Kenka

Where do I begin! My boyfriends family was visiting from out of town so we wanted to go out to a late night ramen spot, Saint Marks has a bunch of awesome places so we chose the one with the most reviews from Unilocal!
Inside made you feel like you were in a restaurant in Japan, with the art work and decorations it was definitely different. We were starving so pictures of our food never came about. I got shrimp dumplings and the regular ramen. For someone who usually gets both every time we go to ramen I can’t complain. Both were tasty and flavorful. Ramen was definitely big enough in size.
I would recommend going back, but maybe not with family or young kids for some of the art work is more on the provocative side. But needless to say definitely a great spot for you and your friends. Oh and the service was !!

Far and away my favorite restaurant worldwide. Wish we had a place like this in Champloo-​Banana (Champaign-​Urbana).
Has a great combination of authentic Japanese street cuisine and new variations of it. Excellent sake menu for both hot and cold drinkers. Great for parties of all sizes.
The décor might be offensive to some but you know you love a thing when you love it warts and all. Will return to this establishment any time I’m in NYC.

Very unique atmosphere, reminiscent of izakayas in Tokyo. They have a huge space, lots of AC for hot summer nights. Gigantic menu that is difficult to read because of bright fonts and graphics. We got some yakitori, yakisoba, grilled Saba, and some other sides. Beer and sake drink. Very cheap prices considering the portion size. Food quality was not spectacular, just very good drunk food.

There’s a huge variety of cultural Japanese food here at Kenka. The prices were reasonable too, easily full on less than $ 10, that’s a plus.
When it came to taste, I was a little disappointed. I had the Gyu-​don and tried a bit of the Katsu-​don and Okonomiyaki. The Gyu-​don was decent, a little on the salty side though. I definitely could’ve done without the Okonomiyaki, there was little pork and squid and the overall texture was just mushy, all I could taste was the sauces on top. The Katsu-​don was actually not bad, although still lacking.
They have a special menu where you can find the more unconventional items, they have a Russian Roulette Takoyaki (one was wasabi packed), it provided a lot of entertainment to the meal towards the end.
I would come back if I was in the area, but probably won’t make plans to come out just for this.

Japanese izakaya, serving authentic? Japanese food. From takoyaki to fried frogs, you name it, it’s here. Looks like the servers are all Japanese also.
The overall cleanliness of the restaurant is definitely not top-​notch. Perhaps because the restaurant itself is slightly underground, it does require better ventilation.
Especially if you were to be seated far inside of the restaurant where the dishes are being washed… Or the food is being disposed. The smell is quite distracting.
It seems that if you were to drink, then you are likely to be seated far inside, if not, you’ll sit near the entrance.
As a lover of Japanese cuisine, I’ve experienced much better customer service elsewhere. The staffs here seem «in control» of their customers; it does not feel welcoming at all. More like doing business with them by eating here.
The table of 4 ordered 3 ramen noodles, and the last one came at the end of the meal. Everyone watched as I attempted to finish the bowl. The waitress was not sympathetic; it was more like she didn’t know the concept of an entrée how it should be served together if people were dining together at a table, nor did she apologize for any inconvenience, just advised to wait since the kitchen is super busy.
They definitely have great deals on beers, so it might be a good idea dropping by to have a beer or two with something fried.
Any sort of sushi or raw meat handling, I would highly suggest that you kill your cravings elsewhere. Another thing about customer service here, they seem careless of customer opinions. As 6 years experience in waitress, I’d be curious if someone left a dish untouched, regardless of the price of the dish.
For desserts, they give you this little plastic sauce bowl with colored sugar, so that you can make a cotton candy at a machine outside of the restaurant. Interesting and fun, perhaps more fun if you’re drunk.
Anyways, I am definitely sure that it would not be my choice to drop here for any meals. Unless it was a social gathering and I was being dragged here without a choice.
[Tips for parents]
The menus includes 19+ material. Make sure the kids are not glancing at these menus.

