Nice friendly place. The food was good, though didn't quite have a wow factor. The beef tataki was very nice, as was the edamame and the avocado and potato salad. The octopus and pork belly were okay. I would skip the cod and definitely skip the mackerel next time. Maybe I would be more into the place if I were a sake drinker. The eggs used for the avocado and potato salad as well as for the pork belly were a real strength. Pleasant service and enjoyable atmosphere, and fair prices.
(4)
Donna F.
My boyfriend and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous, summer-like weather outside on Saturday (04/18) and went into the city for a variety of errands and aimless wandering. Around 6 or so, we stopped in front of this place, considered it would be worth a shot to take a look at the menu, and went inside. We ended up staying for dinner, and I'm glad we did. One (minor) side note before I go into the details of our meals: the hostess/server was very specific about where she wanted us to sit, even though she waved her arm towards a row of seats towards the back of the restaurant behind the bar. We initially sat down at a two-diner table in the middle, but she came around and pointedly asked us to move to the four-diner table to our left. She did this with another couple who came in right around the time we asked for the check. They sat down at the same two-diner table and she came around like a torpedo and ushered them to the four-diner table to the far right. Slightly anal-retentive, but I was willing to let it go. We were both intrigued by the drink list, especially the plum wine blended with sake. We're big fans of plum wine and sake but combine the two? Really? This we had to see (and taste) to believe, so we each decided to try two different variations: my boyfriend ordered the Nanbu Bijin, and I ordered the Saiga. His plum wine/sake was much lighter than mine, both in color and flavor. It also had a hint of a fruity aftertaste. Mine was much darker (it had brown sugar mixed into it) and had a much fuller, robust taste (think red wine mixed with sugared plum juice). All in all, we enjoyed what we had. Browsing through the menu, we realized that a lot of Shigure's fare seemed to be based on small dishes, so we split seven dishes between us: the Atsu age (sic?), which was deep fried tofu topped with grated ginger; the avocado-potato salad (surprisingly good), which came with two crispy yuba chips on each side and a small poached egg on top; the Washugyu Tataki (tiny pieces of thin-sliced medium-rare Washugyu beef with a side of wasabi/kizami sauce and tiny sauteed mushrooms); the Smoked Salmon (thinly sliced smoked salmon mixed with shredded raw onion and a light dill cream); the Smoked Plate, which was three pieces of smoked tuna, scallops, and a grape tomato and a smoked quail egg; the Maguro Sashimi (six pieces of tuna sashimi); and, finally, the Smoked Chicken (pieces of grilled/smoked chicken served with curry salt and what looked to be soy sauce). Everything was delicious, with the highlights of our meals being the avocado-potato salad and the Smoked Plate. I especially liked the artful presentation of our food (nothing blended together or spilled over into each other), and the overall mood of the place was very relaxed and casual. The lighting's a bit dim, but I think that's just part of the environment Shigure wants to cultivate: a laid-back, soothing atmosphere where you can sip your sake while noshing on some Japanese tapas. It took a while for us to get our check, but other than that, the service was prompt, our servers were polite, and we left Shigure feeling full and satisfied. I'll definitely come back again to sample some more of their unique dishes.
(4)
Leonard L.
In the land of baby carriages we call Tribeca, lies a sake watering hole called Shigure. There seems to be an on-going theme with similar establishments as dark wooden oak seems to always play the overall layout of the place. I'm not complaining as it gives character and a sense of sophistication to the ambiance. You won't be " wow'ed" by the fare here as nothing i ordered here ( food wise) was memorable. The duck cha-siu tasted like roast beef to me, is that weird? Charcoal grilled shrimp was exactly what it sounded like - while being tasty, it's a bit pricey for what you get. Sho koji fried chicken was also decent but I'm not sure how you can mess up chicken kaarage? In my option, Shigure shines with its extensive sake menu which bolsters over 40 different kinds of rice wine as well as several options for shochu. They even have Japanese whiskey by my favorite company - Suntory. The bartender and staff were very nice. Even recommended me a fruity-er tasting sake that i enjoyed thoroughly but wasn't going to admit willingly. She understood my bravado and even told me that particular sake was one of the owner's favorite. Great place for a pre/post dinner drinks if you enjoy sake/shochu/japanese whiskey. If you plan to drink here, your best bet would be to order a bottle. Might be cheaper that way. tip - Happy hour runs from 5-7pm
(3)
Allene T.
Not impressed... like, at all. I used a 50% off Scoutmob deal here (max of $20 discount) and even after that, I'm not sure it was worth the expense. My friend and I ordered a little too much food - you only need about 4 or 5 dishes (don't double). Think of it as a Japanese tapas spot. We ordered quite a few things from salmon roe on rice to pork belly to sashimi-type dishes - all of which weren't anything to be impressed by. The fried chicken - not seasoned very well and quite bland. Does not come with any sauce, but it's nicely fried and battered. Pork belly kakuni - we also ordered a double of this and it was hard to finish. So much meat and that's it. Very fatty. Salmon roe on rice - easily the best dish. Tastes exactly what it sounds like. Avocado potato salad - meh. Not enough avocado. Fish on bonito was personally my favorite, but my friend hated it. Maybe I have a thing for raw fish, but I think all the different flavors meshed quite well together. The atmosphere is quite interesting- seems like this would be a hot spot at night for a few drinks. Overall though, not very impressed at all by the food and the prices.
(2)
Harue J.
A really cool sake bar and a hidden gem in Tribeca. This place has a quiet, understated but groovy and retro vibe with antique Japanese shochu & beer posters on the brick walls. The sake list is fabulous. I enjoy asking questions and learning about different, unusual sake. Their ring folder menu consists not only a long sake list, but also lists of beer, shochu, whiskey, wine, and cocktails (w sake or shochu and other japanese ingredients). ($9~$13/per on average.) Food is very good. Some are simple but taste very much like good homemade food in Japan. Yes, shio-koji karaage is great, so juicy. (I like shio-koji everything :)) Wagyu tataki is fabulous. Food is not cheap, but each dish is a good portion (tapas dish) to be shared w/ 3 people. The special soup for 2 is so big and hearty w/ salmon that it was too much for me and my husband. The people are really friendly but never pushy. They leave you alone, which can be translated to slow service. But this is a place you come to relax, linger, and to have conversations over good food and drinks like so many bars in Japan. The background music is also groovy but dim and soft.
