Izakaya Zest Introduce
Izakaya Zest is a culinary gem nestled in the heart of New York City, offering an authentic and vibrant taste of Japanese cuisine. More than just a restaurant, it's a multi-faceted dining destination that combines the cozy, relaxed atmosphere of a traditional Izakaya with the refined art of sushi and the comforting warmth of a ramen shop. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Japanese food or looking to explore new flavors, Izakaya Zest provides a welcoming and exciting environment. From perfectly crafted sushi rolls to steaming bowls of ramen and an impressive selection of small plates, every dish is prepared with care and an unwavering commitment to flavor. This spot has quickly become a local favorite for its exceptional food, friendly service, and a lively vibe that makes every visit a memorable experience.
Located at 112 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002, USA, Izakaya Zest is perfectly positioned to serve the vibrant communities of the Lower East Side and Chinatown. Its accessibility is one of its greatest assets. The restaurant is just a short walk from several major subway lines, making it convenient for both residents and those traveling from other boroughs. You can easily reach it by taking the F train to East Broadway, which is just a few blocks away. Alternatively, the B and D trains at Grand St. station and the J, M, and Z trains at Bowery are also within a comfortable walking distance. This central location makes Izakaya Zest an ideal meeting spot for groups and a great stop after exploring the neighborhood's unique shops and cultural landmarks. The convenience of its location contributes to its popularity, making it a go-to choice for a spontaneous dinner or a planned night out.
Izakaya Zest provides a range of services designed to accommodate various dining preferences and schedules. The options ensure that you can enjoy their delicious food whenever and wherever you choose.
Services Offered
- Dine-in: Enjoy the cozy and trendy atmosphere with full table service, perfect for a relaxing meal with friends, a casual date night, or even a solo dining experience.
- Takeout: For those who prefer to enjoy their Japanese feast at home, the takeout service is quick and efficient.
- Delivery: Offering the convenience of delivery, Izakaya Zest brings its incredible menu right to your door, making it easy to enjoy a taste of Japan without leaving your apartment.
Features and Highlights
- Diverse Menu: Izakaya Zest truly stands out for its extensive and diverse menu, covering multiple aspects of Japanese cuisine. You can find everything from classic sushi and sashimi to hearty ramen bowls and a wide variety of small plates. The menu caters to all cravings, whether you're in the mood for a light and fresh Tuna Avocado roll or a rich and savory bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen.
- Affordable Happy Hour: The restaurant is renowned for its affordable and popular happy hour. As mentioned by a real customer, the happy hour includes a selection of great options, including oysters, for a fantastic value. This makes it an ideal spot for a quick bite and drink after work.
- Cocktail and Drink Offerings: Beyond the food, Izakaya Zest features a well-stocked bar onsite, offering a variety of alcohol, beer, cocktails, hard liquor, and wine. This makes it a great spot for an after-work drink or for pairing a beverage with your meal. Their drink selection complements the food perfectly.
- Fast and Friendly Service: A key highlight of the restaurant is its fast and welcoming service. Staff are known for being friendly and attentive, ensuring a smooth and pleasant dining experience even during peak hours. This emphasis on customer service contributes to the cozy and inviting atmosphere.
- Popular for Solo Dining and Groups: The casual and cozy atmosphere makes Izakaya Zest perfect for various occasions. It's a popular choice for solo diners looking for a quick bite at the bar, and its seating arrangements are also well-suited for groups looking to share small plates and enjoy a communal dining experience.
- High-Quality Dishes: Customers rave about the quality of the food, from the delicious and not-too-filling oysters to the incredibly good tonkatsu ramen. The attention to detail in the preparation of dishes, like the Pan Fried Gyoza and Fried Chicken, solidifies its reputation for serving exceptional comfort food.
Contact Information
Address: 112 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002, USA
Phone: (212) 226-2801
What is Worth Choosing
Choosing Izakaya Zest means choosing a versatile and high-quality Japanese dining experience in a prime New York City location. It’s worth choosing for its ability to deliver on multiple fronts—it’s an excellent sushi restaurant, a top-tier ramen spot, and a lively Izakaya all in one. The combination of its diverse menu, exceptional value (especially during happy hour), and fast, friendly service makes it a standout. Whether you’re craving a classic roll, a comforting bowl of ramen, or a selection of delicious small plates to share with friends, Izakaya Zest has it all. Its casual yet trendy atmosphere makes it a go-to spot for any occasion, from a quick lunch to a leisurely dinner. For an authentic taste of Japanese cuisine right here in New York, Izakaya Zest is an excellent choice that promises to satisfy.
