Izakaya MEW

"This review starts with an important question: Do you work, live or otherwise get forced to spend time in the vicinity of the 35th Street? If you answered yes - maybe your office is around here, maybe you go to Knicks games, maybe you competitively ride the elevators at Macy's - this review applies to you. If not, congratulations on avoiding the area. Feel free to stop paying attention and go eat something delicious in another part of town. But if you do have to plan some easy, somewhat fun post-Madison Square Garden eating or need to take the interns out without having to walk more than five blocks, you're going to want to hear this. Izakaya Mew is a big underground Japanese izakaya on 35th between 5th and 6th, serving ramen, sushi, dumplings, and fried chicken. The music is loud, it's usually packed with people who look like they're having a good time, and they serve frozen beer slushies. To be clear, the food at Izakaya Mew is not… amazing. It's fine. The dumplings are solid, the ramen is hot, and the sushi is satisfying in the way that the sushi they serve at the cocktail hour of a fancy wedding is satisfying. In other words, if you're drunk and hungry, it's going to hit the spot. So will the Sbarro across from Penn Station, but please, have some dignity. At least find the nearest Ray's. You don't need to travel across town for Izakaya Mew, but if you just drank 15 Bud Lights at a Rangers game and need to continue down that road with some food in your stomach, Izakaya Mew is just the place you want to be. Food Rundown Frozen Beer Essentially a cold beer with frozen beer foam on top. Does it taste better than a regular beer? You should be too drunk to make that call by now. Gyoza Fried dumplings are exactly the kind of thing you want to order here. Get them. Sakura Roll Your standard yellowtail avocado jalapeno crunch roll topped with salmon tartar. Feel free to choose from any of the similar creations across the menu. Salmon Sashimi Taco Whenever anything says "taco" we feel obliged to order it. We liked the sushi better, but these are fun to share. Miso Ramen This ramen won't make any "best-of" lists, but if you need something hot and with noodles, have at it." - Hillary Reinsberg

"A subterranean den near Herald Square for nursing a frozen beer and downing a couple small plates, Izakaya Mew offers a sprawling menu of Japanese dishes suited for soaking up booze, like the omu soba, which features sauteed noodles with pork and vegetables, swaddled in an egg omelet and topped with bonito flakes. There’s also a seafood udon soup with Littleneck clams and butter. A brief (5 p.m. to 6 p.m.) happy hour includes $4 Sapporo pints and house sake plus $5 glasses of select wines. Mew is a drinking den with a serviceable, wide-ranging menu — not a noodle destination by any stretch — but it’s a solid bet amid the lackluster dining options in the Madison Square Garden vicinity." - Alexandra Ilyashov

"In every neighborhood, you should know a place where you can sit with a group, and share a few small plates while you have a medium-to-large amount of drinks. Near the Garment District, one such spot is Izakaya Mew, and it will help you out in numerous scenarios. This place is an izakaya in a basement with brick walls and light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and you can stop by after a game at MSG or come for a team bonding thing with coworkers. You’ll find plenty of ramen and sushi here, and they also serve frozen beer that has the texture of a slurpy." - bryan kim

"Such is the case with Hand Hospitality, the hit-making group behind Her Name is Han and Izakaya Mew." - Luke Fortney

"Hand Hospitality also runs Japanese restaurant and bar Izakaya Mew." - Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya