The food at this restaurant is excellent, and the ambiance is very pleasant and attractive. However, the service here is consistently slow and inattentive. We have been here several times because we like the quality and selection of meats and enjoy going there for the fun of cooking on the table grill, but each time, it took a long time to get any service at all. You start to wonder if your waiter is taking a break as nobody looks at you or speaks to you. So we get more assertive and have to start waving our arms each time we need something. For such a nice and expensive restaurant, they should get more waiters, and their waiters should know to look around and see if anyone needs some help.

After 2 years, usually many places' quality goes down. However, this place did better than the previous visit. The meats were super tender, their assorted vegetables were better than the plain cabbages they used to serve. Service got better as well! Still my number 1 yakiniku place in NYC

I absolutely love this place! I booked it on a whim since it's close to my job, and it turned out to be an incredible find. We grabbed seats at the bar, and the menu, while simple, offers a few course options alongside à la carte selections. Totally worth it! The A5 Wagyu was exceptional--so tender, with perfect marbling, it practically melted in my mouth. It was both filling and deeply satisfying. Overall, an outstanding experience, and I highly recommend giving this spot a try!

Last year, my buddy and I went here for yakiniku which was near the hotel that we were staying at. We got the A5 wagyu nakaochi kalbi, regular kalbi(boneless short rib), tontoro(pork neck), chicken marinated with salt, Goma sesame salad, yakinori(toasted seaweed), atsugiri(thick cut beef tongue), and assorted namul. We were thoroughly impressed by the A5 wagyu nakaochi kalbi. The portion was generous and the quality of the meat was exceptional. The meat pretty much melted in our mouths! Other meat cuts were pretty good as well. The decor was very nice and service was good. Definitely will be back for more A5!

Good service, and the meat quality is high for the prices they charge. I can think of a handful of places which offer quality meat at a lower price, but they're not in manhattan, and this location is perfectly situation in the city. Lunch sets are good value especially the prime beef set and the A5 wagyu set. Good portions for lunch.

Great service and clean Japanese BBQ restaurant. Price is reasonable . Ask their special premium menu , that would worth the experience, actually :

TLDR: If you want great yakiniku - Toraji is a solid spot. The original chain is from Ebisu in Tokyo and is still there so you know it's authentic. While you can do the course menus, I find the a la carte is tasty, high quality and not that crazy. Get the signature steak selection, the negi rice and the yukaejang. A chef friend recommended this place many many times but we only recently finally gave it a try. Wow - love it. It's a small spot but you instantly feel like you're back in Tokyo (or if you've never been, this is what a Tokyo resto feels like) sitting down for yakiniku. We splurged on some of the apps the first time. Yukhoe (I can skip personally), wagyu sushi (do not skip). The kimchi platter is good to eat between bites but I prefer the Toraji salad. The negi rice, it's so simple but that egg yolk with all them scallion whites. BOMB. OK, onto the meat. Skirt steak was lovely, nice and beefy, well marbled. The Toraji signature steak selection is great if you want to try the greatest hits. The thick beef tongue (do not miss this please), the filet, wagyu loin, a little bit of everything. It's simple but the cuts are very high quality. We did the yukaejang with the ramen noodles but I think I prefer the soup on its own. Easily one of my favorite places to eat beef going forward. So good we went again a month or two later. They also just opened a location downtown near Chinatown on Bowery if Midtown is too far.

Updating my review with photos: My whole family's official favorite Yakiniku choice in NYC, and even top 5 in the city. It's a no-frills restaurant that is still well decorated and elegant without the unnecessary fanfare. The Shimofuri Kalbi - Salt was on par with the meat we eat in Japan and the Scallion Rice was addicting. We also loved the Diamond Cut Karubi. Ending the meal with the Almond Pudding is a must.

Great food & service. We ordered a la carte instead of the set courses. A5 wagyu kalbi was fantastic & only $38 which is a steal. Most places charge $50 for 2 small pieces, here they gave you 6 healthy cuts. Beef tongue was our next fav, others stuff were good: pork belly, pork neck, regular kalbi, all kinds of veggie appetizers & Goma sesame salad. The least fav was the chicken, wish they have wings or thigh. See attached video below for better visuals. https://youtube.com/shorts/8zJiLG7Sohs?si=XkagMlGk5nZ1ISzK