Village Yokocho

(212) 598-3041

8 Stuyvesant St (Third Avenue)
New York, NY 10003 40.7301 -73.9894

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Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown

Hours:

Daily 5pm-3am

Price:

$$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Family Style Dining, Group Dining, Private Rooms

Cuisine:

Japanese, Seafood

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Village Yokocho

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – The consistent lines at this bustling Japanese "tapas" hot spot don't lie: Yokocho's fresh, reasonably priced comfort food and social atmosphere draw a youthful clientele of cultural natives and gaijin alike. A 20-foot grill, simple wood-furnished decor and hip Asian-American servers transport you to a lively Tokyo food joint. – – The Food – The extensive menu ranges from top-notch Korean-derived barbecue (the succulent prime rib with bone sizzles in savory pepper-and-apple sauce) to udon noodles to Japanese stews. But the best offerings are the a la carte…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
More dining options in the East Village.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “very fun atmosphere too, very japan like.”
  2. “It's also attached to Angel's Share, which is a cool, more romantic bar.”
drinks
81.4799976348877% positive
  1. “There is an elegant bar in the front, (however only groups of 4 can go in).”
  2. “She failed to bring our drinks, had a terrible attitude - as though she couldn't fathom the fact she had to talk to people, and that she was inherently better than us, and constantly ignored us, though she watched us, laughing, while we tried to get her a”
  3. “True, the service is hardly on par with the finer restaurants in NYC, but I go for the energy and the tasty "tapas"-like seafood treats that are perfect with beer or sake.”
  4. “Its also pretty cool that theres a bar located on the same floor called angels share.”
  5. “Same owner as the guy who owns Typhoon, which is just down the street on St. Marks and 1st Ave. Always good drinks and service is pretty good; Atmosphere is nice and relaxed too.”
  6. “It's also attached to Angel's Share, which is a cool, more romantic bar.”
  7. “This place is awesome, the service is a bit slow and unattentive, but who cares when you are sipping on a glass of Shochu and oolong tea.”
  8. “great place to meet up for some food and drinks.”
  9. “It's where you go to eat some good food and have a good drink.”
food quality
82.1399974822998% positive
  1. “great looking place with a wide assortment of wonderful food.”
  2. “My friends and I tried practically every strange, inventive dish on the menu, most of which are very tasty.”
  3. “love the food.”
  4. “really love the different selections of tapas style dishes, so that you can try a lot of different dishes with friends.”
  5. “the food in this restaurant is not bad but not superior either.”
  6. “seared fatty salmon is yumm and they have my favorite oo-long hai!”
  7. “The food is so delicious you can order anything, even strange sounding things are amazing.”
  8. “This place is not fancy at all but great Japanese food for sooo cheap.”
  9. “It's where you go to eat some good food and have a good drink.”
  10. “The food is very good (its not iron chef level, but still great), and the prices are pretty nice.”
  11. “we ended up waiting 45 minutes to be sat next to the kitchen in the back which wasnt all that terrible except for the fact that they left the door to the balcony open and we had freezing gusts of wind blowing in our face the whole meal.”
  12. “True, the service is hardly on par with the finer restaurants in NYC, but I go for the energy and the tasty "tapas"-like seafood treats that are perfect with beer or sake.”
  13. “great yakitori, even better to try the raw crab and fried tofu.”
  14. “great japanese food”
  15. “and the staff while still all-Japanese has completely changed guard (except for Mari who's part of the original crew), the food is as good as it's always been.”
  16. “it's the only place you can get yummy authentic japanese comfort food.”
  17. “The food used to be great and service was always friendly and personal.”
  18. “The waiters are rude and will make you wait a long time before the arrival of not only your food but a simple glass of water.”
  19. “because I like the food so much.”
  20. “great place to meet up for some food and drinks.”
  21. “suck food and suck service and a lot of money.”
  22. “My faves include yakiniku (beef yakitori), yaki anything on a stick, asari butta (clams in butter), spicy squid legs, deep fried squid legs, seaweed salad, karage (fried chicken), and ice cold nama biru (Kirin of course).”
  23. “Love the food, the prices, and the vast menu.”
  24. “It's very authentic and one of my favorite places.”
  25. “Yet, it is amazing how fast the check comes at the end of the horrible meal.”
