Izakaya Juraku

Highly recommended! Try the okonomiyaki fries! But don't skip on the more standard options either. We had takoyaki, several skewers, karaage, a hand roll, and drinks. Everything was fresh, served hot, and very flavorful. We were late for our reservation (and called to inform) and the staff were very accommodating. One of the owners, Keyo, even came to check on us a few times and chat about his story. We felt so welcomed and left feeling satisfied and full! Can't wait to go back! Such a great experience.

Try all the skewers, just try them all! The fried tofu was delicious, black garlic ramen was a stand out and the katsu curry was delightful. Service was nice and helpful, atmosphere was decent for a week night dinner. Would definitely return.

Everything was so good! Yakitori, Salmon and Ikura bowl, shakashaka fries, karaage, garlic edamame, drinks, beef don, skewers (omg Hotate!), everything was tasty. Why did I not take pics!? Because I was eating nonstop! The service was excellent, and the atmosphere was uplifting without being too loud—perfect. Will definitely be back!

We were here at 02.01. Everything was absolutely delicious! The ramen was outstanding, especially the brown butter and black garlic kuro. The loaded fries and the katsu cutlet were also excellent. All dishes were beautifully presented and full of flavor. The ambiance was very nice and inviting, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Service was quick and pleasant. Overall, a great experience - we’ll definitely come back!

If you're looking for a great place to unwind with some well prepared drinks, vibrant atmosphere, and delicious food I recommend you give this place a try. Be warned some of the drinks are made strong so make sure you ask for what you want or ask for a recommendation (they are really good with these :p). Kiyo is an amazing owner and does his best to keep everything running smoothly( he deserves the best in life). If you're reading this bro thanks for the drink you made and I appreciate the cece introduction to you. Overall I'd give this place a true 5/5 because of how long flexible the menu can be, the great staff, and the atmosphere can really bring the social energy out of you.

Great day for ramen, seeing how cold NYC is right now. This truly hit the spot. Table for two, we had the spicy ramen and the brown butter ramen. Delicious! Highly recommend.

Overall the izakaya is worth a visit and I will likely return to try more dishes. The skewers are tasty, flavourful and mostly fairly priced. However, one draw back is that they only seem to offer a tare version and no shio version. In addition, there seems to be a good variety of dishes. One standout dish was the Pork Kakuni which was really delicious. As for other dishes, I would say the oden was lacking additional broth and at minimum should have had a few more radishes. Another example is the rock shrimp tempura which was okay but we felt normal shrimp tempura would have been better. I will have to visit again and try more dishes. Since my overall experience was good. 👍

This place is now a birthday tradition, for several of us. The food is delightful. The cocktails well constructed and with purpose. The sake, whiskey, beer and just generally alcohol selection is extensive, each item unique. However, the standout component of this izakaya are the staff. The owner knows his stuff and is eager to go into a deep discussion of all things related to his trade. We had a full discussion, with practical applications, of Japanese, Mexican and Jamaican rums that then continued into awamori. If you are enthusiastic that enthusiasm will be returned in kind.

The brown butter ramen is great. There was a little wait but they got us in right away on a Thursday night. Cool vibe as well. Highly recommend!

Came here for a midweek happy hour meal - food only, no drinks. Nice steady crowd throughout the early evening but there was always an available table or two. Friendly, attentive and fast service. Food was good. I expected a little better based on the reviews, but still yummy. Pork katsu and handrolls were our favorites. Would recommend but don't think I'll go back

Popped by after work with my boyfriend and had a great time! At first when I entered it felt kinda too divvy and dingy. Tables were very close and got worried if I wasn't going to like the place. The server was so kind and very enthusiastic about the food. He knew the dishes very well and helped us decide. We opted for 3 hand roll set, mentaiko noodle, and a beef skewer. The sushi was very tasty and flavorful. I liked the yellowtail and salmon but my boyfriend liked the spicy tuna because he loved the mayo. I in general don't like mayo. But it's good! Our only complaint was the seaweed on the handrolls arrived very very soggy! Besides this we enjoyed all the food despite having doubts when we walked in. I think we will be back again when we are in area and want small bite!