Izakaya Zest Menu
Classic Roll
- Yellowtail Jalapeño $12.00
- Spicy Yellowtail $11.00
- Tuna $10.00
- Spicy Salmon $10.00
- Cucumber Avocado $9.00
- Yellowtail Scallion $10.00
- Eel Avocado $10.00
- Philadelphia $10.00
- Salmon $10.00
- Spicy Tuna $10.00
- Spicy Kani $10.00
- Salmon Avocado $11.00
- California $9.00
- Eel Cucumber $10.00
- Toro Scallion $13.00
- Tuna Avocado $12.00
- Shrimp Tempura $10.00
- Avocado $9.00
Kitchen Entrée
- Chicken Katsu Don $18.00
Chicken katsu over rice, egg, onion, scallion.
- Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen $19.00
Pork belly, half soft boiled egg, bamboo shoot, scallion, black garlic oil, pork broth, thin noodles.
- Tonkotsu Ramen $18.00
- Beef Udon $22.00
Beef, shrimp tempura, scallion, truffles, chicken broth, poached egg.
- Gyudon $19.00
Slow cook beef, onion over rice, poached egg, scallion, sesame.
- Shoyu Ramen $19.00
Pork belly, half soft boiled egg, bamboo shoot, scallion, truffles, seaweed, chicken broth, wavy noodles.
- Fried Rice $18.00
- Pineapple Fried Rice $23.00
Thai style fried rice with shrimp, chicken, pineapple, onion, pea, carrot, egg.
Sushi Bar Entrée
- Kaisen Don $42.00
Minced Toro, Ikura, scallion, over rice with side of nori.
- Tekka Don $39.00
Bluefin tuna sashimi & scallion over rice
- Toro Don $38.00
Minced toro, scallion over rice with side of nori.
- Sushi & Sashimi Combo $58.00
6 pcs sushi, 8 pcs sashimi, Toro roll.
- Tri Color Don $39.00
Salmon, tuna, yellowtail over rice.
- Sake Don $39.00
Salmon sashimi & ikura over rice.
- Chirasmi $39.00
Chef's selection of sashimi over rice.
- Kaishin Don $48.00
Minced Toro, uni, Ikura, scallion, over rice with side of nori.
- Zest Seafood Don $48.00
Minced Toro, Ikura, sweet shrimp, scallop, over rice with side of nori.
- Salmon Lover $36.00
4 pcs sushi, 4 pcs sashimi, spicy salmon roll.
- Tuna Lover $38.00
4 pcs sushi, 4 pcs sashimi, spicy tuna roll.
- Omakase Sushi Set $58.00
- Sashimi Feast $58.00
Sashimi
- Eel $6.00
- Tuna $8.00
- Madai $6.00
- Sea Urchin $15.00
1 pc.
- Ikura $9.00
- Wagyu $12.00
- Scallop $8.00
- Toro $12.00
- Yellowtail $8.00
- Salmon $7.00
Sushi
- Botan Shrimp Uni $16.00
- Uni Aburi Toro $18.00
- Wagyu $12.00
- Tuna $8.00
- Wagyu Foie Gras $17.00
- Toro Foie Gras $16.00
- Toro $12.00
- Botan Shrimp $10.00
- Yellowtail $8.00
- Eel $6.00
- Madai $6.00
- Sea Urchin $15.00
- Ikura $9.00
- Salmon $7.00
- Salmon Foie Gras $13.00
- Scallop $8.00
- Wagyu Uni $19.00
Special Roll
- Ocean Lover $22.00
Salmon, tuna, yellowtail, avocado, scallion, tobiko.
- Fire Island (Deep Fried) $17.00
Salmon, white fish, kani, avocado, roe scallion, eel & spicy mayo.
- 112 $19.00
Shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber top with spicy tuna.
- Noname $19.00
Pepper tuna, cucumber, avocado top with seared salmon, scallion, roe, spicy mayo & yuzu dressing.
- Fantastic Eel $19.00
Shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber top with eel.
- Zest Roll $28.00
Salmon, yellowtail, avocado top with torch toro, scallion.
- Rock N Roll $18.00
Spicy tuna roll, top with slice avocado & spicy mayo.
- Happy Year $19.00
Spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber top with torch mayo on salmon, roe, scallion.
