SJ
Sozai Japanese Restaurant (Izakaya Ramen)
Authentic Japanese izakaya and ramen in the heart of NYC, where tradition meets vibrant flavors.
4(5 reviews)
japanese
$$
Authentic Japanese izakaya and ramen in the heart of NYC, where tradition meets vibrant flavors.
Sozai Japanese Restaurant offers an immersive izakaya and ramen experience in Midtown Manhattan, blending traditional Japanese cuisine with a lively, welcoming atmosphere. Specializing in small plates like crab croquettes, miso black cod, and salmon skin salad, alongside hearty bowls of tonkotsu ramen and sukiyaki udon, we cater to both adventurous foodies and ramen enthusiasts. With a 4.8-star rating from over 2,600 reviews, our attentive service and cozy interior make it a must-visit spot for lunch, dinner, or late-night dining. Reservations are recommended to enjoy our crafted cocktails and seasonal dishes in a bustling setting.
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Authentic Japanese tapas-style dishes like crab croquette, kakuni, and hamachi crudo, perfect for sharing.
Hearty ramen options including tonkotsu and beef sukiyaki udon, made with rich, umami-packed broths and springy noodles.
Grilled items such as hamachi kama and miso black cod, prepared with traditional techniques for bold flavors.
Curated selection of Japanese-inspired cocktails and premium sake to complement your meal.
Sweet treats like hojicha ice cream and other Japanese desserts to end your dining experience.
Easy online booking to secure your table in our popular, fast-filling restaurant.
❤️ Overview: Overall, the food was good! The interior and ambience is super cute as well. The service was really great too. Very attentive and kind. I would definitely recommend getting a reservation, as it seems to fill up super fast. We got there right before 5pm on a Saturday and by 5:30pm they were packed and people waiting. Definitely want to come back to try the other dishes! ❤️What was ordered: 2 cocktails, Crispy salmon skin salad, kakuni, crab croquette, lemon miso salmon, beef sukiyaki udon, dessert ❤️Stand outs: Crab croquette, crispy skin salad, kakuni, beef sukiyaki udon ❤️Would I come back/recommend: Yes - I would come back Yes - I would recommend
Such a fabulous lunch! We shared the uni hon maguro hara don, hamachi crudo, miso black cod, salmon avocado roll, and Takoyaki. They were fantastic along with our cocktail and mocktail. Our server was wonderful. Such a cool atmosphere. I will be returning.
Excellent food and great service. Place was crowded so make sure to make a reservation. Had to wait an hour for table but is worth the wait. Crab croquette was crispy and taste great. Sake kama was grilled to perfection, soft and moist on the inside. Tonkotsu ramen tasted great, soup was full of umami and noodles was springy. Staff were very attentive and friendly. Truly enjoyed my visit.
Who says you can only have izakaya food at night? This place was totally buzzing during Sunday lunch! All the dishes were pretty small so we didn’t feel that full afterwards. I really liked the fried potato balls + hojicha ice cream dessert. Definitely get that one if you go!
Came for lunch on a Sunday with a reservation for 4 at 11:30. Here is everything we ordered to share: -Tako Wasa (raw octopus with wasabi) – I usually don’t like this dish because the wasabi tends to be overpowering but they didn’t put too much here, so it wasn’t bad -Hotate Carpaccio (Hokkaido scallop, ikura with mustard soy dressing) – no complaints. I always love a good raw scallop -Sake Clam Miso (steamed clams with miso broth, sesame oil, dried chili, and pea shoots) – flavorful but the clams were small -Salmon Skin Salad (salmon skin, frisee,kale, endive, cappers with wasabi dressing) – I love salmon skin and endives, so this was the perfect salad for me -Kaki Fry (Fried oysters with tartar sauce) – the oysters were good but the coating was a bit oily -Hamachi Kama (grilled hamachi collar) – this was dry and kind of fishy. Some sauce of some sort would have helped -Ton Toro Yaki (Grilled pork neck marinated in soy sauce served with pickled wasabi) – the texture was weird – almost leathery -Miso Black Cod (Grilled black cod marinated with sake lees) – you can’t go wrong with miso black cod. This dish was very flavorful and the fish was tender -Mentaiko Pasta (spaghetti with creamy spicy cod roe and bacon topped with seaweed) – this wasn’t bad but it was served more warm instead of hot, which makes creamy pasta go clumpy Overall, I think there were too many dishes to choose from. I get that it’s an izakaya but if you have too many dishes, I don’t think you can focus on making anything really good. None of the dishes we had were outstanding to me or made me think “Wow, that tastes really good!” Everything was just kind of okay and there was nothing you couldn’t find at another restaurant. Don’t think I’d come back but if you come with a group, you’ll probably find a dish for everyone – it just won’t be anything amazing.
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