Kenka is one of those restaurants with unique ambiance but mediocre food.
We decided to sample a few appetizers; chicken BBQ skewers, shrimp shumai, and fried pork gyoza. All of these appetizers were around $ 5.50 for 4 – 5 pieces. I’ll admit that I’ve tasted better dumplings and meat skewers for a cheaper price and more quantity. The reason I would return to this place is definitely for the atmosphere. It has traditional Japanese décor with «oldie» Japanese music playing in the background. And you get to sit on these kiddie chairs made out of bamboo that are surprisingly comfortable!

One word to describe this place — interesting.
From the menu to the deco, Kenka is definitely worth checking out. They serve a wide range of food at very, very affordable prices and the environment really sets the mood for a chill, authentic Japanese restaurant. So far I’ve only tried their plain udon and yaki udon. For the price I’m paying, both exceeded my expectations. Reasonable portions and great quality. When they hand you your check, you also get a tiny cup of candy, which you can pour into the candy floss machine outside to make your very own candy floss. I thought that this was a cute addition to the overall experience (: If you’re looking for good Japanese food in St Marks, Kenka is your spot!

My friend recommended this place to me. First of, yes it is really cheap. The food is good but the portions are small. So that is how they get you. The food is so cheap but you need to buy a bunch in order to be nice and full. I ordered the bbg grilled chicken and edamame and was still pretty hungry afterwards. :) I paid $ 7.50.
The beer is ridiculously cheap. We had a huge pitcher for $ 16.
This place itself is definitely unique so it is worth visiting just to see how it looks. Food comes out relatively quick and is good. The menu can be overwhelming but they have plenty of pictures to show you what your food will look like.
Added bonus, you can make your own cotton candy at the end!
I gave it ⁴⁄₅ because of the fact that I left a little hungry. Next time, I would order an extra dish!

Have you ever wanted to eat somewhere that felt dreamy because what the eff was going on there? You come here.
The food is wacky as hell (bull penis, turkey testicles, fried frog, wasabi russian roulette tako balls, etc) and cheap. Very VERY cheap beer, in particular. This is the funnest place to get drunk and get weirded out. There’s also free cotton candy at the end! It looks like weird pornographic dream world that I don’t want to leave, because everyone just seems to get along.
The regular food is pretty mediocore, but the prices are beyond cheap, almost everything is at MOST 8 bucks.

Hmm where to start? The whole place reeked of fish. The menu was super graphic, with images of bondage and the like. Definitely definitely not suitable for children or the faint of heart. The mushroom dish was super bland and I deemed it inedible. Everything else on the menu was super weird (i.e. bull testicles). I’m guessing people come for the novelty of trying things they couldn’t get elsewhere. But the wait is long and the food doesn’t justify it. Not even the prospect of free cotton candy could get me back!

If you’re broke and hungry, but don’t want to settle for shit food then Kenka is the place for you.
It’s perfect for groups or for a date if you’re down to share your food. There’s so many options on the menu, it would be hard to limit yourself to just one or two dishes.
I’ve come here twice in the past two weeks and thoroughly enjoyed myself each time. My first time here my friends and I ordered the Agedashi Tofu, ramen, corn, grilled squid, turkey testicles (Why not??), omelette rice, and pork katsu rice. My second time going I ordered the kitsune udon since it was a rainy day.
I loved the details of the place. There were baskets for your bags and coats, super awesome decorations everywhere, bathrooms covered in chopstick wrappers as wallpaper, and super fast and friendly service. I’ve also never had to wait for a table but I hear that’s kind of an exception.
The portions are pretty generous for their price. I expected the ramen to be a tiny bowl of ramen but it was a full sized portion! I was definitely in a food coma.
I don’t drink but their pitcher deals and soju sodas are reportedly delicious and cheap. I’m probably coming here after work today to be honest.