(4)
Jorge G.
Unusual place for me to even try--the storefront is 'coy' (just a logo/symbol; no restaurant name or signage, no way to tell anything about the place as you're entering it). Inside--unusual for a sushi restaurant--the booths, tables, and floor are old, ratty wood; unvarnished, splintery. Bar to the left as you saunter to the back. Its as much a sake bar and drinker's lounge, as it is a sushi place. But with a 'dive-bar' feel. Confusing. Hanging lamps; misty atmosphere. Kinda looks like a rustic Japanese joint in an old b&w movie by Ozu, Ichikawa, or Kurosawa. Waitresses are surprisingly shabbily dressed; they slouch over to your table like its a burden to be separated from the cellphone conversation they were having. In general, this is the problem: its not a serious restaurant and I don't know how that can be. If you're serving me raw fish you'd better take it super seriously. I don't eat raw fish in a place run by kids, or one which has kids as well 'hanging out' in little coteries, yukking it up (har dee har har) over whatever's on their cellphones. Sheesh. Drink prices: standard for Manhattan $14 or so. Creative drink menu but not extraordinary. Still, you can always get a Kirin lager for $7. But for the reasons above, we didn't order any food.
(2)
David T.
Very cute place. Good food, good service. Half sake bar, half restaurant. Had a very pleasant meal. Went at 9pm. It was not iverly busy. I was able to walk in without a reservation. See my pictures of the following items. Grapefruit Tea - Good - Nice grapefruit notes and I like the cast iron tea cup Shishito Yaki-Bitashi - Very Good, but would prefer more grilled with a glaze and less broth Charcoal Grilled Shrimp - Very Good Washugyu Tataki- Roasted and thin sliced Washugyu Beef served with KIZAMI-wasabi sauce - Very Good Duck Cha-Shu - Very Good Gindara Kasu-Yaki - Good, but I prefer a sweeter Miso Glaze Shoi-Koji Fried Chicken - Ok but a little bland Anago Yuba-Maki - Yuba wrapped Sea Eel - Very Good Obanzai - 3 small appetizers - Noodles, Seaweed and Tofu - Good Avocado Potato Salad - Good Kuro Subuta - Very Good I highly recommend Shigure if you are looking for a quiet, casual japanese meal..
(4)
Neville G.
I really like this place. Its casual, unique and friendly. the prices are just right, and the food options allow for multiple visits and lots of experimentation. Good for a couple or small group of 4-6. Grab a saki flight and get some recommendations from your server.
(4)
Hiroko T.
I have just signed up with Yelp to rave about this hidden gem! I am Japanese/Washoku foodie/sake enthusiast, and I think SHiGURE is the best sake bar in NYC. Run by the Japanese it serves authentic, true Japanese tastes of superb quality. The sake and shochu selections is exceptional, thanks to the passionate sake expert with extensive knowledge. They have the list of popular but selective sake and shochu as well as some hard-to-find ones. Here I explored different kinds of sake and found the best imo-shochu ever. I have tried most of the chef's signature menus. They are based on traditional, authentic Japanese cooking with modern tastes perfectly executed by the outstanding Japanese chefs. I love small dishes like Pork Belly Kakuni, Shio-koji Fried Chicken, Charcoal Grilled Softshell Shrimp, and Homemade Smoked Salmon. They also started daily specials (weekdays only) a couples of months ago which are phenomenal! Sashimi selections directly from Japan are super-fresh. Chef's seasonal fresh vegetable/fish/meat tapas are prepared with care, using the highest quality of ingredients. You can experience a wide variety of the taste of Japan. I am thrilled by new cuisine every time I visit. The atmosphere is spacious, nice decor. The staff are very friendly. Overall the best quality sake bar I've ever known in NYC.
(5)
Tiffany L.
I've been toggling between a 2 and 3 star rating. The food and drink here is excellent. But the prices are sky high, and the portions all about the size of my palm. I guess the theme here is to do an upscale izakaya (Japanese tapas), but it feels a little insulting to order so many dishes and drinks and still leave with an empty stomach (and wallet). If you're still interested in checking this place out, I'd recommend ordering the karagi (fried chicken). DON'T get any of the grilled options. You're paying about $2-$4 PER PIECE of meat on a stick. Nice space, and quiet so it's great to go on a date or to catch up with friends.
(2)
Ivy T.
If you come here with a groupon, hoping to save money for dinner, it's impossible. If you come here with a groupon, hoping to try awesome food at a lower cost, this is the place! We came here on a Saturday night (very easy to find parking on the street) and found there are only two other tables of customer when we walked in. With that said, service is not a problem because they are not busy at all. We ordered soft shell shrimp, Washugyu Beef, Pork Belly and cold Soba, along with one glass of sparkling wine. With three of the dishes being Tapas size, of course all this food is not enough to make two people full. However, washugyu beef was cooked perfectly, and the soft shell shrimps (although there are only 3 pieces) are so delicious, the seasoning is just right, it gives you a grilling taste and you can eat the whole shrimp including the heads and the shells. The pork belly is also very well braised and it falls apart easily when you grab it. The fat on the pork belly may seem scary, but it tastes so good with the meat. Cold soba was pretty surprising but it is a one person portion that doesn't come with any toppings. There are two options for Groupon, but they may ask you to have at least 4 people if you redeem the $40 for $80 option.
(4)
Stephen L.
