Kenka NYC

A red-eyed raccoon statue and a cotton candy machine mark the sidewalk outside Kenka's blue sign on St. Marks Place. Inside, vintage Japanese flags and pachinko machines cover the walls while the staff shout "Irasshaimase" over music turned up a little too loud. The menu runs to okonomiyaki, chicken karaage, takoyaki and grilled skewers, closer to a Tokyo izakaya than a sushi counter. There's no reservation line, just a clipboard by the door, and a crowd often waits for one of the tables, benches or counter stools inside.