Robataya - The Coolest Japanese Restaurant in New York City


When you hear the phrase "Japanese food", what do you think of? Sushi? Teriyaki? Tempura? What about "Robatayaki"? No? Me neither.

According to Wikipedia: In Japanese cuisine, robatayaki (炉端焼き?, literally "fireside-cooking"), often shortened to just robata (ろばた in hiragana), refers to a method of cooking, similar to barbecue, in which items of food on skewers are slow-grilled over hot charcoal. Many Japanese restaurants, both in Japan and abroad, specialize in this style of food preparation. Traditionally, the food consists of a combination of morsels of seafood and vegetables, but other kinds of food that are suitable for grilling may also be offered.

 Sounds good, right? It was! So freaking delicious. How did I never try this before??? So glad my mom decided to make a reservation at this East Village gem: Robataya.
The restaurant is very low key from the outside. When you walk in, it's like you've been transported to Japan. Like an old-timey part of Japan. It was awesome. Not to mention, the amazing smells emanating from the giant robataya grill. 
We sat at the counter, so I'm not sure about the rest of the restaurant, but I gotta tell you, if you have never been here before, try to sit at the counter! It is dinner theater. You have two young chefs who have an amazing selection of ingredients and you can pick and choose what you like. Once you order something, the chefs jump up from behind their grills, onto the table in front of them, and pick your ingredients right there, in front of you!

Once your food is cooked and ready, the chefs load your dish(es) onto a wooden peel and serve you directly. It is pretty awesome. 
We may have gone a little order crazy, since we ordered a lot of food, as per usual. Luckily, everything is tapas style, so smaller portions that can be shared. Huzzah!
grilled yams
grilled gluten(?) --- can't quite remember
grilled uni topped with shoyu marinated crispy konbu
grilled eryngi mushrooms
grilled asparagus
lots of seafood being grilled
grilled scallop
grilled oysters
grilled fish of sorts (can't remember...sorry!)
grilled chicken thighs
grilled duck
grilled squid
grilled BBQ spareribs
grilled eggplant
yaki onigiri
(grilled shoyu rice balls)

Overall, the food was tasty, but not mind blowing. It's definately stuff that my parents can make at home, but to be honest, I don't know that Robataya's popularity is based on its food. The atmosphere and method of cooking/service is what makes Robataya unique and so much fun. It's got the same thrill of hibachi, but without being corny. (And Robataya is actually Japanese...) Watching the chefs leap onto the counter to select their ingredients, watching them cook it, and then having them serve you right there...it's like dinner entertainment! So much fun! I can't wait to go back. 

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