"Cocktails, oysters, and ramen. What more do you need for a perfect evening out? Especially when those cocktails (from an Angel’s Share alum) include things like a very umami hijiki seaweed concoction with Japanese whiskey, or a vesper martini with sweet potato shochu and orange bitters. Get to this little basement level Washington Heights spot early to avail of their $1.75 happy hour oysters (until 7pm), then move on to some crunchy karaage and a bowl or two of ramen by candlelight. The soupless seafood ramen ($32) is great, but the $19 vegetables ramen is the sleeper hit." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"ROKC stands for Ramen, Oysters, Kitchen, and Cocktails, and this Washington Heights spot excels in all categories. There are interesting cocktails from an Angel’s Share alum, like a vesper martini with sweet potato shochu, a $1.75 oyster happy hour until 7pm, and crunchy karage to pair with your Kyoto ramen." - willa moore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick
"Known mostly for their creative cocktails, which combine things like whiskey and seaweed, this bar and ramen joint is an uptown favorite for catching up with friends in Hamilton Heights. But beyond the cocktails, served in an assortment of charming ceramics, this warmly lit basement on Broadway also has some very respectable ramen on its menu. The vegetarian one, with shiitake-based broth, is almost as rich as the Kyoto-style ramen, and we also like the briny, soupless sea urchin and salmon caviar ramen. You can also get a bunch of oysters, and smaller bites, like karaage." - will hartman, willa moore, sonal shah, neha talreja, kenny yang
"Perfect for: Your friend who subsists on ramen At ROKC in Hamilton Heights, the food is secondary to their whimsical collection of cocktails. The drinks come in vessels including but not limited to: a light bulb, winking teacup, and a hollowed-out green pepper. They also have a thing for lighting your limes on fire. It’s a fun place to take anyone, but even a picky eater is going to need some food to chase with a lychee slushy. The “R” in ROKC stands for ramen, and they’ve got some solid basic options with soy sauce and chicken broth, as well as some decent karaage." - neha talreja
"ROKC started takeout and delivery in the Hamilton Heights and Harlem area. They’re serving to-go cocktails, ramen, rice bowls, and other drinks every day between noon and 9pm." - hannah albertine