Tanuki Tavern

Japanese Gastropub and sushi bar. The restaurant in the heart of the meat packing district takes its name from the mischievous and jolly creature of Japanese folklore. The restaurants atmosphere draws its inspiration from Japanese izakaya, it has a light wood interior, lanterns made of paper that glow and an eclectic indie soundtrack. The casual convivial vibe is great for a quick bite leisurely meal or late night snack. Bar scene good for groups can get noisy after hours.

I’ve been here a few times & the food is always really good. Sushi is fresh & delicious. Definitely don’t miss out on the Tori Dango (chicken meatballs) they are out of this world!
They have a good wine & cocktail selection & the service is always good.
I came the first time for a bachelorette dinner that I organized. We sat upstairs & paid per person with a fairly set menu. Since then I’ve been back twice for dinner with friends. This place never disappoints.

Oh Tanuki, how I miss thee. I frequented this place a few years ago but have since found a fews spots closer to home to get my sushi fix. Glad to see they’re still getting good reviews, for the most part.
Yes, they are a bit pricey but, the ambiance and delicious sushi make it worthwhile. There’s also the added bonus of the rooftop lounge upstairs. Can’t go wrong at the Gansevoort. :-)

Fantastic! I dont understand why there are all these mediocre reviews! It is a bit pricy, so I would deduct ½ a star for that technically.
Went there with the gals this past Friday night. It was two levels, and we sat upstairs with a nice view of the city. I started off with the lychee cocktail, boy, I didn’t know I liked lychee! I almost licked my glass clean… which was a foreshadow of the meals to come. Our friend knew one of the chefs there (Mohammed), and followed his delicious recommendations. We had the edamame (seasoned with coarse salt and spice… a great twist!), kimchee burger, kimchee fried rice, dragon sushi roll (YUMMM), tuna sushi roll, chicken meatballs (YUMMM), sashimi platter (fish was fresh and buttery), crispy tuna (you absolutely must get this). I repeat, you absolutely must get the crispy tuna. As well as dragon roll. The crispy tuna: Delectable, I’ve honestly never had anything like it before. It is like a fried savory mochi topped with smooth tuna. Lastly, we had a smörgåsbord of desserts. My fav: mochi filled ice cream :)
I definitely recommend! Everything was superb! The waitstaff is super attentive and respectful, I’ll definitely be coming back.

Over priced. Small portions. Mehh food. More details:
Made reservations for 6pm on a Saturday night for two. I guess the restaurant opens at 6pm since we were the first customers there.
Cute ambiance and very modern Japenese. Seems very hip and fits into the Meatpacking experience.
I found the food to be packing and way overpriced for what its worth.
The crispy tuna — its $ 17 for three pieces. It’s good, but not that good. Tuna Tataki (not the roll) — $ 16 for four pieces. It’s OK. I’ve had better. Ikasu roll — it’s a roll with asparagus wrapped in rice with avocadoes and a THIN slice of fish resting on top. I don’t know what the hype is about. Maitake Mushroom tempura — for $ 7, it looked like the winner. Good portions and tasty. Tanuki Burger — the first one came out really burnt. We asked for medium rare. When I bit into it, the burnt taste overwhelmed whatever other flavor it was supposed to have. We sent it back and another one came out. It’s juicy. I don’t know if I would get it again though.
Bill came out to 82, excluding tip. I will definitely not return. Even if I had extra $ 100 to spend on dinner.

A good friend of mine is an exec within gansevoort group, so I’ve never actually paid to eat here… so a disclaimer; i have no clue what the pricing is like. On the upside, if it is expensive, it would be worth it.
The only problem with this amazing hotel sushi spot is it’s publicity. Nobody knows about it! It’s location screams «trendy» but nobody goes here, therefore nobody wont. People come to the MePa to be seen or to see people, so nobody is going to waste their time at an empty venue like Tanuki.
Rumor has it, this place is closing down, doing a remodel and opening up as an Italian joint. I really wish it wouldn’t, but I get it.
The cod on the smoked grill is soooo amazing, just amazing. The jalapeño sashimi or whatever it is is great. The chicken is good. Everything here is just delicious and lightweight. It’s a perfect spot to start your night before heading out on the town. One of my favorites.

