Bar Moga

"A 1920s-era Japanese cocktail bar that offers unique seasonal cocktails in a nostalgic, sultry, and inviting setting."

"The Show: Omu Rice For a low-key weeknight tableside show, try Bar Moga in Greenwich Village. It’s pretty easy to make a reservation or just walk into this Japanese spot, and once you’re seated you can order cocktails made with pink peppercorn and yuzu, a perfect katsu sando, and of course, the omu rice. A big fat omelet lazes on top of rice that tastes like it’s been swimming in schmaltz. Your server then slices that omelet with an extra-sharp Japanese knife, revealing its perfectly runny insides which spill out onto the plate like a water balloon. Last but not least, a veal demi-glace is poured over. Not mind-blowing, but still very impressive, in an understated sort of way." - willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah, will hartman

"If your preferred restaurant is actually some place that's more-than-a-bar and less-than-a-restaurant, meet Bar Moga, a Japanese spot where you can pair your impeccably-made cocktail with a pork katsu sando. Or a flight of whiskey, and an order of omurice that's sliced tableside. We prefer having a full meal here, but you could also come for drinks before a dinner reservation someplace else. Except, you could get so comfy here, you might never make it to that other place." - willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, neha talreja, arden shore

"There aren’t many places in NYC better than this Greenwich Village Japanese bar to grab drinks and food. Other spots try the $20 cocktail and snacks thing, but most are either too serious, or become trendy and impossible to get into. At Bar Moga, though, you can drink a $20 cocktail that should be $20, and eat one of the best katsu sandwiches in town next to ornate light fixtures and Japanese art. Or try a flight of high-quality Japanese whiskey and take breaks with bites of omurice with runny egg that’s sliced tableside. And you can pretty much always get a reservation or just walk in. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff Cocktails rotate seasonally and typically use ingredients like yuzu and Calpico, and spirits like shochu. But drinks are only half the reason to come. The quality of both the food and beverages put Bar Moga ahead of other NYC izakayas—and other spots where you can stand at a high top with your old boss to trash former coworkers. There’s not a single tough strand of pork in the fried chop that they use for the katsu sando, and the breading always stays intact, keeping all that juicy meat in. And though dishes like croquettes, arancini, and crudo might sound familiar, Bar Moga spruces them up with crab in the croquettes and uni in the arancini. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff The next time you need a relaxed place to hang out with an awkward couple, or maybe sit at a bar to disassociate over a cocktail and some snacks, remember Bar Moga. The location is also handy if you need a spot before or after dinner—you could walk out of here, throw a brick, and hit at least five great restaurants. Which you’ll appreciate after abandoning your early bedtime to score a reservation at nearby Dame or Carbone, some of the toughest spots to book in all of NYC. We’ll leave you with two thoughts: First, please don’t throw bricks. And, secondly, after visiting Bar Moga even once, you’ll probably just want to abandon your Super Serious Reservation and hang out here for katsu and drinks instead. Food Rundown photo credit: Alex Staniloff Katsu Sando This has often been our sole motivation to come to Bar Moga: one of the best katsu sandos in the city. There’s juicy pork. There’s breading that’s always crispy and clings to the meat. And they even cut it up into two-bite pieces so you don’t have an unwieldy sandwich to take down. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Omu Rice The other must-order item while you’re here. They have a regular omu rice and garlic version, and while you might be tempted to go garlic, the regular is the move. You’ll get a rich veal demi-glace poured over, along with rice that tastes like it’s been swimming in schmaltz (in a good way). The finishing touch: your waiter coming over to slice that perfectly runny omelet with a very sharp Japanese knife. Uni Arancini A great starter that makes us wish we could eat this uni in Hokkaido. Our only gripe: we wish it came with more than two pieces. Kani Cream Croquette Another small bite you should snack on over drinks. Beware of the piping hot snow crab cream, which we’ve burned our mouths on one too many times. Gyutan Curry This is another really great main. The simmered beef tongue straight up falls apart the second you touch it with a spoon, and the curry poured over the top is the perfect complement to the lean meat. photo credit: Alex Staniloff The Cocktails Pretty much all of the drinks here (including the mocktails) are really delicious and interesting. Both their classics, like the Princess Mononoke with mezcal, yuzu kosho, and ancho pepper, and the seasonal list will never let you down. Or you could just say screw it, and do a rare Japanese whiskey tasting." - Carlo Mantuano

"Much like an above-ground pool or the music of Harry Belafonte, the South Street Seaport is best enjoyed during summer. So the next time you find yourself below Canal Street, go check out Bar Wayo. It’s a new spot from the Momofuku people at Pier 17, and, as the name suggests, it’s more of a bar than a restaurant - though you could eat their Hamburg Dip sandwich and call it dinner. The cocktails are great (especially the one that comes in a fish mug), but keep an eye out for the drink special that comes in a hollowed-out watermelon. It tastes like equal parts sake and watermelon juice, and it’ll make you want to purchase a watermelon farm, a sake distillery, or both. Drink a few of these beverages at a table on the outdoor patio, or just sit at the U-shaped bar inside and enjoy a nice view of all the boats and tourists in the Seaport." - bryan kim, hillary reinsberg