We chose this place because we thought we could get a bunch of light bites, meet and talk while having some drinks Before going out to our event later on that evening. However, this place was extremely Loud and crowded in a narrow and crowded place. It probably would've been OK for us, but we were trying to catch up in a more relaxed environment. This seems to be a very popular place, especially with a younger crowd. We are passed a certain age where we'd much prefer not having a shout over others to be heard. Foodwise, the onigiri are baseball sized. More is not better. Ordered a few skewers of eggplant, tofu, zucchini, pork belly and scallop and they were barely enough to fill a cavity. We chose to not order drinks and go elsewhere but glad we can and saw!

We were in the area for a movie and wanted to grab a quick bite to eat- found Juraku via Yelp! Walked in on a Sunday evening around 6pm and we were seated immediately- noticed the little "reserved" cards on the tables around us so guess we got lucky (the restaurant started fill up soon after). Interior is eclectic and fun (check out the ukiyoe version of the 'woman yelling at cat' meme.... iykyk) Scan the QR code for the menu- they offer various classic Izakaya small dishes (think agedashi Nasu/tofu, karaage, takowasa and the like) but also some fun sounding apps (like fries you shake in a bag to season, loaded fries with kakuni, and also garlic sautéed edamame), yakitori, rice bowls and ramen. We weren't super hungry so didn't get to try any appetizers so just got entrees- my husband got the Kushi Yaki don (yakitori over rice) and I got the hiyashi chuka (chilled brothless ramen with various toppings- a summer classic!) My husband got to pick 3 skewers (selection included various meats and veggies)- he got pork, chicken heart and beef and he was impressed by how tender and tasty the meat was. The hiyachi chuka was everything I wanted it to be- crisp, refreshing and simply delicious! Toppings include cucumbers, tomatoes, some kanikama, chashu and an egg. I opted for the sesame soy dressing and it gave a nice nutty flavor. The dressing came on the side which I had not seen before, but it's good because you can adjust how much dressing you want on your noodles. My one suggestion is that they serve this on a plate rather than a bowl, as all the dressing goes to the bottom and it's a little hard to mix everything together (because of all the toppings!) Would be a great place to hang out with friends- I saw the brown butter miso ramen on the menu, will definitely be back to try that.

Great casual hangout place with a diverse menu selection. Brown miso butter ramen is a must !! The skirt steak skewer as well. Service is attentive although it can be quite loud so you might have to scream for your group to hear you. Would come back

I came here for dinner with one of my friends one day and we had a great time. We didn't have reservations, so we were seated at the bar. I highly recommend making reservations as this place was PACKED on a weekend night. Service here is amazing. My friend ordered a matcha beer and one of the staff brought out ice cream for us to enjoy it with because it was supposedly amazing--and it was. So so grateful for it! We ordered the agedashi tofu and two bowls of ramen for our food. Everything was delicious. The agedashi tofu was flavorful and a good portion. I love how they had a vegetarian ramen. I got their veggie ramen and loved it. It was flavorful, came with lots of tofu and veggies, and very comforting. Great vibe inside, and cool decor (+ a projector playing One Piece!).

Stumbled upon this cute little gem over the weekend! Love the vibe inside! Food was excellent. We ordered a couple of ramens and some skewers as well. Everything was delicious! The black garlic oil ramen was amazing! It was the best I ever had. They also had a special, Matcha Sake Bomb which was great as well.

Came here with a date on Valentine's Day night for a late snack and we were lucky enough to be seated immediately without a reservation. This Izakaya is very cozy and is decorated with beautiful japanese decor. Staff is also very friendly and helpful with recommendations. We loved every dish we ordered here and actually wanted to try more! We will definitely be coming back.

WOW! As soon as I walked in I felt like I was back in Japan. Izakaya Juraku is an absolute VIBE! Service was amazing, food was phenomenal & those Nama birus hit the spot for how hot it is today. Just going to say, if we lived in NY, we would definitely be regulars here. Pro tip: get the matcha sake bomb!

There is a casual ambiance with its brick-exposed walls lined with anime memorabilia. There's even anime playing on one of the walls. I wouldn't consider this place romantic. Most of the chairs are more like tall stools. Not the most comfortable to sit in for prolonged amounts of time. Nowhere convenient to hang coats and bags. Service on a Friday night was at a moderate pace. Food was all right. The skewers had a notable grill taste to them. Also, the ramen dish they said had truffles did not have very noticeable truffle taste.