I've now been back to Shigure a good dozen times and every time I visit I like it more and more. Other places I get tired of over time, but with Shigure it just gets better and better. In NYC, it may be the perfect combination of decor, atmosphere, food, drinks, and staff. It just all works so amazingly well together. Atypical for an izakaya, the really high ceilings give it a light airy space and make it feel larger than it is. There really aren't all that many seats, but the spacing of the tables and the high ceilings gives it a much larger feeling. Bonus points for the his/hers toilets complete with Toyo Washlets. The huge map of Japan with all of the prefectures numbered is a nice touch as well, though it's a mystery why the list starts at 10. Booze wise, they don't have the biggest shochu selection in NYC, but they definitely have a very thoughtful and well curated list. Highlights include Kawabe (rice), Nakanaka (barley), and Yachiyoden (sweet potato). Lots of Japanese craft beers are fun to explore as well. Japanese whisky and sake are available too, of course. And nice selections of both. Foodwise, the daily specials are always worth exploring, particularly their sashimi specials, often flown in direct from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo! The fried chicken is amazing. One dish I have to order every single time is the Kuro Subuta, which is the Japanese version of sweet and sour pork. And it eclipses that basic Chinese dish amazingly well. One other food tip. There are housemade pickles for order on the chalkboard above the bar, but they don't appear in your food menu. These are a strange assortment of pickling experiments including tomato and avocado. As you can imagine, some are better than others, but all are worth trying if only for the novelty. Other menu items are solid to fantastic. I'd echo what I wrote previously. People need to find this place. Seriously. It's criminal that it's not busy every single night. While it's definitely busier than it was when they opened, it's still too easy to get a table any night of the week. Maybe now that the weather is nice again, people will start heading out to these hard to reach locations for some amazing food. Oh, and after dinner, pop downstairs for some live jazz at b-flat, purported to have the best ice in NYC. No idea if that rumor is true. Kampai!
(5)
Ms G.
sake flights & fried chicken. that is all. tried a few of their other dishes but i kept reordering the fried chicken. edamame? basic. pickled veggies? meh. honestly nothing i had was memorable. sorry! its an interesting place. you may totally miss it, but the chicken is definitely worth a try.
(3)
Lori L.
It might be considered blasphemy to some to enter a sake bar and not order anything to drink... but Shigure was nonetheless an easy choice for dinner. It's one of the only sake bars and izakayas to be found in TriBeCa, and on a weekday evening, was at a dull murmur thanks to a handful of other groups present. Don't mistakenly head down the stairs to its sister speakeasy, B Flat, although it might make for a good post-dinner venue. The interior is composed of dark oak, high ceilings, and a plethora of seating options, from seats at the bar (perhaps better for those going in solo), booths for larger groups, and a handful of two-tops towards the back. Once my friend arrived, we started going through the extensive menu, attempting to narrow down our choices for dinner. The options are tempting, to say the least, covering a sampling of chilled and cold plates to heavier grilled and braised dishes, and daily specials will only increase the difficulty of making a final decision. Our first plate to arrive was one of the specials: Ebi Shinjo Hasami Age. We'd been warned beforehand about the temperature of the dish, but still managed to burn the roofs of our mouths after taking our first bite. Each piece consists of two slices of lightly battered and fried eggplant sandwiching a few pieces of fried shrimp. The seasoning was light and spot on, complemented only by a simple dashi broth at the bottom of the bowl. The following dish, the Avocado Potato Salad, was probably the one disappointment of the evening. The salad was too monotonous in texture and flavor, composed of creamy avocado and potatoes, and was already rich enough without the addition of a poached egg. It definitely need a crisp carbohydrate to counter, but the appearance of only two Yuba chips left much to be desired. The following Duck Cha-Shu was far more satisfactory and is probably one of my favorite presentations of this protein to date. Several slices of duck breast are marinated and slow-cooked, and complemented by the chives, curled watercress, and wasabi. A very simple dish, yes, but executed to perfection with just the right seasoning, it made for one of the more memorable bites of the evening. In a close tie, however, was the Gindara Kasu-Yaki, grilled black cod marinated with Dassai Dai Ginjo, a light, balanced sake. The cod was tender and supple, and each section of the protein easily gave way at the prodding of our chopsticks. There was a deep caramelization at the edges of skin, which offered a delightful crispness and sweetness to each bite. To finish our meal, the Kobe Beef Sukiyaki. We had to ask for bowls of rice to go with this dish, as it's traditionally served with udon or soba, and there would have been a fair amount of leftover sauce otherwise. The beef was thinly sliced and well-marinated and the shimeji mushrooms and celery root slices were appreciated additions. We made sure to cut into the poached egg on top and mix before eating, however, as it added an element of richness to the plate. I've found at a lot of venues that tout the strength of their liquors and drinks that the food often gets put on the wayside. Thankfully, Shigure is not one of these places, and I'd be more than happy to return to try out a few more items on their menu.
(4)
Tony C.
Upon entering Shigure, you know you are in a legit sake bar when the bar wall is lined with sake and wine up to the ceiling. I love the dim, mellow atmosphere. Music isn't too loud as well so you can actually have a chat accompanied by sake and tapas. I used the $40 Groupon for this visit and the staff happily accepted it along with saying it covered even the happy hour as well. Sake Flight (3 for $15.00) - Part of their happy hour from 5:00 to 7:00. You get to choose from 9 varieties of sake. Great way to sample their selection. Shishito Yaki-Bitashi ($4.00) - Ordered this during the happy hour special. This dish of shishito peppers looks simple but it was one of my favorites of the meal. The peppers were mildly spicy and smoky but it was the dashi broth that made this super tasty. The best part is biting into a pepper and getting a squirt of dashi broth. (9/10) Shio-Koji Fried Chicken ($6.00) - Another dish that I am glad was on the happy hour menu. You get 5 pieces of juicy fried chicken. The chicken wasn't heavily salted which was a good thing. (8/10) Duck Cha-Shu ($9.00) - The duck breast was very tender and full of flavor with hints of wasabi. Even though it looks kind of raw, the taste is worth the appearance. (8.5/10) Kuro Subuta ($8.00) - This was a dish of fried pork in a syrupy sweet and sour vinegar sauce. It tasted and looked like it belonged in a Chinese fast food restaurant. The meat wasn't crispy and the sauce was too sour. (6/10) I was going to give Shigure 4 stars until I saw that they have the toilets that washes your behind. There is a front rinse, a back rinse, and a dryer function. First time I ever saw these toilets in a restaurant. Warning: Not to be used if you are ticklish.
