Kenka: Experience Authentic Japanese Flavors in the Heart of NYC

The ambiance is amazing! I went right at opening and was promptly seated with no wait. But please note, if you came here because of the recommendation on Atlas Obscura, they no longer serve grilled bull penis or silk worms. I had the Miso ramen, which was so so. I would skip that for something else, TBH. But it was adequate, filling, & cheap. Service was prompt and I got the food FAST. But the chicken skin was really good and I loved the pink powder candy they served for desert.

Ate here saturday night, so the place was extremely crowded. They have a clipboard where you can write down your name as a reservation, but honestly just stay near the front door and pay attention when an employee comes out to ask for anyone waiting for a table and you'll find that the projected wait time is a lot shorter (people leave/don't pay attention and wander off sometimes). If it's at a busier time, it'll be slow to get your food and/or check, but understandable given the very high customer density. The food itself was good and very filling. The omurice had very flavorful fried rice, although the amount of ketchup/mayonnaise on top was a bit too much. The size of the dish was a bit smaller than expected, but still sufficient for a medium-sized meal. The madon yaki (okonomiyaki with pan-fried noodles) was significantly larger than expected. I would recommend either sharing with some friends or being prepared to take out some leftovers. Skimpy on the meat a bit- perhaps the okonomiyaki has better mileage- but still had good chew to the pieces that were there. Cheap prices, especially for NYC. Do note that the decorations have sexual elements (for example, there's a naked female mannequin tied up with rope), so probably not a place you want to take children.

This place is amazing. The service is whatever and it's cramped. You get what you pay for, it's st marks. Tourist trap for sure but for regulars it's been a staple for years. Wide selection al a carte, and it never misses on flavor town. I got two of these pork bowls and a pitcher of Sapporo and let left happy as a clam. My only complaint is the tiny bathroom but you can't beat city hall. Thanks for the grub guys!!!

Kenka was a super fun place to eat but I strongly advise you to get there at least 20 minutes before opening and writing down your name to save your spot! It's a very popular spot on St. Mark's from what I learned and it gets busy even before it's opened. My friend and I had been walking around and I remembered that this place was popular so we went to check it out. We had no idea how lucky we were to get there early and write our name down because it got so crowded outside it was actually hard to walk. We got seated within minutes and I believe you get an hour or two time limit to eat and order. My main takeaways are that the menu is huge and can be a bit overwhelming in trying to decide what to eat. However, there were so many options that were cheaper than compared to other places and it got me excited to try multiple items. We ordered many dishes and I would definitely go back for more of their sashimi! It was one of my favorites. The grilled mackerel was cooked perfectly but make sure to eat slow and carefully as there are bones. The udon was surprisingly sweet and I loved it! I think this place was really fun to eat at and they have so much to try. There's a lot of Japanese classics and I think that you really can't go wrong with what you get.

I came here with friends to eat late night food. We shared the sashimi moriawase which was good but some of the sashimi felt cold (icy). The skewers were good, and the okonomiyaki was fine. The place feels like a Japanese izakaya vibe.

I came here on a Wednesday night with a group of friends. The inside of the restaurant is very cool (albeit chaotic). We shared a pitcher of beer and a few small plates. Everything was super affordable. Less about quality and more about getting your moneys worth. They also have a cotton candy machine outside and give you a small amount of cotton candy sugar with the check for you to use when you leave, which was a cool touch.

My friends and I spent the day walking around and one of them asked me what the sign said... I can't read kanji. But with what was going on outside, I knew this place was strange, we needed to go in. We sat down and the menu was EXTENSIVE! Lots of items and drinks. We ordered a bottle of Onikoroshi (demon slayer) daiginjo sake. Well, I asked if they had it... they did. It came to us in an ice bucket, freezing cold, and what I was wanting. We ordered food. Well, I ordered the food. Me being the drunken smart aleck that I was, I ordered in Japanese. The waitress was shocked that I was ordering it in Japanese, even more shocking to me, I was saying it all correctly. Okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and karaage. They did not disappoint with waiting and it was all worth it. The food was DELICIOUS and my friends loved everything I had ordered. Here's the part that might make people not go. Tip: DO NOT bring your kids. This place's decorations are BIZARRE. Personally, I loved the theme and it was a lot of fun. Other reviews mention the room with a mannequin tied up (aka Shibari, rope bondage), a clown, and other random items. This place is in a famed area known for punk culture, CBGB, and is a place for those that like to live outside of the normal boundaries. If you want a normal, typical restaurant, go elsewhere. But if you want to experience wild, fun, and no boundaries, Kenka is DEFINITELY the place you MUST visit. I will absolutely go back again (except maybe not when I've been drinking a lot)