- Dragon $19.00
- Rainbow $19.00
- Fiery $19.00
Spicy tuna, crunch, top with yellowtail, white tuna jalapeño with sriracha sauce.
Soup & Salad
- Miso Soup $4.00
- Mixed Green Salad $7.00
- Seaweed Salad $8.00
- Avocado Salad $10.00
- Salmon Avocado Salad $16.00
Cold Appetizers
- Scallop Ceviche $19.00
Yuzu kosho dressing.
- Yellowtail Jalapeño $18.00
Kimchi sauce.
- Salmon Dream $17.00
Yuzu sauce.
- Ankimo $15.00
Monkfish liver in onion dressing.
- Crispy & Spicy $15.00
Spicy tuna on crispy rice.
- Black Pepper Tuna $17.00
Ponzu sauce.
- White Tuna Jalapeño $17.00
Hot Appetizers
- Ika Karaage $9.00
- Fried Oyster $10.00
- Pork Belly Bun $7.00
- Fried Chicken Bun $7.00
- Jalapeño Chicken Wings $10.00
- Purple Fries $8.00
- Takoyaki $10.00
- Chicken Karaage $9.00
- Shrimp Shumai $9.00
- Thai Shrimp Roll $9.00
- Pan Fried Gyoza $9.00
- Edamame $8.00
Izakaya Zest Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Hard liquor
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Groups
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Izakaya Zest Photos










Izakaya Zest Location
Izakaya Zest Reviews
happy hourspicytonkotsu ramenoystersbrothpork bellyappetizersmiso ramenbunssquid
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1This place is a great Japanese restaurant! 🇯🇵 Izakaya Zest serves a wonderful selection of delicious 🤤 dishes 🍽️ - definitely try the Pan Fried 🍳 Dumplings 🥟, Fried ♨️ Chicken, and Sushi! 🍣 They have a very affordable happy hour 🕓 with lots of great options (including oysters 🦪) for $6! 💵 The staff 👨🍳 is friendly and welcoming and the service is quick. ⏲️ I wish I knew about this place earlier!
August 16 · Alon GrinshpoonI randomly found this place years ago and came back for the first time in awhile and the food is just as good as the first time I tried it. The tonkatsu ramen is so good. Honestly my groups tried a few other items and they were just as amazing. The oysters are also delicious and not filling.
May 03 · AllisonAs an very experienced Ramen eater, I would rank Zest as some where in the middle ... their broth was pretty average, but I will say, they provided very large and succulent pieces of pork belly in their soup. There isn't a large selection, from recollection, they had basically 4 choices.March 20th 2022Update: i have recently re-visited Minca, Gorin on 14th ; and I no longer place Zest somewhere in the middle, I now place them above average.But not on the same level as Menkui Tei.A solid 4 stars.They have littleneck clams for $1 during happy hour.Jan 18th 2024Still going to Zest, I have again visited more Ramen shops since my last post on Zest in 2020 and again, the value and flavor compares to many other more well known and upscale Ramen shops like Ippudo.August 8th 2025Still going to Zest, they have now added sushi rolls to their menu, they still have a happy hour, and also have added a new ramen item to their other usual soup flavors.Still many years later for me a solid Ramen choice.My only gripe, they do not have a robust AC system, at least not when i go, I will wait till fall / winter to revisit.August 25th 2025I went back again and now have realized, they have pivoted to a sushi spot that serves Ramen.
August 25 · George FineI love love love this place a lot! The food here is amazing and delicious, it's not the best ramen I ever had but it's still really good! I got the Shoyu ramen and the broth was warm and flavorful, the pork belly was perfect, and the bamboo shoots were crunchy and very yummy. I also liked the katsu(I stole some from my friend), it was crunchy and flavorful. I'll definitely get that next time I come. The only thing I'll have to say is that my ramen wasn't slurpable. Like it was choppy? The service was really quick, gave us water refills as soon as we finished, and was very patient and kind to us when I had to get a new receipt for my 10% off for sharing on any platform. They also cleaned up very nicely. The atmosphere was so cozy and warm. It's a small restaurant so it feels compact and cute. The decor was very nice and in general, the store is very clean and well-kept together. I hope to come here again ! :)
November 23 · Winnie JiangExcellent spot for Ramon soup. Be aware the spiciness is quite hot with the spicy miso, I went with mild and it was hot but very good. Appetizers were on point, jalapeno wings. Shrimp suimai and pork gorza were excellent. Service is friendly and fast.
February 15 · H L
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