(5)
Oliver H.
This place is pricey but that comes with the territory of sake in NYC. The dishes are small but unique and masterfully prepared. I had the smelt tempura, pork kakuni, smoked chicken, Shigure salad and a miso soup prepared with sake lees. All tasty but be prepared to spend a big chunk of change if you want to feel full. The space has good bones but the atmosphere needs improvement. If they reworked the lighting to be more intimate and relaxing I'd recommend this place for a drink with light appetizers.
(3)
Olive O.
Very authentic Japanese food. Delicious. A little too dark and tables are pretty old.
(4)
Joanie K.
Yum! What a great new find! No wait ftw I'm not a sake connoisseur so didn't fully appreciate all the choices. The food though was great. I had the avocado potato salad (really bizarre but delicious), pork belly kakuni (a single was fine for 2 ppl- order rice), and the sashimi special.
(4)
Monte H.
Step 1: order food and drink Step 2: get food, wait for drink, start eating, make remark about deliciousness Step 3: keep waiting for drink. make smartass remark about small portions Step 4: get more food, wait for drink Step 5: drinks come. but you ran out of food. Step 6: order more food. Sip your delicious sake Step 7: food comes out, but seriously these portions are absurd. Step 8: rinse and repeat the above Step 9: give up and decide to grab the bill before you head out to a deli for sandwich. Step 10: gawk at the final bill and think about donating body organs so you can pay off the credit card debt. 2.5 stars.
(3)
Sumito A.
Get to the Chase: Pros: 1) Fantastic place for medium to large groups to celebrate bdays and special occasions with speciality cocktails and sake! (had 15-20 people...no reservation)...but if you want a booth/table go early around 9:30 pm 2) Miki-san (the owner? or bartender) is awesome!!! She gave me a speciality nigori (unfiltered sake) and had a drink with me upon my request to celebrate my bday! 3) Chill, open space with also great late night eats (food available until 1 am) 4) the Seaonsal fruit with sochu was amazing! I had a Fuji pear drink which was outrageously delicious (real shaved fruit) 5) Soy milk and nigori sake was a fantastic combination cocktail Cons: 1) Cocktails weren't especially strong 2) Can get pricey if you drink a lot
(5)
Hank C.
A sake bar and Japanese tapas (not sure what the exact term is but izakaya comes up) restaurant, this location serves up a large menu of drinks (10 pages) and a small menu of food items (2 pages). With seating in the space for around 40 people, they accommodated our group of 4 easily and a larger group of friends seated in the back space was about 20. Dim lighting helped set their mood, and we decided to try a number of different items. First up... the home-made ginger ale was okay, but lacked the bite of fresh ginger; it was almost too filtered. The dishes we tried: - Grilled Edamame - nothing special here, came with little magazine pages folded into a trash box - Tako-Su was an octopus sashimi (cooked) and had a delicious cucumber and seaweed (thick, not thin) salad below it. - Goma-Saba was a cured mackerel with sesame sauce - my favorite dish of the night - I love the sour and fishy flavor. - Shishito Yaki-Bitashi was grilled peppers..nothing exciting here, not spicy, not salty, just grilled - Duck Cha-Shu was duck breast slow-cooked; an interesting take, but not much in the way of "Cha-Shu" ... just "Shu" - Charcoal Grilled Shrimp fileted nicely, and had edible skin which was soft but crispy at the right places, but little flavor otherwise - Skio-Koji Fried Chicken was great - reminded me of a slightly less salty version of Salt-Pepper Chicken - Gindara Kasu-Yaki was black cod with miso (really a sake / miso) - I've had better, the flavor here was more fishy than savory - Pork Belly Kakuni was not bad, but we make it better at home - Ojiya Soba is basically cold soba with the dipping soup; nothing special here, just a cold, refreshing dish to cleanse the mouth Service was not bad, a bit slow, but attentive when present. They were always quick to ask about our drinks. Overall - food was okay, but people are really here for the tremendous sake variety they have up on the wall and step-shelves as you come in.
(3)
Eva P.
This is by far my favorite Japanese restaurant in the city! The menu changes with what's fresh that day. I've been there at least a dozen times and my favorite thing to order is the sashimi dishes. They're always super-fresh and the servings are large compared to other izakayas in the city. Also recommend trying Joto sake from Hiroshima....so good! As other reviewers have noted, B-flat is downstairs. It's a nice chill bar for a cocktail and worth checking out after dinner.
(5)
Peter S.
Located across the street from the Tribeca Grand Hotel. The area can be fairly sedate on the weekdays, even on a Thursday night. I frequent a bar in the basement of Shigure frequently called B Flat. Ambience - Kind of rustic, darker, and on the mellow side. Maybe it was because I went on a Tuesday night, but it was kind of quiet even though the bulk of the tables were taken. Place has a very high ceiling and the place is fairly spacious. If you're looking for a tiny-hole-in-the-wall, this place isn't it. And given that it was a Tuesday, the weather was frigid, and this is where it's located, the place was fairly packed, in my opinion... Service - There were only two waitstaff, one man and one woman. Never got to make talk with the man and the woman served us all night, if she served us at all. The place needed more waitstaff. Someone tell management that you need more than two people to serve 8 tables of patrons. The woman who served us was very taciturn and did her job. She felt like ice. She didn't talk much. Perhaps a language barrier. Food - No complaints. But I've had better fried chicken downstairs at B Flat. The pork buta kakuni was tender, but could have used more seasoning. The portions were better than average for Japanese izakaya style food for the price when compared to pricier options in Midtown Alcohol - I think they had beer, a bar for liquor, sake, and shochu. I expected more in terms of sake selection. Not the best that I've come across and I've seen regular non-izakaya restaurants that are smaller in size carry a larger sake collection. And they had two specials for sake that night. The one I asked for, they did not have. But they were nice enough to do tastings before buying a bottle. Final verdict - The place is spacious and good for a date, if you want a chill, quiet night. It's in Tribeca, so it's not really accessible by public transportation. Prices are moderate. No bargain to be found here, but the food portions were better than average. Will I go back? Only if I'm in the area.
