Sake Bar Decibel

I've been going to Decibel on and off for more than 8 years. It's a good place but yesterday (March 9,2009) We had an embarssing moment. After spending 2 hours at the place and spending around $50 per person, we left a customary gratuity of 15%. The waiter took the money and asked ""is there something wrong with the service"". I said no and asked what's wrong. He demanded another $5-$10 more, totalling 20%-25%. He made a big stink and said something in japanese that didn't sound very nice. Furthermore, he said ""Dont come back here!"". We tried to reason with him as we like Decibel very much. I have tried contacting the management to resolve this. I'm not sure if the problem with only the one waiter. Apparently, all the other waiters sided with him. He was very loud and embarassed all of us in front of all the patrons and staff. How can a wonderful place have such horrible staff. Pros: Wide Selection of Sake Cons: No Happy Ending more

not for everyone, cramped and grungy but i wouldn't have it any other way. good music, service, recommendations by staff. authentic sake, authentic feel. great place for that right kind of friend to bring and just sit and chill. Pros: bad*ss Cons: not for everyone, cramped more

I see other reviewers had issues with service here, but I can't say I have had problems. The vibe and setting of this unique spot keeps me coming back, along with great cold Japanese beer, and interesting saki (hot and cold). The food is what I consider Japanese bar snacks, and they do the trick - tasty and simple. more

This place came highly recommended, so we went being super excited...Three of us got there, on a Saturday night at around 6:30-7pm...the place was completely dead, and we asked to get seated at a four top. The waitress rudely told us ""NO"" and put the three of us at a tiny little table that would barely fit two people...we grabbed another table (remember, it was completely empty) and slid it over so that we had enough room for our food and drinks. They came over almost immediately and glared at us telling us we would need to move it back - when I said ""but it's empty in here"" the guy said, ""ok, but if it gets busy...""... Two of us wanted to leave, but we stayed because of the recommendation we'd received...We ordered food, it took a while to get there. And the waitress was super rude. It was a pain to track her down to order additional food, drinks, anything. And then when the check came, we paid and left a small tip - because the service was terrible... Pros: Definitely makes you think you aren't in NYC anymore Cons: Staff is openly hostile, inflexible, and horrendously rude...food isn't good enough to make up for it more

Since you work there perhaps it would be better to stop writing your own review and start thinking why all these customers (half of the reviewers actually in this site) have the same problem with your EXTREMELY RUDE STAFF! We all work our asses off in ths city, so the whole thing about you & your exhaustive work hardly touches anyone. So, if a customer has a problem perhaps it would be a good idea to respect him and if you cannot grant him what he wishes then you should learn how to explain him the situation in a nice manner. For example you may tell him that 'unfortunately it is the policy of restaurant to reserve the large tables for groups of 4 people or more' instead of an giving him a cold and authoritative 'NO' when he asks for a table. If there is a mistake with the order perhaps you should consider the probability that your waitresses, who hardly speak a word of english, might had made a mistake instead of yelling to your customers repeatedly 'we cant cancel it - you have to pay it'. And if a customers leave the place without giving you a tip (as i did, because i have never been treated so bad in my life at any restaurant) because you told him to 'leave and dont come back' about ten times within 2 minutes, it is rather stupid to run behind him and asking for a tip again and again. And the fact that a member of your staff took pictures of me and my friends with his digital camera on our way out is just unheard of. RESPECT YOUR CUSTOMERS AND LEARN SOME CODE OF CONDUCT Pros: unique place, very 'underground' urban atmosphere Cons: worst service EVER more

Yeah, the ambience and crap...I would not send people to Cipriani though like some fan below if people complain on extremly rude service,the stench, the chicken cage atmosphere, and I would not say it was worth my buck( in fact for $28 for a tiny bottle) either. 3 skinny girls (me and my friends) were squeezed so we could not move anything without hitting someones elbow or back..Transforming some skunky NY basement into ""yakuza den"" pretense - no not my fare. Pros: Max Brenner chocolate upstairs Cons: Skunk hole more

