KEI

This izakaya-inspired restaurant serves up sushi, cocktails and wagyu ramen to Chelsea’s post-work, pre-date crowd. With windows made for people-watching and a long communal bench, it’s a good pick for a small group at happy hour or pre-gaming the club. 

The food: Pork gyoza come in tight rolls, fried to perfection and sized to share. You could make a full meal out of the appetizers and yakitori, with crisp takoyaki, chicken karaage and shrimp tempura. If you’re hungry for more, opt for the wagyu ramen: paired with their 48-hour fermented noodles, the thinly sliced beef is every bit as sweet and savory as chashu, with a similar melt-in-your-mouth texture. 

The drinks: The cocktail list features inventive takes like the Koge Margarita, made with gin, vodka, lime, and black salt, and the Tokyo Manhattan, made with Yamazaki 12-year whisky, shiitake-infused rye, and dashi. A few sweet but thoughtfully made mocktails round out the list for non-drinkers. 

Time Out tip: KEI’s got a secret: TSUKI, a tiny tasting room hidden inside it, is open only on Thursdays at 6:30pm.