(3)
Badalato F.
I Got a Thrillist blast about Shigure, so I decided to go. Arrived around 10 after a knicks game. The place was virtually empty, which made the atmosphere a little weird, but the actual design/layout/vibe of the restaurant was nice. I was interested in coming here b/c they had a really extensive beer and (of greater interest to me) sake list. I also like small plates/tapas style restaurants and was interested in the Japanese take on this. Apparently, these types of places are called izakaya in Japan. Moving on. First, the staff was really attentive and friendly throughout the whole meal. I got warm sake, though the name of it escapes me. The sake came in a carafe. The sake was poured into a smaller vessel, which got put into this container filled with hot water, which warmed the sake. It was cool/I liked it. The waiter made sure my shot glass (not sure if there is a name for the small Japanese shot glass cups) was always full, that the vessel in the warmer thing was full and that the water in the holder thing was always hot. Very good. In terms of food, I tried the following: - Kuro Subuto - a fried pork d with black vinegar sauce - Shio-Koji - fried chicken - Duck Cha-Shu - marinated, slow cooked duck - Gindara Kasu -Yaki: marinated, grilled black cod. Apparently I was not craving vegetables. Overall, the food was good....but just good. The best dishes were the pork and the duck. Neither was exceptional, but they were both tasty enough. The chicken kind of reminded me of a chicken cutlet. A decent, yet overall unremarkable, chicken cutlet. The cod was my least favorite. It was quite salty and a little too fishy for me. to summarize- service: really good. Atmosphere: good, would have been better if the place wasn't empty. Drinks- really good. Food: good... but just good. I'd come back under the right circumstances, those circumstances being, im in Tribeca and looking for a place to drink and have some Japanese small plates.. Wouldn't go out of my way to come back.
(3)
Ashley D.
Came here on a Saturday expecting something really exciting food wise and sake !! The waiter that first approached us seemed nice at first. We asked him for recommendations for the sake (since it was our first time trying it) and he gave us a few suggestions and we ended up trying Dassai which wasn't bad but I just didn't like too much. After we received the sake we made a gesture to the waiter that we wanted to order. He asked us if we wanted an appetizer and when we said no he said he would take our order later. The bar was practically empty and he wasn't very busy at all. He proceeded to flirt with two female Customers and ignored us. It wasn't until another employee saw us sitting for a while and asked if we wanted to eat that we got a chace to order the fried chicken and the pork belly which were both AMAZING!! We were only asked if we were okay once and no one paid us any mind. We felt completely uncomfortable and couldn't get anyone to stop to give us our bill. Overall, the food we tried was great but as far as customer service goes, NOT GOOD. I felt as if we were purposely ignored because other tables were constantly visited by the waiters. Still debating if I'd come back here.. EDIT:: wrote this review while we were still at the restaurant... After eating we sat and waited for over 30 minutes making awkward eye contact with the waiters.. After a while the male waiter who previously refused to take our dinner order came to us to tell us the kitchen was closing. We assured him that we wouldn't be ordering anymore and he said thank you and walked away. We waited what seemed like forever waiting for a check. We used a groupon deal and figured that he might not bring us a bill . Still we waited a while again until we decided To leave a tip and finally walk out. The waiter chased us outside and said that we still have a bill open. We explained to him that no one would give us a bill which led us to believe that there were no extra charges after using the groups voucher. He shook his head at us and didn't say anything. We paid the remainder of the bill and left. Never felt so humiliated when we clearly had intentions of paying for our food. Now I know that I will NEVER return here again. As tasty as the food was, it's not enough to get us to come back here.
(3)
Jason W.
Whoa! What a great experience I had there last night and the 2 times before that so time to offer up a Review. First what a great sake selection they have, I could spend a week in there learning about all of the wonderful sakes they have to offer, try the Nan Bubijin Tokubetsu Junmai. The atmosphere is way more then your typical Japanese Izakaiya, it's more of a cross between that and a high end sake bar. However don't be turned off by fancy sake, the prices are more than reasonable and the food is absolutely amazing, the same quality as I would find in Japan and great if your on a budget. Hats off to you Shigure, I will be frequenting there more often.
(5)
Valery C.
A sake bar that has flown under the radar in the half year that its been open, undeserved, as it is an engaging if quiet place. Located above and sharing ownership with the Japanese cocktail bar, B Flat, Shigure feels more spacious than it is by way of high ceilings. The attractive bar area is filled with shelves of liquor bottles, resting also on a series of steps descending from the windows that recall Kaidan Tansu, or step chests. Several tables fill out of the rest of the dining room, albeit not in the most efficient way. The space is appointed in dark woods and bricks, not terribly imaginative but comfortable. Wait staff were very friendly and eager to help. Sake bar foremost, they have plenty available, and offer flights that make it easy to try up to 9 different sakes for very reasonable prices. They also have excellent shochu and Japanese beer selections. Check the blackboard for additional specials, both alcohol and food. The food menu is concise, serving more as drink accompaniments, but their quality elevated them to far better than merely bar snacks. Portions were not large, such than our party of two tried nearly everything on the menu in one meal with our sake. I was mostly pleased with the food offerings. Many were subtle, which is not to say bland, but don't expect bold flavors. Preparation was very good, and many were appealing to the eye. At the same time, little was memorable. Instead, there was a home-cooked quality to the food that was quite appealing in its own way. Shigure is a modern sake and shochu bar that manages to sidestep trendiness, feeling instead, somehow, to be an old place that's always been there. Well worth a visit for Japanese liquor, with comforting food.