Came here with my wife on a random Sunday night and was pleasantly surprised with everything. The loaded karaage fries are fire. Basically amazing cheesey fries with some of the best Japanese fried chicken you've ever had. We also had the pork belly and chicken thigh skewers (not pictured). We finished off with the black garlic ramen and the mazzemen. I personally felt the black garlic ramen had overpowering bamboo shoots. The mazzemen on the other hand was super creamy and delicious. Service was some of the best I've ever had. Stuff is super attentive and friendly. And the restaurant has tons of fun decor. I would recommend and come again.

Pork Kakuni had good flavors and was pretty tender. Takoyaki balls were soft and bouncy. Kuro (black garlic) ramen wasn't as pungent as I had expected and was just right. Biggest complaint is that the bartender seemed to have forgotten to put any alcohol into my cocktail... Migi Chichi tasted like nothing. It was so weird.

Came here with a group Sunday afternoon and we were able to be seated right away. The service was attentive and quick. Food was also served quickly. There is a long extensive menu ranging from hand rolls, Japanese apps, ramen, skewers, Japanese curry, and even burgers. I got the black garlic ramen and it was pretty good. Good portion and prices are fair.

We walked in on a weekday for an early dinner and the restaurant was mostly empty. The inside is dimly lit and service is fast. I've been here a few times now and I always get the black garlic ramen which comes in a braised pork bone broth with black garlic. The black garlic flavor is unique and goes well with the ramen. It also comes with a good variety of toppings such as pork, jammy egg, corn, and spinach.

The staffs were friendly, we ordered pork belly, steak skewers and chicken karage. This place is usually packed, we were able to get seats on a Tuesday night. Food was delicious, would recommend coming here! Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambience: 5/5

Their Mentaiko Mazzemen is the standard of how this dish should be - creamy, full of Mentaiko, with the sauce just hugging the noodles. Their skewers are so tender with a savory and sweet sauce. The Takowasa is a perfect palate cleanser, with that kick of wasabi. Their loaded fries are loaded - many pieces of chicken, stretchy cheese, and fries. This small spot is a bit of a hole in the wall where some of the dishes are served in a paper container, but wow is the food good!

I came in a group of 5 with a reservation. The service was quick as the staff handled numerous orders. If you're an anime fan, you'll like the decor and the shows playing behind the bar. The Boozy Yuzu Slushy tastes like a straight up slushie without the booze, but I'm not mad. It was delicious. The Signature Karaage was juicy and crispy, and it was definitely a standout. (I like ordering karaage whenever I see it on the menu, and it was one of the better ones I've had in NYC.) The Kuro Black Garlic Ramen was flavorful with a unique taste (at least for someone who hasn't tried black garlic ramen before). I also tried some scallop and steak skewers, which were both great. The steak was really tender. While everything I had here tasted amazing, the food and drinks were on the pricier end.

The food was very tasty. Their service was also really nice and friendly!The background and vibe was also really nice with their one piece collection. **Very recommend the scallops!

I always come here for the croquette. It's perfect when I'm craving fried food and want something besides regular french fries. The lemon and tonkatsu sauce is a great combination. The takoyaki is also great, but I wish it came with more pieces for $12. The service is amazing, I've never had a bad experience. Everyone is very friendly and helpful.

The food, drinks, and vibes were all amazing at this cute izakaya! Everything we ordered was delicious and the service was 10/10!! The owner gave us complimentary matcha sake bombs and they tasted so good, the matcha was very strong! I loved their unique cocktails and I can't wait to come back!

Stumbled into this place with a friend completely on accident because our reservation at Sixty Three Clinton got nixed due to a burst pipe. Figured I needed to get completely hammered after my bad luck. And I knew izakaya would do the job. Probably my third Izakaya experience and easily my best. The employees have a deep knowledge of sakes and Japanese beers. ALL of the food we got was absolutely divine. Especially the kushiyaki items. Those combined with copious amounts of sakes I can't fully recall and Orions led to a truly religious escapade on the Lower East Side. I wasn't one of these soul-stirring, slightly aberrant individuals that believes strongly in some omnipresent invisible hand of fate before Izakaya Juraku. Now... I'm not so sure. I missed a starred meal, but that burst pipe led me to this sanctum. I cannot imagine an alternate universe without me knowing about Izakaya Juraku.