The food is excellent, prices are affordable, and ambiance is casual and loud.
They ask if you’re going to drink at the door, and if you say yes, they check your ID before being seated.
The first few words that ran across my mind when I walked in were: Japanese punk, softcore porn, explicit content. There is also a kink room (?) but I have no idea what it’s used for…
The menu is overwhelming with variety and illustrations. I wish I did some research, because I spent a good 15 minutes trying to decide between five menu items. They all looked so good!
I ended up with the Okonomiyaki ($ 6.50). It was my first time trying it, so I don’t know how it compares to others. But it was a pretty big portion, so I packed half of it to go.
The peach soda is delicious and a must try ($ 4.50). It’s very sweet and refreshing, and you don’t taste the alcohol at all. Next time, I’ll share one with a friend. It’s almost too much to finish by myself. Can’t wait to try the other flavors.
Love this place and will be back.

Pretty weird place that had definitely a unique atmosphere, but with forgettable food and drinks. The wait for this place was fairly long but it was a Saturday night so I’m not upset at all waiting an hour. The food was forgettable and small portioned though and the drinks were okay at best. The highlight if you wanna call it that was definitely the décor in which you feel like you’re transported to some some brothel/​alley type place in an old Yakuza movie. Trust me, it won’t make sense until you’re inside the place.
If you enjoy beer and aren’t a snob about it I would definitely recommend getting a beer tower. At the end they give you some sugar for you to spin your own cotton candy outside, and how could anyone not be happy with that? Overall I probably wouldn’t go again but it’s a unique place to visit and sit down for a drink.

I’ve been wanting to come here for years but there is always a line outside!
Great spot, I came here last Friday after work to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It is hot inside but there are baskets next to the tables to place all of your wordly belongings in as the seat are child sized.
Ladies, probably best if you sit on your jacket or else if you are wearing shirt you will come out with unsightly lines on the backs of your legs.
Food is great. Ramen is pretty solid. My friends come here specifically for the Udon.
No mirror in the bathroom but clean.
After food, go place your pink cups in the cotton candy maker outside for a sweet treat after.
Oh as a side note, the menus have non-​child friendly pics on them. Parents be thoughtful of your choices.

This place looks like a mad house from outside. There are always people hogging the entrance waiting to get seated. The place is jammed pack and the menu from the first look seems super confusing. I have passed this place in Saint Marks several times on my way to east village. But never had the courage to pass the crowd and get a table.
For a change, I went for dinner here last Friday with my husband. The crowd outside was misleading cause the wait was less than 30 min for us. The seating area is big and open, but the tables and chairs are cute like I would expect in any Japanese place. I loved how they gave a basket for each table to keep your handbags and personal items. Not sure what they say when you enter, but the entire staff greets you in Japanese pretty loud.
The menu did look confusing with all the artwork, pictures and huge Japanese writings. But I stuck to the small English letters. Few pages in their menu is covered with cheap tapas. We ordered 5 – 6 of those. Then moved to the big portions served with rice or noodles.
I am a die heart fan of Japanese food. And I did have my expectation very high with this place. But to my disappointment, the food wasn’t extraordinary.
Scallops — **** (little over cooked)
Boiled Tofu — ** (wasn’t fresh tofu)
Fried chicken — ***
Mixed Mushroom — ****
Eel over rice — ***
Grilled Mackarel — ****
Considering the number of good Japanese food in the city, I don’t think I will be going back here again.

You may not be impressed by the strange decorations at Kenka or the spooky window display of the store above Kenka, but Kenka is actually a very authentic Japanese izakaya located in the middle of the St. Marks area. Here you could find comfort food such as curry with rice, yakisoba… all the way to bull penis. They have a huge menu that contains appetizer, sushi/​sashimi, ramen/​udon, onigiri, etc. Food and drinks here are reasonably priced. My personal favorites are the grilled skate fin, yakisoba, curry with rice. I also like the peach tea infused with sake. At the conclusion of your meal, your server would hand you a little cup filled with powdered sugar. You could take that with you to the cotton candy machine outside to make your own cotton candy. Overall, I would highly recommend this place if you’re into authentic Japanese food and do not want to break your bank.