(4)
Angus V.
Very disappointed with this place. The draft beer was not working, and it took forever to get the happy hour food. This was at 6pm when it wasn't busy at all. So I'd hate to see what it's like when it's busy. Food was ok. Maybe because I'm so annoyed by the epic wait I'm being more harsh than I should re the food quality. But the other irritation is that the staff didn't seem to care that the food took so long to arrive.
(2)
Nomad M.
Tonight was the second time around. I got even better experience! First off, get your hot sake. No, just regular one, the one served smoky hot - on fire! I had the Unique Hot Sake: fuguhire zake (hot sake with Tiger Fugu fin). Just let the fugu fin soaked in the sake for couple minutes then sip. It was the best i have ever had - warm and smoky. perfect for a windy early autumn night! Even if sake is not your thing, there are plenty Japanese liquor options you can choose from in addition to the killer cocktails from the Angel's share alumnus. Since I was not too hungry, I ordered two apps - wasabi zuke (cucumber and creamy wasabi sauce) and yuba wrapped anago. Both were really good, but the yuba was divine. Just right amount of saltiness; the anago was savory and the yuba served as if a "sponge" which absorbed the sauce and perfectly accompanied the anago. As i am writing this review right now, I already made plan to go back some time next week and order the Unique Hot Sake and yuba anago again! All I need to do just get off the train one stop early :)
Shigure is my favorite new find of 2013... a great place to get your Japanese on without being a simple sushi joint. A perfect snack-n-sip. The focus here is on drinking with a huge selection of sake and several kinds of shochu and Japanese beers. That said, the food DEFINITELY does not come across as an afterthought. It's small plates so I probably wouldn't come if I was starving, but for social drinks and bites or a smaller meal it's absolutely perfect. Atmoshere: - Super chill - Friendly, efficient staff - Low, but sufficient lighting - Minimal, but comfortable furnishings All of the food is small-plate style with only a few items topping $10 with several good vegetarian options (though vegetarians should beware the bonito). - Grilled Edamame - So good! Why does no one else do it this way? - Tataki Gobo - Burdock infused with sweet vinegar and then coated with sesame. SOOOO delicious... and like nothing I've ever had before. I could eat a giant bowl of this. - Shishito Yaki-Bitashi - Grilled shishito peppers in dashi broth covered in bonito. Delicious (and healthy!) snack bite. Sake time!
(4)
Mandy L.
Another new "izakaya" wins my heart. I put the word izakaya in quotes because this place seems a bit more like a lounge/bar with Japanese small plates than a traditional izakaya. My husband and I stumbled upon Shigure after hanging out with friends and decided to stop in for another drink and some snacks. Husband got himself a glass of Japanese whiskey he seemed thoroughly happy with and we shared a thin-sliced octopus dish and the Kani Oden, which was like a piece of art. The bowl consisted of a snow crab shell sitting in seaweed broth. Inside the shell was a mosaic of different goodies ranging from yam-noodle to sea urchin to a piece of a tofu. Very beautiful and tasty too. The best part of our experience was the super friendly service.
(4)
Julie L.
I almost don't want to write a review for Shigure because I want to keep it a hidden gem forever, but a place like this really deserves some good press. One of my friends discovered it recently and brought me + 7 others here on a quadruple date. Since there were so many of us and everything on the menu looked interesting, we ordered two of everything. I've never tried everything at a restaurant before, so I can't say this for any other place, but I can definitely declare that everything on Shigure's menu was delicious! My favorites were the washugyu tataki and the duck chashu, but really you can't go wrong with any dish. They also have an extensive selection of sake and though I'm not a connoisseur, the bottle my friend ordered was very smooth and paired well with our food. The space is open with high ceilings and it's great for two people or a large group like ours. Highly recommend.
(5)
Caroline T.
i've been going there too often. love love love this place. this place is hidden, i've always passed by it and one night i just felt adventurous and went in for some drinks and some bites. man is there food freaking delicious here ! i love tapas. i just find this place to be very meaningful. every time i go there i get their fried chicken, their pork belly, duck cha shiu and a whole lotta other goodiesss. this is my new favorite hiding place when i wanna have good company without being bothered. super chill staff, so sweet and cleanliness level daaa bomb. it's not a super huge place, but i find it very forgiving, cozy, and the place is just spacious by the way everything is placed. but then again every time i'm go there it's super early, i haven't been there late enough to see how crowded it might get. i just reallly enjoy the times i've been there.
(5)
Jin H.
Great food but very small portion. Yeah it's a sake bar not a typical restaurant.
(4)
Atie A.
Foods are great. They do have good selection of sake. But I may not come back. The bartender made me uncomfortable. I think he tried to be friendly but he made it in a rude way. Its not the place that I can relax.
(2)
Marc K.