Finishing up one of my last reviews of July to celebrate New Years. Why not? I went to this izakaya with a bunch of others several months ago as per most of my other recent reviews. Shoutouts first goes to their drink menu compared to even most other izakayas. They might not have the sake selection compared to some other places but the beer selection from all across Japan is better than most craft spots and they also have a wide variety of other liqueurs including a nice shochu collection to cocktails to other. I believe I had the Japas Black Daruma which is an imperial stout followed by some type of shochu drink later. The lighting was a bit dark for photos and the staff was friendly and dealt with our large group quite well. We had three different Yakitori; Chicken Thigh, Skirt Steak, and Hokkaido Scallop. The latter was the best of the group with very tender delicious scallops. The steak was alright and the chicken was decent. They would all make pretty good bar food while going through their drink selections. The Signature Karaage was very solid. It came out very freshly fried and was quite hot with tender chicken and a lightly spicy mayo. There was also an excellent version of the Pork Kakuni referring to a braised pork belly. Very tender pork with a lot of fat of course as expected and the shishito peppers on top was a nice touch. The following dishes were split between more people. The Gyudon or Gyu Don as listed on the menu was solid. Listed as braised sliced beef and onion with egg, served on white rice with pickled ginger and scallion, the beef was tender and not too sweet compared to some other spots from the onions. The egg was properly made and overall it was a solid donburi. The Miso Bacon or Japanese pork belly marinated in red miso, Hitachino Anbai Ale, maple syrup and smoked with cherry wood was excellent. Very tender sweet pork. The portion is small for the price but they clearly put a lot of effort into it and it's not like they're marinating it in a cheap alcohol either so it's honestly worth it. We also got the Mentaiko Mazemen. The Pasta-style ramen dish with spiced pollock roe, fresh shiso, and shredded seaweed. The noodle texture was good but I found that there wasn't enough Mentaiko. It was more like a creamy pasta and not salty enough for my liking. This was probably the other weakest dish along with the katsu listed below. The Pork Katsu Curry listed as Japanese curry with Mugi-Fuji pork cutlet and Japanese pickles was the other weakest dish. The curry even by the other Japanese curry standards was a bit on the light end and the pork while tender had a bit too much batter. Portion was decent but it was just OK. Outside of two of the entrees, the food was pretty good. Very good alcohol selection and the smaller plates in particular were excellent. There's better izakayas but still it's solid. Low 4.

Might be a bit of a stretch to call this an "anime-themed" bar, HOWEVER, the decor is still super fun! Came last night on a Thursday around 7-ish; no wait time and they even seated me at a table without my whole party being there yet. Note: no backs on the chairstools here, so come correct with your posture and core strength. ALL of the staff are SUPER friendly, and the waiters were oh-so-attentive, especially Prescott! :D They played good music and the overall atmosphere was dim and chill. We got a variety of dishes including the brown butter ramen and seaweed salad, and a bottle of the flowery Sayuri sake, which were all decent. What I will recommend MOST though, is the signature karaage and the yakiniku! The karaage came out RIDICULOUSLY fresh, like I'm talking steaming, perfectly crispy, amazingly juicy inside, too hot to even touch with your fingers to rip a piece off at first, and oh-so-well-seasoned. Warning, the spicy mayo it comes with is INDEED actually spicy, and I don't do well with spice BUT I ATE IT and endured fiery breath, cause it was THAT worth it. The yakiniku was my mom's and I was low-key jealous because I'd recommend that over the ramen, hands down. Once again, DELICIOUSLY seasoned meat, also somehow slightly crispy on the outside but perfectly tender when bit into with an awesome sauce, and get a side of rice to go with it. I finally found some anime representation toward the back of the place, near the restroom, haha (which was ultra-clean!). But seriously, I'd recommend this place on the service alone; the super cool ambience and decorative touches (like the samurai sword door handles) are just an extra nice touch, and I would most definitely return to try that delicious-looking bacon I saw them cooking on mini-grills and then bringing the mini-grills with said bacon still on them directly to other patron's tables.

