Takeshi

"In Japanese, “yaki” means grill, while “niku” means meat. Takashi is a 34-seat yakiniku restaurant dressed in wood, with rustic tables outfitted with individual grills that replicate the heat emitted by a charcoal flame. Just like at a Korean barbecue restaurant, diners order off the menu, and raw proteins land tableside, for a cook-your-own meal. While there’s an assortment of cooked appetizers, the focus is on carefully sourced premium beef (including wagyu) from sustainable farms in upstate New York and Japan. There’s both wagyu from Miyazaki, plus an American take on the buttery beef, alongside more adventurous cuts like tongue, stomach, and intestines. Takashi debuted in 2010 from the late chef Takashi Inoue and quickly become a New York fixture for its excellent beef and spartan Japanese look." - Kat Odell

"Sometimes I dream about a Wes Andersonian, parallel-universe New York where the late Takashi Inoue’s vision of beef is the one that prevails... Takashi, which closed during the heart of the pandemic in May, will remain my carnivorous fanfiction for the New York City beef experience." - Eater Staff

"Takashi was a Japanese yakiniku restaurant known for its tabletop grilling, communal eating, and interactive dining experience. Opened in April 2010 by Saheem Ali and chef Takashi Inoue, it became popular for its unique dishes involving various parts of the cow, including multiple stomachs and aorta. Despite its success and being a favorite of the late Anthony Bourdain, the restaurant permanently closed due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of chef Inoue in 2017." - Serena Dai

"Takeshi’s omakase experience is now served to go via Chow Now. Ten pieces of daily market sushi go for $65, with ten premium sashimi pieces at $85. A la carte California sea urchin, and dozens of nigiri and sashimi options let orderers customize the sushi experience." - Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Eater Staff

"Takeshi is just one little room with a sleek wooden bar, and you’re here to eat omakase sushi (there are three lunch options, for $50, $75, and $100, and three dinner options, for $75, $100, and $135). But it still feels casual, in part because they play songs like “Can’t Feel My Face” over the speakers, and the chef takes time to talk to everyone sitting at the bar. The smaller, ten-piece dinner service lasts around 45 minutes and actually has a few more than ten pieces (ours also came with a scallop and uni handroll and a Japanese sponge cake), all of which are very good. So if you want great sushi for a not-outrageous price in a relaxed, casual atmosphere, you need to try this place." - Hannah Albertine