I love this place. I've been to En, and I've been to Sakagura, and I would say that Shigure has the best overall mix of attributes of the three. Reasons Shigure is awesome: - Atmosphere. I've come here with a group of friends and again with a work crowd, and it's perfectly set up for conversation. The music is low and tasteful, the lighting is low and soft, and somehow the tables (I have no idea how...) seem to make the whole experience cozy and enclosed (but not isolated). I think they've made a place that works for dates, work gatherings, or pretty much anything else. - The food is delicious. And affordable. It really isn't stressful to pick which of the small plate dishes you'd like to try from the simple menu, because if you're walking in with a normal izakaya-level budget, you could almost just order everything. - The alcohol is amazing. In spite of hard earned drinking wisdom earned over the years, I somehow mixed a lot of different types of drinks and not only survived, but thrived! I'm not sure if that really deserves mention, but I poured shochu onto sake onto beer onto some sake, and somehow (magic?) everything mixed together perfectly with the food to create the PERFECT buzz. This is actually the main reason I'm writing a review today...I felt like reaching such a rare (for me) level of unbelieveably smooth, delicious and enjoyable drunkenness deserved to be memorialized. Sidenote: Girlfriend loved the "508" cocktail. I took a sip - it tasted like dessert. Guys, don't worry, I think there's something here for everyone, so your dates will definitely find something they like. Sidenote 2: Save some space for a run through the shochu list. Shochu is distilled, and somewhere between wine/sake and western style liquor in strength. Usually I just stay away, since that's generally a recipe for disaster (the kind where every drink of the night sucker punches you at the same time), but the more I try them, the more I like them. I've had the sugar cane one and a sweet potato one, and they were both smooth, but with pretty complex tastes. I had it on rocks, but both were smooth enough to drink neat, if you're not usually a fan of strong spirits. Sidenote 3: Honestly, the alcohol and enjoyment of the company you keep are central to the concept, so this could almost just be about alcohol. I just had to say that the more sake I drink, the more I'm starting to taste the complexity. There are a ton of different kinds, with different taste/smell profiles, and the descriptions in the wine list are spot on. Great place to put on your marathon-drinking shoes and in the name of education, go have a drink or many. - The service is great. Don't get intimidated by the impressive list of drinks; they'll work with you and find you something delicious. Your water glass is full before you know it, and the dishes and drinks hit the table with a quickness. Summary: Really cool! Go have a good time!
(5)
Estelle T.
Overall I was disappointed and I won't go back unless the food improves. If you're just looking for some saki downtown, this wouldn't be a bad option (hence the 2 stars instead of 1) but I prefer to have some good bar food to go with it. I'm a big fan of izakayas and I've been on a quest to try all the ones on this list that I haven't been on: newyork.grubstreet.com/2… Shigure has an extensive saki list which is great, but the lower rating is largely due to the food, which wasn't up to my expectations. The atmosphere was fine. Shio-Koji Fried Chicken - The label is misleading. If you think chicken nuggets are fried, then yes, these are fried. There wasn't that 'crunch' you think of when you eat fried chicken (even at an izakaya) and the flavor was bland. Gindara Kasu-Yaki - This was good but I wish there was more flavor and the portion was small. Avocado Potato Salad - Excellent. I liked this dish the best. Kuro Subuta - The description for this dish is "friend berkshire pork with rice black vinegar sauce" but it was more like a really bad General Tso's. Dishes that were sold out and I couldn't try: *Kani Oden *Nonbei Ramen *Pork Belly Kakuni
(2)
Gabriela B.
This place rocks. A limited menu but every single dish is amazing. The sliced beef tastes amazing, their simple salad is excellent, and the small dish of friend chicken is also great. Relatively inexpensive, easy to get into, and and amazing sake bar.
(5)
Rachel J.
Shigure is a cute hidden spot in Tribeca. If you're ever in the mood to try some new Japanese beers or sakes, this is the place - they have an amazing selection. Ask for Jiro because he definitely will tell you everything you need to know! When I went with a group of friends, we asked him to bring us all different beers of his choosing. Let me just say that none of us were disappointed. As for the food - it's all made to share. Very light and simple with great flavor. I was highly impressed with all of the dishes - especially the daikon salad which was very refreshing! On another note, the ambiance and decor is exactly my taste. When you walk in, there is a map of Japan that was hand drawn to fill up the back chalk-painted wall. The lighting is dim but just the perfect amount. And the music is set at a level where you can actually have conversations. If you feel like you don't want to make the trek to Tribeca just for one bar, don't you worry!! B-Flat is another great bar located right below Shigure with great cocktails and food as well. But after going to Shigure once, I'm never opposed to a trip down to Tribeca. Definitely check this place out!
(5)
Elaine C.
If you want to catch up with friends and hang out over food and drinks for a decent price, this is the place to go. Great drinks, great atmosphere and delicious food! This spot is a little hard to find. It shares the same address as B flat next door and the two bars just kind of blend into each other on the outside, especially since both only have signs on the door. Just make sure you have the address before you come and look for the name on the door or you may just end up wandering around a bit like I did. I love the atmosphere here. For a drinking establishment in NYC, it's really comfortable and conducive to conversation. It actually feels like you've stepped outside of Manhattan for a bit when you're here. There's no need to shout over one another. The seating isn't so compact you have to listen to your neighbors' conversations. It's kind of an intimate atmosphere that is super spacious. The drinks and the selection are amazing! I really don't know anything about sake or shochu or any alcohol really, but they have a nice selection and our server was able to help us narrow down our selection to something to our liking. We ended up ordering a sake that was incredibly smooth. Their cocktails are also really good. The drinks here were so good, it inspired me to order cocktails with sake in other establishments (I tried this at Milk and Honey but was disappointed to learn they didn't have sake). The food was also really good here. We ordered probably 90% of the menu and enjoyed every single dish. They had Japanese pickled vegetables!! One of my favorite dishes ever that I don't typically see served in an assortment at a restaurant. The duck cha shu and pork belly were so fatty and delicious. The fried chicken was also really good. The edamame was grilled! which was pretty unique and even more flavorful than how edamame is typically served. The daikon salad was refreshing. I definitely highly recommend this spot and can't wait to go back again myself! I actually just wrote a review for Milk and Honey before this and was almost hesitant to write one for this spot in fear it gets too popular and crowded, especially after being featured in Timeout. But since it is a new establishment, I want to make sure they don't go anywhere and so I'm spreading the word!!
(5)
Valerie K.
We had a private party at Shigure last night (it had been in the works for several months), and it was great. We had about 70 people at the bar, and everyone loved the food and sake. More than anything else, Taka (the manager) was helpful, nice, and prompt throughout the planning process. I think this is the perfect venue for a large party/event. In addition, we had scouted it out for dinner back in December and really enjoyed the experience. Will definitely be coming here again.
(5)
Jeremy W.