Had the best dinner at Izakaya Juraku, can't give it a high enough score! We had a group of 9 originally and the restaurant was able to add one more to the reservation on short notice. I had never been here before but trusted the many other positive reviews. The service was incredible, I wish I knew our servers name but he was one of the best ever. Was able to make excellent drink and food recommendations that out table loved. He was super quick to check in on us and make sure everyone had what they needed. The food??? FIRE We got a mix of a ton of stuff, meat skewers, shishito peppers, edamame, Ramen, and much more. No food was left behind, it was even better than I expected. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone, especially large groups looking for a fun dinner in LES.

Great place to grab some unique beers and good casual Japanese food. All of the staff are excellent and attentive. Even on the busiest of nights, everyone hustles to take care of diners. Worth a trip to the LES

Stopped by for a few drinks and honestly, I'm pretty disappointed that I'm just a tourist so I won't be able to be back super soon. There's a pretty extensive and creative cocktail list, which I loved, in addition to a wide variety of sake and beer. Had a highball and a boozy yuzu slush which were amazing on a humid, summer day. The decor is also a vibe, and it is just a charming place to hang out and spend some time. Also had the opportunity to chit chat with the manager, Kiyo. It is very evident lots of passion and care are being put into the business. Super cool, helpful dude who was always on top of anything I needed and nice enough to let me try a few sample drinks, which were also amazing. I genuinely think if you haven't been here yet, you're missing out. Hope to be back soon!

Tried to get a table at the spot across the street and there was too long a wait, so we just literally walked in here. Vibe is chill and the server was really nice. Black Garlic Veggie Ramen.... Woooooooow, so good and vegetarian I assume. The broth was super delicious and rich, noodles properly chewy and veggies & tofu tastey.. Garlic Edamame was great and my wife enjoyed her Spicey Ramen.

Izakaya Juraku is the place to go for Japanese cocktails and beer. The selection of Japanese beers and spirits is outstanding. My favorite cocktail is "The ChiChi." Don't forget to order some ramen, skewers, miso bacon, wasabi shake shake fries and their world famous signature karaage.

Izakaya Juraku won us over after our third visit in a single month. We were immediately impressed by the delicious dishes and prompt, efficient customer service. This is not your typical divey izakaya joint. It has a proper full bar, high tables, and communal tables for large groups. We appreciated that they still use QR codes for menu ordering. We started with a 200 ml cold bottle of sake and the Yakiniku, sautéed Washu beef with Korean-style BBQ sauce. The Karaage, their signature fried chicken, was served with spicy mayo. Both dishes were so delicious that I quickly asked the server for a bowl of rice. It was the perfect addition. I then ordered the Kuro (black garlic) ramen, a braised pork bone broth with egg noodles, boiled egg, spinach, braised pork loin, and house-made black garlic oil. The overall flavor and presentation of this dish was excellent. My partner ordered the katsu curry, Muji-Fuji pork cutlet with Japanese pickles. He found the curry a little sweet for his liking. Overall, we had a great dining experience at Izakaya Juraku and will return to try other dishes on the menu. We highly recommend this place!

Came here after seeing that they had an anime/ One Piece theme at the bar. Made a reservation prior, but when I got there it was pretty empty. We requested to sit at the bar instead of a table when we got there so we can watch the episodes playing on the projector. The food, especially the skewers hit the spot and the service was amazing. Our bartender/server recommended a drink which was absolutely amazing. The drink I ordered was so nostalgic, with the popsicle. Overall, I would come again to try other drinks and food.

Walking through New York, this is a great place to have some good yakitori and seafood-based dishes. We ordered the yellowtail rice, which is much like Yaki Onigri but with yellowtail served on a flat slice of fried rice instead, which was incredibly fresh and rich. The tuna roll was also delicious as well, plus the grilled eel stick was soft, tender, and not too sweet yet succulent. The chicken was extremely juicy and the beef was soft to the teeth. The servers were extremely nice and were attentive to everything we needed, and the restaurant was well kept and organized. It was a little on the pricy side so keep that in mind but other than that I would return any day!