ABSOLUTE worst place in manhattan. I rarely take the time to write reviews but there was no way I couldn’t for this disaster of a place. First off, I gave it 3, yes 3 chances! And every time it disgust me even more.
FOOD: They had one or two things that were tolerable then they changed their menu and it offers limited choices, none of which are good. I was with a medium sized group and we decided to try several things ALL tasteless, over loaded with salt and while they tried to be innovative and different the favors were all wrong. Some of the worst food I’ve had in Manhattan and definitly the most costly.
SERVICE: I am willing to over look pretty much everything if either the food or the service is really good. The service is deplorable. I don’t know where in the world these reviews are coming from, obviously from pl who hate food and good service. It’s like the management thought, «hey, let’s hire people with no experience, zero intelligence, absolutely no desire to work here and significantly below average people skills. And while we’re at it, let’s hire a giant stupid Guido for the manager.» I say the, spill and break a glass of wine all over a fellow diner and not only were they unapologetic but they comped nothing.
All in all, avoid at all cost. Disgusting place n every aspect

Seats are not too comfy, too hard. Service is good but FOOD not so good. everything was just very normal and some below average.
Ramen soup very bland.
The trendy rolls they created somehow just doesn’t delicious.
would not go back.

My boyfriend and I ate here last month, and it was delicious! We had steak, ribs, sushi, and dessert… and everything was wonderful! The ambiance was definitely romantic with all the candles lit, but it looked like a great place to just hand out with friends too. I would definitely make a trip up just for dinner! :)

Came here on a Sunday night for a celebration dinner with my roomie. This must have been the first time in months that we’ve been to Meatpacking without 4-​inch stilettos, mini-​skirts, and the desire to rage. We were just looking for a quiet, relaxing dinner is all.
We were seated at a small table among a not so crowded space. The service was mediocre, but the drinks were so strong! If you are a little girl who only drinks amaretto sours like me, do NOT order the Bura Bura. Failure to read the ingredients led to me attempting to choke down this gin and absinthe concoction in order not to waste $ 14 hard earned dollars.
The food:
Fried baby bok choy: ew! The idea sounds good but the actual dish turns into a mouthful of grease as soon as you try to chew it.
Fried Chicken Liver: This was actually really good but very, very salty. Liver might sound scary to less adventurous eaters but actually tastes like a creamy meat without any strange tastes.
The sushi of course was good, but it was definitely pricey. A dinner for two came out to 78 something, plus tip will set you back a good 90 something dollars. You can get much better food somewhere else.

I can’t profess my love for Tanuki enough… and am so glad that it’s less than one block from my office. Tanuki may not be super authentic and hardcore Japanese … but it’s so good in so many ways that that doesn’t matter. It’s a great place to come for drinks, the décor is relaxing and vibrant at the same time. Their little outdoor part is built like beach cabanas and is SO adorable in the warmer months (great for a date). I’ve had many good dinners back there. Good for an after work happy hour drink, a snack or something more elaborate. Lots of options on the menu and I don’t think i’ve ever had anything bad here. Props to their spicy french fries, oxtail fried rice AND especially the fact that you can get any of the sushi rolls as a half order, which makes it easier to try different ones.

Food was pretty good. A+ on veggie maki. Service was absolutely awful. They were slow, not able to answer basic questions, repeatedly brought the wrong things out, forgot items that were ordered, and miraculously never refilled our waters the whole time even though someone’s full time job seemed to be to wander around with a water pitcher but to never dispense it.
Also I can’t exactly blame this on the restaurant but while seated someone from above dropped a lit cigarette on me and set my shirt ablaze.

I really liked this place.
Good japanese bar food. The roasted bone marrow was sublime.
The cod grilled over a piece of coal was tender, and flavorful.
There was a mushroom dish (can’t remember the names of everything, since it’s been several weeks since I was there) that was one of my favorites. Everything we ordered were small plates, and they had a great selection of sake to go with the food.
I highly recommend this place for a few drinks and hangout spot, and to grab a few bites of deliciousness, not-​your run of the mill japanese food.
It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely worth a visit.
Next time I would try to get a table in the dining area, because the music was ear-​splittingly loud in the lounge area where we sat. That is my only real complaint.

Had dinner here last Saturday, the only way I could describe it would be unmemorable.
— uni nigiri: lovely, probably the highlight of the meal
— edamame: was sprinkled with a piquant spice blend
— tanuki tataki: neither of us cared for it
— miso marinated black cod: my friend and I both have had the miso black cod at Nobu, and this does not even come close. Tanuki’s version was strangely bland and left you searching for even a smidgen of miso flavor, or any flavor at all! the only black cod i have ever not finished.
— crispy rice with spicy tuna toro: the spicy tuna toro was bland and had a mousse texture that I didn’t like with the crispy rice. The crispy rice wasn’t crispy so much as chewy. Quite disappointing.
— lobster avocado and fried tofu: lovely, complementary flavors and textures
— beauty roll: good but nothing special
I hated the really low chairs and red lighting, but otherwise it was a trendy romantic spot, good for a date. Would not recommend the food though, especially at this price point.

We had a pleasant surprise during dinner. One of our servers was a gold digger (male) who was on the show Millionaire Matchmakers. I recognized him immediately because that episode was hilarious. Short summar: the millionairess took the bait and went after the tall, muscular, douchebag. During one of the dates she even offered to buy him a ducati in exchange for sex! I briefly bantered with the server and recounted some of the events from the show. He was candid and shared a laugh with us. Anyhow, back to the food/​drinks because this isn’t TMZ — this is Unilocal.
Food — loved the tempura mushroom app and fried chicken liver. The rice apps were decent too. My favorite sushi was the beef wagyu tartare — hands down DELICIOUS. Oh and for you anti-​carb people out there, they have some rolls without rice. This made the gf very happy which in turns makes me ecstatic!
Drinks — stiff! Just the way I like em. Good variety too.
4 stars for food and attentive service, but minus 1 star for being overpriced. I couldn’t recommend this place to a friend since there are plenty of other sushi places that have the same quality of food but at a better price point.

Pricey as all get out, but to be honest the food was better than I expected. The hangar steak «hibachi» meant that it came out on a mini grill with some hot cinders underneath, and it was to die for meat, but only about 4 ounces ($ 15, not terrible). The miso soup was pretty good but at $ 7 a bit steep for a staple. We also had the duck, which was nothing too special but nice enough, and the fried chicken which was pretty nice, like BonChon but the pieces they chose had very little meat on them. All in all it was a costly experience that was fine one, but I doubt I’ll be back to eat more than the hangar steak with a drink occasionally.
Surprised me, really though it would be god awful meatpacking fodder.

I prefer to go to restaurants whereto I can wear jeans and a t-​shirt or, better yet, shorts and a t-​shirt, so, though I’d had my eye on this menu for quite some time, having wiped a bit of drool off my face the first time I read it, I hadn’t gotten around to making the effort to going there until the other night when I was also socially compelled. And thank «god» I finally was.
Unfortunately not all of my friends were of the «duh of course we’re all gonna try everything each other gets so that we may all experience the most possible dishes in one night» variety. Fortunately, my best foodie friend was there, though we were on opposite ends of the table, so we had to keep running over to each other with bites the other just had to have. Notably:
I started with a cocktail (they have a really interesting set of concoctions, though I still find $ 12 to be a bit of an ass kicking). I had the Nashi Margarita: Milagro tequila muddled with Asian pear, orange and lime juices, wasabi-​salt rum. The wasabi-​salt rim of course is what determined my choice for me. I didn’t really experience a wasabi flavor, but rather it tasted kind of like an aquarium. in a good way!
Cream Of Edamame Soup mustard oil and smoked black soy beans — This was creamy and delicious, the smokey flavor wonderfully reminiscent of bacon in this vegetarian dish,
Tuna Mini Burgers (2) ginger aioli on fennel seed bun — Yum yum yum! You can see from the description that this dish wasn’t going to go wrong.
Lobster, Avocado And Fried Tofu butter poached maine lobster with ginger, wasabi and yuzu dressing — This dish was actually not that great. The fried tofu cam in pointless little cubes surrounding the rest of the dish, whose flavors just didn’t stack up right for me.
Yakuza Roll bbq eel, avocado and boursin cheese topped with spicy masago, eel sauce drizzle — If you’d think that the boursin cheese sounds like a misstep, you’d be wrong. I’m sure we’ll only see more and more non-​just-​cream-​cheese dairy on sushi from now on, so get used to it, carry your Lactaid with you at all times as I do, and love it.
Kinoko Roll japanese mushrooms wrapped in white soy topped with crispy enokis and truffle roll — Obviously I couldn’t resist the alure of truffle oil on sushi, but I am curious to try it on a roll with fish (though presumably the Tanuki people have found it problematic as it’s relegated to the two vegetarian rolls on the menu). I didn’t really need the fried aspect, but on the whole, this roll was effing delicious.
Dishes I still need to have:
–Spicy Blue Crab Pizza radish sprouts, avocado, red miso and three tobikos red, black and green
–Sesame Crusted Tuna Tataki Roll avocado spicy tuna mousse, cucumber and scallion topped with tataki, eel sauce drizzle.
–Ikasu Roll wild salmon, tuna toro, avocado, shishito, pepper, asparagus and kimchee mayo
Veggie Roll asparagus, cucumber and scallion topped with roasted sweet peppers, avocado and truffle oil.
Oh and I wasn’t all that uncomfortable there afterall.

Stopped here for cocktails after checking out the Highline and was drawn to it by the patterned fencing around the premises. Very traditional Japanese pattern, and the place earns five stars just for the name alone. Tanuki is a mischievous raccoon spirit according to Japanese lore.
My friends and I enjoyed the Mojitos and a few Sake drinks while listening to Hooverphonic, Aracade Fire, and Death Cab on the sound system. The interior is beautiful with comfortable seating away from the bar. We didn’t try any of the food even though this place bills itself as an Izukaya.
Prices aren’t for the faint of wallet, it is on the West Side after all.

Not coming back here ever again.
Firstly, it was freezing. I thought I was in the North pole.
I ordered edamame for my appetizer and it came covered with huge blocks of salt on it. It was WEIRD. My friend, who was from Japan visiting, told the waiter that this was NOT the way to serve edamame. Instead, the waiter became very defensive and said, «That’s how American people like it, therefore this is the way we serve it.»
We ordered a bunch of sushi. I don’t even remember what rolls they were and it doesn’t matter because it was ok. Just very overpriced.
The desert was slightly better and I actually remember what I had:
banana cream pie: ok, very beautiful to look at
chocolate miso cake: weird to eat chocolate and miso cake, but the sweet and salty scheme kinda worked
chocolate ball with green tea ice cream inside: not bad. Looks beautiful, didn’t taste as good as it looked

The place is cute. The wallpaper reminds me of the Louis Vuitton Murakami flower bags from a while back. I remember everybody had that bag in college and I wanted one… Oh right, back to the restaurant. I think it would be cute for a bridal shower or baby shower… yes, some girly event.
As for the food, it’s kind of pricey for the same stuff I can get around St. Mark’s. Nevertheless the food is still tasty and the place is more spacious than places like Kenka or Taisho (but still cozy). Too bad the portions are small. I understand it’s more japanese small plates, but at least have prices to reflect the «small» part.
We got the hanger steak, which comes on a personal stone grill. It’s good, but TINY. It must’ve been a 3 oz piece. Sad… because I like my steak hearty. The oxtail fried rice was really good. Again, the portion was small though. The Ikasu roll was typical… the portion was normal… phew. The two of us had to order something else because we didn’t think we’ll be full. Thank goodness we got the ramen. It filled us up and didn’t disappoint on the portion. There was plenty of pork (no stingy 2 pork slices you find at those other places…*ahem* Menkui Tei) and the broth was good.
Would I come back? Meh. Maybe to try that giant marrow bone.