(212) 765-1210

253 W 55th St # 2fl
New York, NY 10019 40.7651 -73.9829

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Neighborhoods: Clinton, Midtown

Hours:

5:00PM - 4:00AM

Last updated 11.03.10

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Live Music, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Japanese

What People Are Saying About Japas 55

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

Catch a glimpse of the upright Midtown crowd as they loosen up with Japanese beers like Sapporo and karaoke crooning.

drinks
25.0% positive
  1. This is your worst nightmare of a kareoke bar (or at least mine), avoid at all costs.
  2. Our group has spent thousands of dollars at Japas 55 over the years and we never received anything for our loyalty, let alone a single free drink and any professional courtesy.
  3. bad kareoke bar, worse service.
  4. The staff is rude (except 2 of the young ladies at the bar), the song selection is bad, and due to some nyc ordinance, they can't turn the music up so it's muffled and very very low!
food quality
75.0% positive
  1. The food was pretty yummy, no complaints there.
  2. It wasn't the best food, but it was a lot better than what I expected!
  3. There were 11 of us and they gave us the huge room in the back and brought us 2 trays of sushi and fried foods!
  4. Long story short, we found a sharp object hidden in our food and spied a cockroach on the wall.
menu variety
50.0% positive
  1. The staff is rude (except 2 of the young ladies at the bar), the song selection is bad, and due to some nyc ordinance, they can't turn the music up so it's muffled and very very low!
  2. the rooms are awesome the staff is super nice and the song selection is the really extensive.
service
27.269999980926514% positive
  1. After going here for years and dealing with the rude wait staff I finally see what's wrong - it's the manager.
  2. He's rude, which is why the wait staff is so rude.
  3. The staff is rude (except 2 of the young ladies at the bar), the song selection is bad, and due to some nyc ordinance, they can't turn the music up so it's muffled and very very low!
  4. the rooms are awesome the staff is super nice and the song selection is the really extensive.
  5. And the manager is the worst.
  6. You'll encounter good service and a clean establishment.
  7. bad kareoke bar, worse service.
  8. Fun place despite the truly bad service and management
  9. But the staff are truly horrible!
  10. The service isn't all that great, they get pissed if you're not drinking enough, even though you are paying a dollar a song to sing.
  11. have a little Karaoke Club going and for some strange reason, we always seem to have a great time at Japas 55 despite the terrible service.
value
100.0% positive
  1. The service isn't all that great, they get pissed if you're not drinking enough, even though you are paying a dollar a song to sing.
  2. Our group has spent thousands of dollars at Japas 55 over the years and we never received anything for our loyalty, let alone a single free drink and any professional courtesy.
  3. There were 11 of us and they gave us the huge room in the back and brought us 2 trays of sushi and fried foods!
1 Star Rating: Poor

02/24/10

Fun place despite the truly bad service and management

by Audacia14

Been going to Japas 55 for years despite the supremely inattentive staff and their complete lack of understanding in the concept of customer service. I have a little Karaoke Club going and for some strange reason, we always seem to have a great time at Japas 55 despite the terrible service. Our group has spent thousands of dollars at Japas 55 over the years and we never received anything for our loyalty, let alone a single free drink and any professional courtesy. However, last night was the finally straw. Long story short, we found a sharp object hidden in our food and spied a cockroach on the wall. Then one of our members was attacked by a belligerent drunk local sitting at the bar and the staff/management did nothing to stop it. We even had to call the cops and were shocked that no one at Japas even attempted to do anything to ease the situation.

Very upsetting since we have such great memories at Japas 55 over the years but it's time to move on.

  • Pros: Fun divey atmosphere
  • Cons: Service, Management, Food
1 Star Rating: Poor

02/23/10

Terrible Management

by reddawn208

Whoever said a fish stinks from the head down, must have visited Japas 55. After going here for years and dealing with the rude wait staff I finally see what's wrong - it's the manager. This place is the worst, it's never going to get better - just stay away. My friends and I have been going here for years, we've never gotten a buy back even once. And the manager is the worst. He's rude, which is why the wait staff is so rude. They just don't care about their customers - STAY AWAY.

  • Pros: good song lists
  • Cons: Terrible management, staff and prices
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/31/08

Shady Management

by artny27

We've been a few times and generally have a good time but the last few times, the manager insist we take an empty room knowing damn well that one of the speakers were not working. He spoke in Japanese to his staff and told them that we wouldn't know the difference. Fortunately, after double majoring in Japanese, I heard everything. I would avoid this place for there are far better places in Manhattan where the management are not as nasty toward non-japaneses.

  • Pros: Descent pricing by the hour
  • Cons: Shady management and bad service
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/15/08

Extremely rude and nasty.

by focuspuller

I don't know where to begin. The place is well located and the rooms are ok. But the staff are truly horrible! My wife put together a birthday party for me in one of the rooms. Even though she booked 3 hours days in advance we were told that room was needed after two hours. I didn't have a problem with that. But we had a large party and spent a lot of money on food and drink. After we left the room we went to the bar. While ordering yet more drinks my wife was eating a cup cake that she had brought with her for the party. The female bartender yelled (and I mean yelled) at her telling to stop eating it or leave. I was in shock. But that wasn't the only time they were rude. They just aren't nice. They try and rush the orders and even after you spend lot of money they're still nasty. The whole thing left a bad taste to the point that I wanted to write about it here. The word is that The mid-town Japas (I think it's called Japas 27) is much better. I will try that but as for this place, I'm never coming back. I hope you all do the same.

  • Pros: good location
  • Cons: rude and very nasty bartenders
4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/25/08

Best karoake

by DIVA6817

This place is good but Japas 38 is better..the rooms are awesome the staff is super nice and the song selection is the really extensive.

My friends and I are karoake junkies so we def know where the best places are.

The Details on Japas 55

Place Categories:

  • rude wait staff
  • worst place
  • bad worse service
  • not as nasty management
  • not best food
  • good service
  • huge room
  • worst manager
  • bad taste
  • worst nightmare
  • fun karaoke joint
  • professional courtesy
  • great spot
  • sharp object
  • bad kareoke bar
  • happy karaokeing
  • best karoake
  • super nice staff
  • great memories
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