Look- I've seen all these reviews-- pros, cons, but the backbone is this-- if you've got company in from out of town and you want to give them an experience that they will remember and enjoy long after they leave, Decibel is a great little spot to go-- yes, its very small, yes, it's very dim inside, yes it's a little cramped-- please, let's all just go to Cipriani if we are looking for a CLEAN WELL LIGHTED PLACE with five star service and a Zagat rating through the roof, and we will pay for it too-- but if you want to go to a fun little funky sake bar on the east side with a great sake selection and a whole lot of CHARACTER, which includes foresaid FUNKINESS then decibel is a great spot-- don't go to Cipriani looking for sake and a nice dark little nook to get tight on sake with your friends, and don't go to decibel expecting a Cipriani or even a Nobu-- they are different restaurants. Pros: Great Sake, Great place to take guests for a great NY experience Cons: slow service, little funky, little too loud more

Once you're in the bar, it feels like you're not in NY anymore. Decibel is tiny, and it feels like Toyko. Extensive sake list, a bit pricey, but definitely worth it. Pros: Ambience, great sake Cons: A little pricey more

Small yet very decent friendly place. The staff are so nice. I really like the place. Practical, very simple and not trying too much. My girlfriend and I visit Decibel every weekend. It gets crowded particularly weekends that is why you can tell that the place is pretty popular. So many Sake selections. I recommend ""Umenishiki"". So if you are looking for a friendly, welcoming, and realistic place, you should visit Decibel. Pros: Very good drinks, service friendly Cons: small more

I can't believe that there are people that actually like this place. Pros: I didn't get sick Cons: obnoxious servers, smells bad, feels unsanitary more

I live in this neighborhood and from the first time I went here, I loved it. I liked it because I felt like I wasn't in NY anymore which was fun. You feel like you are in another world. It's underground so you feel completly removed from the rest of the world. The music was good and the sake was decent as well. The servers are not big on English, but they have all been nice. I usually just ask what they like and order that. My only complaint is that recently, I've had trouble getting in! The first time I went was with a group of 4, which wasn't too bad, but sometimes on the weekends you will have to wait a while before you can get seated. Once, they told us that was a minimum that each person had to spend. So sometimes we'll roll in there and just land up leaving because of all the hassle. If you can get in there it is definitely a good place to go. Pros: atmosphere, location Cons: sometimes hard to get into more

I agree with the mixed reviews. The sake selection is decent (though there are other places with far better selections and a nicer atmosphere) and the food is actually quite good and cheap. However, there is sometimes a wait to get into the bar (you have to wait on line, no ""reservations), the bar is dirty and the music is too loud, the seats are cramped, and the waitstaff is not that attentive. I haven't seen anyone chase a customer for more tip (although the dungeon is so dark, you wouldn't notice), although given the number of reviews mentioning a chasing waiter/waitress, perhaps it is happening. It is, however, a ""cool"" and different place, as the bar has a very divey subterranean feel to it, and the food/drinks are a contrast from your typical college dive bar. Pros: cheap, good japanese bar food, sake selection is decent Cons: dark cramped and dirty, loud music, small table and chairs more

I work at decible and let me tell you a couple of things, the service first of all is great, the people are freindly and the food and drinks are great. I used to go to decible before i ever worked there. Its people who say i leave 18% tips are the people who order $300 worth of food and drink and leave a $5 tip. We never chase down people who leave a minimum tip...EVER. Its people who order all that food and drink, then complain the wasabi shumai was hot...OMG WASABI IS HOT!!!!!!!!! NO WAY!!!!! Pros: great atmosphere, good service, great sake selection Cons: can get a bit crowded more

I had been to Decibel about 10 times, at most with one friend. This time after ranting and raving about this place, I brought a couple with me. They were visiting from out of town and eager to try this place out. I loved everything about it, especially the dark, underground ambiance. It was 10:30 on a Monday night. The place was fairly busy with only 3 four-top tables available. They sat the three of us at the rinky little bar sitting on stools facing plastic water containers. Two guys, both over 6' and a very attractive girl. When I requested a larger table, we were rudely told no. After pleading with the waiter, I finally asked for the manager. ""We would really like a large table, we're planning on getting a nice bottle of sake and tasting everything on the menu"". The manager said, ""Everyone is spending money here!"". ""Sir, can we please have a larger table? I come here all the time and love it!"". ""NO"" he said. ""That's not how we do it here!"". So I said I'll be taking my business elsewhere and he violently escorted us out telling us to NEVER return. We were absolutely shocked. If you like to be treated like sh*t, go to Decibel. more

