Ikinari Steak Review - East Village - New York - The Infatuation

"There are a million reasons to go to a restaurant, and Ikinari Steak doesn’t work for 990,000 of them. Date night, dinner with your parents, catching up with friends - this place isn’t good for any of that. Ikinari is a chain from Japan, and they’re known for their affordable steak. They do a few different cuts (priced by the ounce), and, whatever you get, it’ll be significantly cheaper than the stuff at your average steakhouse. Walk up to a counter, choose your meat (and how much you want), and it’ll get delivered to your table on a hot slab of cast iron. And if you’re afraid this is some kind of inferior discount steak, it isn’t. This is quality stuff. So what’s the catch? Glad you asked. They don’t have chairs. That’s why you won’t be bringing any dates here. You eat your meal standing, and that’s how Ikinari keeps prices down. People don’t hang out as long when there’s nowhere to sit. And more customers going in and out = cheaper steaks. So if you just went to the gym and you want to eat a quick, relatively inexpensive steak, or if you’re really trying to mix things up, check out Ikinari. It’s a fun experience, the steak is great, and they’d get a much higher rating if you didn’t have to eat off a table that feels like a station at a bank where you fill out a deposit slip. But for the 1% of the time you don’t mind standing while you put beef in your mouth, it’s perfect. Food Rundown Steak They do ribeye, tenderloin, filet, and a mixed plate of all three. All the steak comes with corn (for some reason), and there are a bunch of sauces you can add at your station. Remember to chew. Garlic Pepper Rice Exactly what it sounds like (although it also has little chunks of steak in it). If you want a side, get this. A chef will mix it up in front of you, and you will be briefly entertained." - Bryan Kim