One of the more affordable St Marks places to get shitfaced at. The food is always delicious, no matter which one I randomly pick off the menu. I tend to always get some kind of grilled fish (saba/​mackerel or tuna belly), some type of skewers, and a odeng/​nabe.
As for drinks, I usually opt for the larger sake bottles (more bang for my buck). Be sure to ask the waitress for recommendations from both on and off the menu. I’ve found some amazing and uncommon sakes that way, like the sweet yuzu sake.

Been trying to come here for a while. For such a busy place, there was no rush at all. My friends and I came here around 5:30, and wrote our names onto the waiting sheet for when they would open – we were lucky enough to be the 8^th party seated. Even though there are hordes of people outside waiting, the waitresses are very attentive when you’re ordering – probably because everyone’s drinking huge pitchers of beer! The beer and sake are the best parts of coming here – huge pitcher of Sapporo for $ 8!
The food deserves 0 stars, unfortunately. Nothing we ordered was good at all, and actually most of the sauce was pretty gross…
But come for the environment, the cheap drinks, and great service! A wonderful little establishment in St. Marks!

Kenka has been on my «to-​try» list probably as long as I’ve lived in New York. Like everyone says, the food here is just so-​so, but the ambience and experience really makes Kenka over the top.
Great for groups, great for couples, great for getting drunk off your ass at 7pm on a Tuesday night. If you can stomach the huge waits (and you should), Kenka offers a variety of traditional Japanese izakaya foods as well as a hearty selection of cheap beer, sake, wine, and liquor.
Between 5 people, we split a bottle of plum wine, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, gyoza, braised pork belly, mushrooms, french fries, and mochi ice cream, all of which were very tasty but nothing special; the food here is mostly a buffer for the copious amounts of drinking that you should be doing.
Best of all, Kenka is loud, crowded, and filled to the brim with various vintage Japanese paraphernalia. Also penises– lots and lots of those. When we went, they were also blasting Japanese christmas songs, which only added to the ridiculousness. The vibe here is just so chill and unpretentious, unlike a lot of sake bars and upscale izakayas.
Bring friends, bring cash, order several pitchers of beer, and don’t forget the cotton candy machine on your way out. You can find better izakaya food elsewhere in NYC, but nothing quite matches up to the experience of a night out at Kenka.

I judge restaurants serving Asian food (or Asian fused/​inspired) by how many of the guests are actually Asian. If I look inside and see Asian guests, then you know that the food is going to be GOOD.
This time was different, I didn’t even have to peek inside, because there was a crowd of Asian customers waiting for their name to be called right outside the restaurant. YEP. I’m coming in.
Luckily, my friends came to the restaurant TWO HOURS ahead, which, to local New Yorkers, is a normal waiting time. I was excited to chow down because besides the Asian crowd waiting to be seated, I noticed that the servers were all actually Japanese.
Prepare yourself for this venue though. It is NOT your average Japanese restaurant. Aside from situating below a very provocative store (their window display had a pile of naked baby dolls and other profane images), the restaurant itself was very edgy. Portraits of vintage Japanese people in suggestive poses can be seen and even a cardboard stand of reproductive organs sits right outside the doors. It was very interesting.
To the FOOD…
From the drinks to the appetizers to the actual dishes… One of the biggest, unique and authentic Japanese menus I’ve came across in the US. Then again, it is NYC.
For $ 32, we ordered a beer stand that was easily split by 10 of our friends.
For under $ 20, I ordered Tako-​Yaki (Octopus), Grilled Saba (Mackeral), and their house fried rice. BOY. I had no doggie bag that night because I ate them all.
The list of food was seriously impressive. They had the traditional street foods, like yakitori, but they also had really extraordinary selections, like bull penis.
At the end of the meal, they passed out little cups of what looked like pink Himalayan salt. To my pleasant surprise, it was actually sugar to be used at their cotton candy maker. How creative???
I love this place. I’ll be back. No doubt.