You know I'm from Las Vegas and I was born in New York City not to sound snooty about anything, but I was kind of not impressed with this place. It got a lot of reviews and although I had a great time and I thought the food was good and the ambience was kind of OK service was of course excellent because they were kind and just generally nice. But I feel like they could've done a better job with a lot of the taste and presentation of things. I only had eight hours in New York City so I was limited to my choices. I wouldn't say not try this place but I would say that if you're looking for an authentic kind of Izakaya rather than a local trendy spot then this may not be for you.

Cute little spot in the LES. Ramen was great and the service was perfect. I came in solo and wasn't bothered by anyone. They had anime on the tv and I enjoyed a beer. Lovely afternoon lunch.

One of my favorite restaurants in the city! My partner and I come here fairly regularly, and each time we have come, the food has always been delicious. Some of our personal favorites are the skewers - all are amazing and reasonably priced. The karaage loaded fries are a fun treat (cheesy with a solid amount of chicken and jalapeño), along with the glazed bacon. They have a great selection of Japanese beer, too. I also really appreciate the overall vibe here. The decor inside is full of anime memorabilia, artwork, and neon signs. They also project movies and shows above the bar, another fun touch. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and service is quick. Definitely would recommend Izakaya Juraku to a friend!

I really like this place - the food is excellent - been coming here for a few years. Highly recommend everything - I especially like the kakuni. It's a fun place with a good atmosphere and great service. Randomly stopped by last night and had an excellent dinner sitting at the bar and watching anime on the projector :D

Have gone a couple of times with a group of friends for food and drinks. Think it's a good place to go but it's a bit pricey. The skewers are pretty good here ( one of the best places I've had). I think all the bar food is pretty good too to snack on with a couple of drinks. Good ambience, wide selection of Japanese drinks and foods, perfect place to go with friends who are not on a budget haha.

Pretty good Izakaya place with decent food - the Katsu curry I had was decent and the Takoyaki was also legit. I also didn't mind washing it all down with a big cold glass of Asahi on draft. The real star here is the service. The folks are super nice, attentive and very friendly to customers. This is a great place to chill with friends and grab a few drinks before heading out on the town. Ambiance is dark as you'd expect but it has a nice comfortable vibe.

Had a great time with friends here for Friday night drinks. It was a casual but intimate experience, and the bites we got were exceptional. We actually ordered the loaded karage fries 2x in the one sitting.

Consistently solid (and creative) Izakaya spot and part of my standing rotation. After a few months, went again this evening and was reminded why I love this Izakaya Juraku so much - so many delicious (and quality) options both from a drink (mainly beer and sake) and good standpoint. Some of our favorites are the loaded chicken karage fries (yes it's as heavy and delicious as it sounds - elevated cheese fries), the scallop skewer, and the pork belly skewer. We tried the takowasa and pork buns this time around and both where super tasty. While we didn't get drinks this time, previously my favorite has been the matcha IPA (forgetting name off hand). Such an interesting meld of complex flavors. Also - service is always pretty good and attentive. I've gone both by reservation and walk-in (which is a gamble, but I've been lucky), and I'd recommend making a reservation.

Chill vibes at this izakaya- volume was pretty low throughout and the servers were very attentive. Personal faves are the grilled Hokkaido scallops and the mentaiko mazemen. The char on the scallops had the perfect flavor and the mazemen although few ingredients tasted delicious. The karage was cooked just right, super tender, although I'd recommend getting the signature over the oroshi (the radish was interesting). The other dishes were ok, fun to share. Would not recommend the bacon personally. Will definitely come back for snacks and drinks in the future.

Came to this place after work with friends on a Friday evening. We were a party of 4 but made reservations in advance. We ordered so many things to try, not pictured were the mentaiko carbonara. I was in the devouring mode by the time it came out. Food came out really quickly despite how busy it was. My favorites were the mentaiko carbonara and the squid calamari. They were generous with the amount of squid that came with the order. The mentaiko carbonara was made from thinner maybe ramen noodles, not the usual pasta noodle. But the flavor was super rich and creamy. This place was one of the better tasting Izakaya places I've been to. Service was also really good with the waiter checking in on us and refilling our water regularly. I got the yuzu ginger ale but it wasn't the best alcoholic drink IMO so I would try another cocktail next time. Tip: Make sure to book a reservation in advance. I believe there is also a fee if your party is a no show.

