 2014Cheap and good. Gives you a cup of pink sugar to make candy floss at their candy floss machine at the end of the meal (cheap thrill). Also has weird things on the menu like bull penis.
Alexa Mae AsperinMay 5, 2012For $8.50 you can try the fried frog - whole & all! Comes w/ a sweet sauce & tastes like chicken if you don't think 2 much abt it! The frog is skinless so its soft & tender. 4 stars for presentation! Read more- Omer ZachOctober 29, 2015Get a bunch of different small plates and an $8 Sapporo pitcher. The fried udon with intestines was smelly but tasty.
Showtime NetworkJune 3, 2011Awesome Japanese drinking spot. Great for big groups. Cheap food and drinks. So much fun. There's a do it yourself cotton candy machine. -Francine, The Real L Word
Charnette SotoMay 11, 20138 dollar pitcher of Sapporo? Yes please! Plus 1.50 for a half pint; I will definitely come back again. Between two people, we paid 20 bucks, but we had ice cream and beer.
Jesus CaroAugust 13, 2015They have Japanese authentic food so you need to know what are you ordering. Drinking there is pretty cheap and the best thing is a late St. Marks diner place.
Casey SchoonoverJune 24, 2015Great place to drink $1.50 beers and izakaya style Japanese bites! Hamachi collar, beef tataki, skate fin and stewed pork are all good calls.
ChenyuJuly 8, 2012Their boiled tofu is great - with vinegar and some seaweed type topping . Also liked the salmon soup. Open till 4am and kitchen closes around 3am
Lisa WFebruary 20, 2013All bars should be required to have a cotton candy maker to let you play in. Tasty small plates to share and good cheap beer. Decor and music is bizarro but fun.
One of my favourite spots on St. Mark's for the vibe. Come here for the crazy Japanese posters and stay for the beef penis.
Harumi UNovember 4, 2015Have a Japanese friend read menu on the wall. You will find some very interesting item there. Don't forget to try cotton candy!
New York HabitatNovember 17, 2011If you're an adventurous eater, try the bull penis. If you're not, don't fret. The best part about this place? After your meal they give you a little cup of candy sugar to make your own cotton candy!
SiobhánFebruary 18, 2018If you like female nudity, bondage, soft core porn that's been slightly altered, and getting smashed with your bros while eating unusual food, this place is for you. Otherwise it's nice but… sigh.
Harry JacobsMay 17, 2016Bring some friends and order as much as you can: okonomiyaki, onigiri, yaki soba, grilled squid 👌. Yakitori platter is expensive for what you get though.
Tony XerriDecember 8, 2018Cant believe I'm saying this, but get the damn fried tofu and tell me it's not the best dish on the menu. This is from a carnivore people...
Do NOT get the turkey testicles. They taste exactly like what you would picture 😱
Deniz TurkcuMay 1, 2017Amazing! One of the best food I've had in my life. Reasonable price and definitely worth to wait on the line
Matthew BarnettOctober 13, 2013This is Japan at its finest! Service is quick, food is delicious and the staff are friendly. All in all とてもおおいしいですねえ！
Arguably my favorite restaurant in the city. Cheap beers, delicious and fresh Japanese food, and always a good raucous time.
Escott HayashidiazJanuary 15, 2016Izakaya style Japanese food, essentially Japanese style bar food. Good go to for drinks and food with friends. Can get messy.- SiobhánFebruary 18, 2018The gyudon, which is surprisingly hard to find in the city, was yummy if a tad more rice heavy than I'd have liked. The vegetable dumplings should be passed though as very underwhelming.
Alex RichardsMarch 5, 2016Everyone seems to love this qwirky place. Most dishes are rubbery and chewy. Just get a beer.- Sacha SJuly 21, 2017Fun place. Good and cheap food. Finish your meal with a cotton candy. It is always very lively.
Kunal KalroOctober 18, 2013Fannnnnntastic Japanese place. There's always a line so go early and there's a make your own cotton candy machine outside. How effing cool?!
It can sometimes get a lil crowded but its worth the wait. Cheap beer and a fun menu!
The Corcoran GroupAugust 27, 2010Lout and raucous, but you can choose from over 100 small Japanese dishes. Or finish a 4lb plate of house curry and rice in 20 minutes and the meal is free!
Hoshi M.May 6, 2019Customer service is non-existent but if you don’t care about the service, it might be a fun place to hang out with friends.
Katie EytchApril 4, 2016The bbq spare ribs just melt off the bone. I want to try everything on the menu
Sarah OngSeptember 1, 2015Love this place! Affordable prices and delicious food! I recommend the katsu curry 😋
Mimi WJuly 6, 2013Stingray, Japanese pancake, cream coquettes, takoyaki, fried udon.. I can see why ppl wait to eat here! Yumm!!!! Cotton candy machine is fun.
- aFebruary 3, 2016Great ambiance, really funny, feels like themed restaurants from Japan. Tonkatsu is good.
A Talking PickleFebruary 8, 2019stumbled in at 3 am and saw two mannequins having sex as restaurant decor? 10/10
815 Photos
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Taishu-Izakaya Kenka
25 Saint Marks Pl (btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
United States
New York, NY 10003
United States
Open until 2:00 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Thu
- 6:00 PM–2:00 AM
- Fri–Sat
- 6:00 PM–4:00 AM
- Sun
- 5:00 PM–1:00 AM
(212) 254-6363
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express & MasterCard)
Outdoor Seating
No
Food & Drink
Menus
Dinner
Drinks
Beer, Cocktails
See More
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