Sake Bar Hagi

March 18th, 2008

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You have to hunt to find this subterranean Japanese small plates shop, hidden below a larger sushi restaurant. Perhaps that’s why the Times Square mobs have yet to invade it, despite its convenient location on West 49th. If you define authentic Japanese food by the number of Japanese people in a restaurant (as some unabashedly do) then this place equals authenticity at its best. My friend and I were the only Caucasians in the restaurant, which was packed on a Wednesday evening in the middle of a snow storm.

Any elegance lost in the gruff service and torn menus, is made up for in intensely flavored dishes that cash in at 3 bucks a pop. Don’t miss inventive yakitori like chicken meatball, enoki mushroom wrapped with bacon, and teriyaki squid. A mini udon pot filled to the brim with hearty noodles, poached egg, and shrimp tempura will make you wonder why David Chang’s ramen gets so much hype. Adventurous eaters can go to town here with deep fried chicken gizzard and yakitori chicken skin. Oh, and what else do they have at Sake Bar Hagi? An incredible list of sake and shochu. My sake knowledge, or lack-there-of, is limited, so we resorted to the smaller list of featured sakes with short, English descriptions.

I would eat here more frequently, if not for its unfortunate location. Now that I’ve let you in on the secret though, I’d recommend braving the Times Square crowds for at least one visit.

Sake Bar Hagi: 152 W 49th Street
Cuisine: Japanese, Small Plates
Average Entree Price: $3-$8
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Value: Excellent
You Gonna Finish That?
Sake Bar Hagi in New York

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Filed under Japanese, Midtown West, Neighborhood, Restaurant Reviews | Comments (4)

4 Responses to “Sake Bar Hagi”

  1. RichardA on March 19, 2008 2:57 pm

    This sounds like my type of place. I will have to keep a note on this and try it the next time I visit NYC, which should be in a couple months. Thanks for the tip.

  2. emily on March 19, 2008 8:22 pm

    Is that you in the very back left of the picture?

  3. Carey on March 25, 2008 9:38 am

    I don’t see japanese, black, asian or caucasian… I just see people, ok?

  4. Judy Ruminates… Sake Bar Hagi – Japanese, Manhattan « Jeffrey Tastes on March 3, 2010 11:22 pm

    [...] Links: Pictures on yelp NYMag on Hagi Chopsticks NY on Hagi Pickled baby squid covered by Village Voice: Izakaya Hagi’s Pickled Curiosity Horrifies Small Children, Tourists Gobo Chips at Hagi from Serious Eats Nice pics and review at Alex Eats World Savory Bites on Hagi Strum Erika on Hagi [...]

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