16 Top Izakaya in NYC - Eater NY
"It’s no accident that the name “Yopparai” literally translates to “drunkard” — sake is front-and-center at this 30-seater on the LES. Gaku Shibata, a sommelier from Tokyo who opened the bar in 2012 with his wife Christy, is still often on the floor to help customers choose from more than 50 bottles, many of them rare. Addictive tsukune, or yolk-topped chicken meatballs, and generous cuts of sashimi can more than stand up to the drinks list." - Diana Hubbell