  26. “Yakitori (bbq meats) is tasty too.”
  27. “Its not all about sushi as this place is probably one of the more authentic and less explored Japanese yakiniku options in the city.”
  28. “Now that I've lived in Tokyo, I can say Yokocho is authentic, the real deal.”
menu variety
80.0% positive
  1. “To qualify as a true izakaya, they could use a better selection of sake (there's only 1 or 2 mediocre, mama sakes).”
  2. “Love the food, the prices, and the vast menu.”
  3. “really love the different selections of tapas style dishes, so that you can try a lot of different dishes with friends.”
  4. “My friends and I tried practically every strange, inventive dish on the menu, most of which are very tasty.”
  5. “Its not all about sushi as this place is probably one of the more authentic and less explored Japanese yakiniku options in the city.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place to meet up for some food and drinks.”
  2. “great looking place with a wide assortment of wonderful food.”
  3. “it used to be my favorite restaurant.”
service
46.30000114440918% positive
  1. “True, the service is hardly on par with the finer restaurants in NYC, but I go for the energy and the tasty "tapas"-like seafood treats that are perfect with beer or sake.”
  2. “The service is also often poor with it taking forever to get your server's attention.”
  3. “The waiters are rude and will make you wait a long time before the arrival of not only your food but a simple glass of water.”
  4. “and the staff while still all-Japanese has completely changed guard (except for Mari who's part of the original crew), the food is as good as it's always been.”
  5. “The wait staff is very attentive; though if the place is really packed, then you may have to flag someone.”
  6. “Generally, the wait staff is fast, efficient and friendly.”
  7. “actually got to know one of the waiters, this cool japanese dude named Toshi, who left for hawaii i believe a couple yrs ago.”
  8. “The food used to be great and service was always friendly and personal.”
  9. “Same owner as the guy who owns Typhoon, which is just down the street on St. Marks and 1st Ave. Always good drinks and service is pretty good; Atmosphere is nice and relaxed too.”
  10. “She failed to bring our drinks, had a terrible attitude - as though she couldn't fathom the fact she had to talk to people, and that she was inherently better than us, and constantly ignored us, though she watched us, laughing, while we tried to get her a”
  11. “Perhaps this girl doesn't need a job badly enough to do it competently, or perhaps she just hates people in general.”
  12. “suck food and suck service and a lot of money.”
  13. “Order in small plates and come in larger groups as the place is very friendly like that.”
  14. “However, the service I recieved here was so abominable that I had to comment.”
  15. “Management should retrain or re-educate her because she is clearly an unfit and terribly rude waitress.”
  16. “20 minutes is a long time to wait especially just to take an order when there were only about 5 full tables there to begin with and a full serving staff readily available.”
  17. “4x/wk. While the service is not as good as it used to be (where's the "irrasshyaimasei!”
  18. “This place is awesome, the service is a bit slow and unattentive, but who cares when you are sipping on a glass of Shochu and oolong tea.”
value
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “The food is very good (its not iron chef level, but still great), and the prices are pretty nice.”
  2. “i'm not a fan of the okonomiyaki here but the prices are very reasonable and we always leave happy!”
  3. “Love the food, the prices, and the vast menu.”
  4. “suck food and suck service and a lot of money.”
  5. “still have yet to try the huge bowl of clams in broth my friend had once.”
  6. “This place is not fancy at all but great Japanese food for sooo cheap.”
wait time
26.670000553131104% positive
  1. “The waiters are rude and will make you wait a long time before the arrival of not only your food but a simple glass of water.”
  2. “This place is awesome, the service is a bit slow and unattentive, but who cares when you are sipping on a glass of Shochu and oolong tea.”
  3. “20 minutes is a long time to wait especially just to take an order when there were only about 5 full tables there to begin with and a full serving staff readily available.”
  4. “seared fatty salmon is yumm and they have my favorite oo-long hai!”
  5. “we ended up waiting 45 minutes to be sat next to the kitchen in the back which wasnt all that terrible except for the fact that they left the door to the balcony open and we had freezing gusts of wind blowing in our face the whole meal.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/25/10

Good cheap Japanese!!

by dolls doll

This place is not fancy at all but great Japanese food for sooo cheap. I usually go there with close friends. Many veggie dishes too!

