KENKA

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25 St Marks Pl (at nr. Second Ave.)
New York, NY 10003

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(212) 254-6363
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KENKA - New York, NY
KENKA - New York, NY
KENKA - New York, NY
KENKA - New York, NY
KENKA - New York, NY
Reviews
( 7 )
( 11 )
( 5 )
( 2 )
( 1 )

Best

This is one of my fave places in NYC to turn my brain off, drink and eat Japanese student food. I always order veggie dishes (Age Dashi Tofu, Cucumber and Miso, Rice Ball with Mi...

Worst

I was brought here by a group of friends just as the place opened at 6:00PM. At least 15 people were waiting outside, until their name was called from a list. You enter the restau...

Crazy Izakaya 6/30/2012

This crazy Japanese izakaya on St. Mark’s is one of my favorite destinations on the block. The menu is... more

Crazy Izakaya 6/30/2012

LaughAttack001 Provided by Partner
This crazy Japanese izakaya on St. Mark’s is one of my favorite destinations on the block. The menu is immense and includes everything from a grea... more

Incredibly Strange Place 8/27/2009

I was brought here by a group of friends just as the place opened at 6:00PM. At least 15 people were waiting outside, until their name was called from a list. You enter the restaurant through sliding glass doors and its like stepping into a fantasy world. The seats are very low, and obviously of poor quality. Also, the tables are cubes, so you cannot fit your legs underneath. As someone who is six feet tall, this was VERY uncomfortable. Pros: Cheap food and drinks, Cotton Candy Cons: Crappy food, low seating, loud more

A must go spot in J-town...Fast and... 10/8/2008

A must go spot in J-town...Fast and delicious...VERY popular and always packed. I love that I can get my... more

A must go spot in J-town...Fast and... 10/8/2008

mndragon Provided by Partner
A must go spot in J-town...Fast and delicious...VERY popular and always packed. I love that I can get my okonomiyaki and takoyaki there! Their me... more

Amazingly fun, dirty, and cheap! 9/3/2008

This is one of my fave places in NYC to turn my brain off, drink and eat Japanese student food. I always order veggie dishes (Age Dashi Tofu, Cucumber and Miso, Rice Ball with Miso, Spring Rolls) because the meat scares me here, but there are so many great things to drink that the food is merely there to help you get through it without getting sick. I love the little chairs, the inattentive waitstaff, the offensive, mysogynistic imagery and the cotton candy machine at the end. This place is magical. Pros: Great for the money, fun, dependable Cons: don't think about it too much and you'll be fine, long wait more

Japanese comfort food. It's good. Expect to... 3/31/2008

Japanese comfort food. It's good. Expect to wait a while to get seated. Took us forever. Forgot we were... more

Japanese comfort food. It's good. Expect to... 3/31/2008

JanetHan Provided by Partner
Japanese comfort food. It's good. Expect to wait a while to get seated. Took us forever. Forgot we were hungry after a while! more

Loud, fun, drunken Japanese picnic 3/30/2008

I've been here twice and had fun both times... the wait is long, the chairs are uncomfortable, the music gets to some people- but between the cheap food and drinks you end up walking out pleased with the experience. The sake is very good- we had one of the cheaper bottles which still was great. They have interesting entree chokes as well as menus with some funny pictures on them ;) The food isn't amazing but it is great for the prices. A fun place to get drunk with a group of friends! Pros: Great sake, cheap drinks, colorful music, fun crowd/time Cons: Line gets very long, chairs are a little uncomfortable more

Great sake!! Huge oysters!! 11/27/2007

I was surprised to see such bad reviews of Kenka. It's been voted best cheap eats restaurant... and that's what it is a 'cheap eat', and a very good one at that. I actually loved it! The oysters are huge and fresh, the nigori sake (the milky/unfiltered kind) was truly divine, and the squid-legs are very tasty and crispy. It's not the typical NY sushi place... it has a student vibe, it's fun, it's japanese in a young-laid-back kind of way. Loved it.. have been there several times and will keep on going as it makes me feel young! Pros: Huge fresh oysters, great sake options, polite and smiley service Cons: bit noisy more

This place is for drinking, but the food isn't that bad 10/31/2007

Kenka is definitely a place for drinking. Cheap CHEAP beer and pitchers are usually what attracts everyone to this place. I personally like it when it isn't super crowded, which isn't often. The wait can stink and the price minimum per person sometimes doesn't have any warrant, but you can't get much cheaper when drinking on St. Marks. The food is actually not that bad and is also cheap, though not as cheap as it alcoholic counterpart. Very late night hours, which is another perk. Overall, just a really well lit bar with tons of younger people. If you're looking for a great dining experience, then don't wait on line for Kenka. more

I only come here when I am looking to sucker... 10/7/2007

I only come here when I am looking to sucker an unsuspecting friend/foe to chomp on bull testicles. more

I only come here when I am looking to sucker... 10/7/2007

ElaineL Provided by Partner
I only come here when I am looking to sucker an unsuspecting friend/foe to chomp on bull testicles. more

cheap beer and OK food. But... 10/2/2007

... it's LOUD as hell and cramped. Sometimes the menu and tables are sticky - yuck! The food isn't bad; the grilled mackerel (I love mackerel) and other Japanese tapas are passable. But one of my friends got sick the day after eating a giant raw oyster there. Too many young kids, and the oldie Japanese music they play is reminiscent of World War II propaganda. more

The best spot for a cheap beer 4/13/2007

No one goes to Kenka because they want great food. If you are looking for a Japanese taste sensation, go to any of the other hundreds of Japanese spots in the city. Pros: cheapest brew, great people watching Cons: small tables and chairs, can be loud more

great small japanese place 10/30/2006

this place is really awesome to go after being out all nite, or pretty much whenever. They have really good yakitori and gyoza, but the funny thing about this place is the free cotton candy machine in the front.. this place is packed at night, partly because its pretty small Pros: great for drinks and small meals Cons: its cramped sometimes more

An awesome eatery 10/19/2006

This place is great. You can go in, drop about $20 bucks, and get a ton of great food and sake. It's got a lot of Japanese cafe style variety. A great place to drop by for an hour or so. Pros: Great food! Cons: Noisy and messy, but that's really to be expected more

so noisy it hurts 9/17/2006

the food and beer here is super cheap, plus you get free cotton candy. however, you pay the price with the horrible atmosphere. 1) the japanese chanting plays over loudspeaker that is faced directly into your ears, 2) the wait is long because nyu-ers looking for cheap food/beer are always mingling around, and 3) the seats are uber-uncomfortable because they're kind of low, but still high enough so that your knees can't fit under the table. more

inexpensive food and beer 9/4/2006

i came here with four other friends on sunday night. it was super crowded and we ended up having to wait over an hour for a table. Pros: cheap food & alcohol, grilled fish Cons: loud more

So loud u can't someone talking unless they yell in your ear. Rude waitstaff. 9/3/2006

Bad food all around! Small portions. I think people go there for the cheap booze as the crowd is largely college aged. But really, kids, u can get better cheap food elsewhere. Pros: Cheap booze, open late. Staff doesn't care if your friends get embarrassingly drunk, they'll ignore you anyway. Cons: So loud you will get hearing damage, bad food, rude staff more
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Menu for KENKA


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Editorial
  • In Short
    This St. Mark's izayaka, a Japanese snack and booze cafe, complements the street's growing number of Pan-Asian restaurants. Boisterous waiters greet a streaming crowd of...

  • 2/27/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Thu, 6pm-2am; Fri-Sat, 6pm-4am; Sun, noon-midnight
  • Payments: Discover, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Downtown, East Village
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