Incredible. A Must try ! If you're looking for quality Ramen to impress your date or a #TreatYourself lunch that you highly deserve- Izakaya Juraku is your place. One word to describe this place is: Original Expect outstanding food and service while you're here. Follow me on Yelp Facebook instagram and YouTube as I travel the world in search of the perfect bowl of noodle soup @noodlesoupr #Food #Seafood #DateNight #Cocktail #NewYorkFood #NYCFood #NewJerseyBlogger

Atmosphere is great. Love the vibe and the choice of the playlist is pretty wide range. Bartender and waiter are on top of their game and the food... GAWD!!! So good. The skirt steak skewer is to die for. 5/5 would come back again

This is a very lowkey izakaya place (as most are) and the food is comforting, delicious, and affordable. Yes they used to have a happy hour but times are changing and the food is still reasonably priced so there's no reason not to go. My friends and I got the chicken karaage and takoyaki to start and for dinner I got the black garlic ramen. I don't know how prevalent garlic ramen is because I've never actively looked for it and it was simply recommended by our waiter. However, I will definitely be on the lookout for it because it's pretty delicious. I also love garlic in general as it's the basis in most of the cuisines of where I'm from. For the drinks, I typically enjoy sake but didn't enjoy whatever the waiter had recommended, which is obviously completely fine. As for the appetizers, I've had better karaage (Raku) and takoyaki (Dokodemo). I would still return again but just use my own judgement on picking which sake/beer and stick to the ramen here.

Attended a birthday party here and had a phenomenal time. The staff went above and beyond to take care of our group of 10+. We never felt rushed or like our requests were too difficult to be accommodated. The food was solid and the small plate format of most dishes made it easy to try a bunch of their menu. The drinks were also fantastic, both the ones on and off the menu -- at some point we asked the bartender to surprise us and he did so, exceedingly well at that! There are few places left in the city where you can get a large group a full meal, drinks, and an outside cake (no cake fee!) for less than $100pp after tax/tip. All in all, our group had a blast and I'd highly recommend anyone looking for a no-hassle, quality group experience to stop by Izakaya Juraku.

When I first walked in, I immediately noticed they paid detailed attention from their sword designed hand bar, and to the anime theme interior! For the foods, the signature karaage is the perfect side dish to this meal! Juicy yet crispy. Also really enjoy the yuzu slushy that is not pictured, a good amount of yuzu flavor and it was really refreshing. We also get the Kushiyakidon(grilled skewers over rice): Hokkaido scallop skewer stand out the most, Katsu curry and Kuro(black garlic) ramen.

Good food! I came on a Saturday evening with some friends and it was just right in terms of crowds. We started off with a couple of drinks. I ordered the Aomori seagrass and it was just as strong as it needed to be. I didn't need anything else. The servers were very patient as it was our first time eating here. We also got the chicken, beef and shrimp skewers and they were sooo tasty. Only thing was I ordered the chicken and beef skewers and got beef and shrimp. The second time I ordered it came out slow so I assumed that it was getting more packed. The ambiance inside was very nice. There were many painting and posters of a couple of popular memes but translated to Japanese. Overall nice spot and it would return!

Came here with a group after a movie at Regal nearby. We were quite hungry, and ordered several apps and a main each, as well as sake. I think the apps, namely the karaage and fried horse mackerel were good, though it's hard to do fried stuff wrong. The sake was nice as well. I think all of us were a little underwhelmed with our mains though. My gyudon was probably the best, but none of the ramens really tasted great and the noodles didn't seem super fresh. The black garlic one especially was kind of too sweet somehow? Didn't taste garlicky enough and seemed like the focus more was on the broth looking very black rather than tasting great. I think for LES, you can do a lot better. It seems like the bar vibe is nice and maybe that's what people really love. There is really cool interior decoration as well. Good vibes overall, but this is just not the strongest place for Japanese food.