  • Pros: food, price
  • Cons: decor, service
2 Star Rating: Below Average

04/24/09

Longtime customer - but now you can't even get a seat!

by Rev2

I hate to write this but I had to voice my disappointment. I've been coming here with wife and friends for many years now. Everything has always been good. Love the food, the prices, and the vast menu. We mainly go for the grill table but now the place is so popular you can't get a grill table, not even at 7pm! I had asked not too long ago about making reservations and they told me they didn't take reservations. This last time I went in at 7pm, which we had to do last 2 times to get a seat, we couldn't be seated because they said all the tables were reserved till 10pm. So what's the story, you do or don't take reservations!? And there was NOBODY seated at ANY of the grill tables. The service is also often poor with it taking forever to get your server's attention. They also don't clean off the grills well, we often find dried pieces of food still stuck on the grill.

This place is getting to be too much of a headache to try to eat at. It was once a gem, but now it's getting just too hard to eat there.

  • Pros: Real charcoal grill, inexpensive, tons of menu items
  • Cons: Can't ever get a table, not too clean, sometimes poor servic
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/07/09

Great place!

by acegas

I love this place. The food is so delicious you can order anything, even strange sounding things are amazing. And it has such a great vibe, from the moment you sit down you just feel happy!

  • Pros: Service , Food is amazing
  • Cons: there might be a line (well worth the wait)
1 Star Rating: Poor

03/06/09

centipede in diet coke avoid this place

by chemunwo

found a centipede in my diet coke, it is disgusting. the waiter were quick to address the problem with 20% discount of my entire meal. it is not anyone's fault but just the sanistation in the restaurant is horrible. avoid this place if you can and and save yourself from potentially food poisoned with these hazardous insect. the yakitori portion were really small as compared to taishyo or other japanese restaurant alike around the area. the food in this restaurant is not bad but not superior either. won't comeback again

  • Pros: good waitstaff
  • Cons: found centipede in diet coke, small portion
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/09/08

Worst waitress ever

by natsuko82

I've been coming here for years. I've worked in the area and understand that the clientele at yokocho leaves much to be desired - college students, newbies to the tipping culture and general cheapskates who failed to learn basic manners and tipping norms - 20% at least children. Anyways, the clientele generally leaves much to be desired, so I understand if my waiters don''t give 5 star service. It's ridiculous to expect Masa level service when the clientele doesn't warrant it. However, the service I recieved here was so abominable that I had to comment.

Generally, the wait staff is fast, efficient and friendly. However, this new waitress made me want to do the unthinkable - tip one penny. I think I've seen her before at Sobaya and am pretty sure she was fired for her poor attitude. Well, the attitude has followed her and she ruined our evening. We come to yokocho at least once a week, but this girl was ridiculous, and we are considering Taisho just so we can avoid her. She failed to bring our drinks, had a terrible attitude - as though she couldn't fathom the fact she had to talk to people, and that she was inherently better than us, and constantly ignored us, though she watched us, laughing, while we tried to get her attention, yet failed to acknowledge us. For some reason she found our attempts to signal her hilarious, and carried on with whatever it was that had amused her. This in addition to her failing to place (forgetting) some of our orders.

Perhaps this girl doesn't need a job badly enough to do it competently, or perhaps she just hates people in general. Whatever the case, the "service" industry does not seem to be one which she is suited for - to be honest, any work where she must interact with people does not seem to be one for which she is suited to.

/ The management should have a talk with this rude girl and retrain / re-educate her. Management should retrain or re-educate her because she is clearly an unfit and terribly rude waitress.

The Details on Village Yokocho

Place Categories:

  • love japanese food
  • abominable service
  • love first date place
  • very attentive wait staff
  • pretty nice prices
  • cool bar
  • very tasty vast menu
  • less explored japanese yakiniku options
  • poor attitude
  • still rare deep fried skewers
  • authentic japanese comfort food
  • good drink
  • horrible sanistation
  • like sakagura
  • tasty bbq meats
  • horrible meal
  • amazing yum
  • full serving staff
  • really love different selections
  • pretty good same owner
  • cool japanese dude
  • favorite oolong hai
  • bad yakitori
  • like atmosphere
  • elegant dining
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