Nice that you work there but you should learn your bar is called DECIBEL not Decible. Let me tell you ? the service is not great. We are your customers. We know. On our visit, we spent big bucks and left more than minimum tip. Your service was still terrible and chasing people down the street is not anyway to get people to leave more. I have worked in Japan so don't spin the ""timid"" Japanese culture line either. You're busy? Oh poor you. Get a better attitude. Pros: It is in New York Cons: Worst staff ever and tip chasers. more

Don't know what the recent rave is about here. Took a group of Japanese friends in town on a Friday night. The place was cozy and had a nice sake selection. But the service was HORRENDOUS. It took forever for the waitress to take our order and then took forever for her to bring the drinks. The drinks finally come but one of them isn't what we ordered. She then starts disagreeing! This is all in Japanese, so obviously English is not the problem! We left a small tip but still got harassed on the way out! Drinker Beware! Pros: sake, Japanese appetizers Cons: Baaaad service with Tip Gouge Syndrome more

I used to come to Decibel frequently when I lived in the neighborhood. When I went back after about a year away, the service had deteriorated notably. We came at the listed opening time, and were made to wait outside for an extra 15 minutes, told we had to sit three people at a tiny, 2-person table, recieved items we didn't order, and, after we left a tip commensurate with the crummy service, we were harassed by the bartender and told that this was ""just how we do things."" How they do things is worth about a 5 percent tip. Never going back again. Pros: Good food, good drinks, nice atmosphere. Cons: Terrible service, terrible service, and more terrible service. more

Went to Decibel over the weekend with some friends who had been there before. It was wonderful! *So* Japanese! Having lived in Japan for a year, I felt transported back there as soon as we stepped in the door. I had the lychee martini, which was delicious, and my friends all had sake. They were kind enough to pass each kind around for all to try, and they were all great. The wait staff was very helpful giving recommendations. We ordered some rice snacks and the waitress forgot about us, but when we reminded her of our order, she brought out a complimentary bowl of shrimp snacks. Overall, it was a great experience and I will definitely be back soon. Pros: Atmosphere, great drinks, nice wait staff more

I've lived in the area for a few years now, and have been to Decibel ten times at least and have found the service to be always courteous and eager to please, even it it could sometimes use a little polishing, but one comes here for the sake and ambience, and the food's rather good as well, very inexpensive too. It's my first choice to go for a sake evening, to take out of towner's or to remember my trip to Japan fondly due to its veracity. I love their selection and their service, allowing you to spend a night of conversation with a friend, fueled by sake. So, I'm glad there's some local support, count myself one of their regulars. Pros: sake, style and staff Cons: None, really more

I don't normally leave reviews here, but after reading all the terrible reviews I felt absolutely obligated. I love Decibel. I have been there maybe 7 or 8 times now and the staff are always friendly, the food is always fantastic, and I have NEVER had a bad experience. Of the dozen or so people I've taken here, every person really, really enjoyed it. I lived in Tokyo before, and a friend of mine who spent two and a half years in that city and lives here now also adores the place. He introduced it to me by saying it was the most authentic Japanese place in NYC. My boyfriend and his three friends from Spain went there with me last night and they absolutely adored it. In fact, they want to go back again even though they are only here for a week. I always order the shrimp in tofu, btw., but most of the food is really fantastic. One thing about the service... the way it works in Japan is that you kind of have to yell at the waiter or waitress to get their attention. This is kind of nice--they're not coming over every two minutes to try and rush you out of there and make you pay the bill. You can linger as long as you want. And yes, speak clearly, make sure the order is right--it's a noisy place. But honestly, I've even had whole conversations with members of the waitstaff and they were always pleasant and really, really nice--service just like in Tokyo. Pros: Very well priced, intimate, charming Cons: sometimes a long wait more