Jintan

Blessing in disguise that the Momofuku line was at the door. When I Unilocal searched nearby ramen alternatives, Jintan came up.
Such a GREAT spot, cheaper for ramen as well. Loved the beef and tofu. Their sushi is fresh as well!

Saw this place last year but never got a chance to go. Now that I’m back in the city I finally got to try it out last month. I must say its a great place. The staff is friendly, knows the menu and has great energy. The food ranges from sushi/​sashimi (that everybody knows) to more traditional Japanese fare. Its really great to find a place like this that wants to be authentic and not try to completely accommodate «gaijin»! :-) I try to make it once a week, hopefully before the crowds come and I have so much fun with the food, atmosphere and people that I lose track of time. Then again, I never did see a clock around! LOL!

I don’t know why this restaurant isn’t more popular! But then again, that’s kind of the charm.
Super cute, understated restaurant that has a very authentic feel to it. It’s easy to pass by since it’s not flashy or very well known like Ippudo or Soba-​Ya but it’s totally worth dropping by.
Pro-​tip: Opt for the tatami style seats instead of the regular tables. It makes for a very cozy, intimate dining experience — and adds some extra hilarity if the person you’re eating with has extra long legs xD.
My friend and I only weren’t super hungry so we decided to share a variety of appetizers. I especially enjoyed the Beef Tartaki, the Age Gyoza (basically like regular gyoza but EXTRA deep fried) and the Rock Shrimp. Am definitely coming back here to try either their ramen or their sushi dishes. The menu is pretty damn comprehensive — it basically hits all the classic Japanese dishes you could ever want.
Oh, and definitely get one of their hot sakes. Trust me — nothing feels more comforting on a cold winter day in New York than sipping a hot sake on a tatami mat.

The exterior of this building is amazing as well as the food served here. It offers an extensive menu including appetizers, sushi, sashimi, noodles, entrees, etc. I had the Tuna Tataki in ponzu sauce as an appetizer followed by the sushi/​sashimi combination dinner. Everything was fresh and delicious. The staff is also friendly and the restaurant is Japanese owned, making the experience more authentic.

This place is not labeled with a name, but it catches your eye immediately — the outside looks like restaurants in Japan with paper lanterns and wooden screen windows. The outside always incited my curiosity, so I finally walked in one day to look at the menu. The actual address of this place is 164 1^st Ave.
I got ramen there with a friend — good broth and nice pieces of meat for a place that’s not dedicated as a ramen shop. Service was great and they let us sit there as long as we liked. Would come back again to try their sushi.

I fell for it: the bold, Japanese-​only signage outside. Good luck if you don’t read the language. I had a decent sashimi-​tempura combo bento with kinpachi and two chicken gyozas. Not great, not terrible either. And a glass of Asahi poured to the «harmony line» (per the fancy glass). Also, as I found out the hard way: the ladies room is the one on the left, both restrooms only marked by kanji… (no, I didn’t walk in on anyone, but someone walked in on me because the locks aren’t that awesome – don’t worry, my pants were already back on, whew).

Food isn’t bad and the atmosphere was interesting since they have traditional Japanese seatings where you need to remove your shoes. I think it’s a good place for groups and budget-​friendly catch-up’s.

Wicked vibes and aesthetic in this almost hidden Japanese restaurant. I had the Rainbow roll and Una Jyu (eel w/​rice) and everything tasted very fresh and delicious. Prices are definitely reasonable as well. Definitely would recommend checking this place out.

What a nice little surprise this place is. We pass by it all the time and always remark on the cool and genuine exterior. There are no identifying signs on the outside but you can tell it’s a Japanese restaurant. I really appreciate the décor and the tatami mats. I love sitting at those tables.
On the menu it says The Jintan which is not on a sign outside the restaurant nor is a menu posted outside. I kind of like that though. Seemed mostly like local neighborhood New Yorkers dining there too. Which I appreciate. I even liked the music as did my boyfriend.
The sushi is reasonably priced and they have a wide variety. I got the tako sunomono. The octopus was fresh delicious and generously cut. I also got a salmon avocado roll which was big and fresh. My boyfriend got a spicy tuna roll and a crab roll both he really liked. And our friend got the dragon roll which he liked as well.
Definitely happy this place is in my neighborhood. It will probably be my new go to sushi spot.

This is a hidden Gem! Everything is amazing and my friend and I were super surprised that not that many customers were here.

Place is so mysterious we could hardly find a name until we were actually inside, seated and reading the menu! Even once we knew, the only record of it seemed to be on Foursquare, even Googling variations of The Jintan NYC. And yet it seemed pretty popular among the locals, totally filled up with people who looked totally at ease nestled into tatami mat tables around the front edge of the restaurant or easily chatting over a big bowl of steaming misty miso.
It deserves to be known better as the food was quite good and the menu extensive (including not just a serious lineup of sushi but also several chirashi options, katsu don, ramen, and some tempting appetizers and specials.) The whole setup, plateware and aesthetic seemed far too cohesive to be brand new so I’m still confused why there’s barely a trace of the restaurant by name to be found. Either way I’m glad curiosity got the better of us and lured us in.