I love Japanese food and spirits. Hence, Shigure is my new jam. The restaurant itself is decorated in a really cool Japanese minimalist-style (I love the hand-painted map mural of the Japanese islands at the back). The service is great - we met Jiro (the owner) when we visited, and he hooked us up with some of the appetizers to try out. That brings us to the food, which I found to be spectacular. There's ample selection and all of it is presented beautifully. Definitely recommend you visit Shigure!
(5)
Joe R.
Authentic iza kaya and relatively well kept secret in tribeca. Duck is fantastic. Best iza kaya in NYC for the price.
(5)
Joyce T.
The restaurant is very dim, companied with all the dark wooden tables and chairs, giving the place a weird feeling. Oddly, the bar in the front is quite contemporary. Food was mediocre. We people, a party of 11, ordered different dishes and none of them was exceptionally memorable. I got there late and thought I might as well order something small so I asked for tempura - since the restaurant seems to feature small dishes - without straining my eyes to read the menu in the dim light, but the guy in a silk vest (could be the manager) shook his head scorning at me and stepped away. He didn't even try to give recommendations! If it weren't for the group, I'd have left the restaurant on the spot. It was raining and windy that night. What a waste of my time and money making the trip down there.
(1)
Valya V.
Food delicious here. I tried there dishes that I have never tried before and I am big lover or Japanese cosine. Chef does great job. Affordable and delicious! Try potato salad. Yammy
(5)
Jay B.
What a happy place. It is hard to pin down what makes this place such a hidden Japanese dream. Is it the full bodied bar keep, who looks straight out of central casting for a Kurosawa film? Is it the casks upon casks of interesting sakes to explore? Is it the wonderful menu of delicious Japanese small plates that come out presented like you are visiting someone's private Kyoto retreat? Perhaps all of the above. The menu is limited, but uniformly delicious and between the appetizer and large plate selection, make for a wonderfully satisfying experience. The pork belly is ridiculously good. Highly recommended.
(5)
Andrew L.
New Japanese tapas with good food, nice sake selection, and great service. Added bonus, B-Flat is right below.
(5)
Rishi G.
The food was good. The fried chicken was suprisingly amazing. The quality for the price was a bit off.
(4)
J P.
loved this place. tried all the happy hour items, except the maceral. the fried chicken was so good. loved the grilled edamame, and the peppers were very tasty. not a huge fan of the pickles. also ordered the udon - the dipping sauce was excellent. had a groupon, which made it even better.
(5)
Cara L.
A new favorite place for us! My bf and I came here over the weekend with a Groupon. Love the atmosphere! We got in right before happy hour and they made sure we placed our order right before it ended so we could get happy hour prices. We each got a sake flight, the fried chicken, shishito peppers, grilled edamame, fried lotus root and a few of the daily vegetable specials. All of the food was fantastic, particularly the chicken. So good i'm thinking about it right now. Beware if you get the peppers, we had a few really hot ones, so not for the faint of heart. Service was incredibly friendly. It did take awhile for the lotus root to come out, not sure what the holdup was with it, if it took awhile too cook or if they ran out and had to make a lotus root run, but it was delicious. Sake hit the spot and a nice sized tasting for $15 during happy hour. We made a meal out of it, but its perfect to go for a tasting and a few little plates as a before dinner spot too. On a weird side note, they have a bathroom with an automatic bum cleaner. Never seen in a restaurant before but definitely made for some interesting conversation. I cant wait to go back and with the happy hour prices, I dont need to wait for a deal.
(4)
Fiona L.
A friend told me about this "hidden" new gem in Tribeca and I went to check it out. I was really impressed with their extensive sake list and the manager's knowledge about their products. I was asking about one of the plum wine that I have never had before, they just pour a little for me and let me try! You don't get that kind of service anywhere! They never do this in any other Japanese Izakaya! The food is great! I love the fatty pork and Oden! The most incredible thing is - THE PRICE!!! There were five of us and guess what?! And we drank and ate so much that I had to be carry out (Ok, a little exaggerated) and it was half of what we would pay in midtown!!! I love love this place!!! Was sooo up set when they featured on "Time Out" and "New York Magazine"!!! This suppose to be our secret hangout! :(
(5)
J.A. C.
Shigure is a hidden gem in Tribeca. I go there almost every week. The employees are very warm and welcoming. Fantastic sake list, and the food is delicious. I particularly enjoy the grilled edamame. I've never had edamame grilled before, but wish more restaurants prepared it that way. The smoked chicken and the duck ramen are also fantastic!
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Irina M.
Nice friendly place. The food was good, though didn't quite have a wow factor. The beef tataki was very nice, as was the edamame and the avocado and potato salad. The octopus and pork belly were okay. I would skip the cod and definitely skip the mackerel next time. Maybe I would be more into the place if I were a sake drinker. The eggs used for the avocado and potato salad as well as for the pork belly were a real strength. Pleasant service and enjoyable atmosphere, and fair prices.
(4)Donna F.
My boyfriend and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous, summer-like weather outside on Saturday (04/18) and went into the city for a variety of errands and aimless wandering. Around 6 or so, we stopped in front of this place, considered it would be worth a shot to take a look at the menu, and went inside. We ended up staying for dinner, and I'm glad we did. One (minor) side note before I go into the details of our meals: the hostess/server was very specific about where she wanted us to sit, even though she waved her arm towards a row of seats towards the back of the restaurant behind the bar. We initially sat down at a two-diner table in the middle, but she came around and pointedly asked us to move to the four-diner table to our left. She did this with another couple who came in right around the time we asked for the check. They sat down at the same two-diner table and she came around like a torpedo and ushered them to the four-diner table to the far right. Slightly anal-retentive, but I was willing to let it go. We were both intrigued by the drink list, especially the plum wine blended with sake. We're big fans of plum wine and sake but combine the two? Really? This we had to see (and taste) to believe, so we each decided to try two different variations: my boyfriend ordered the Nanbu Bijin, and I ordered the Saiga. His plum wine/sake was much lighter than mine, both in color and flavor. It also had a hint of a fruity aftertaste. Mine was much darker (it had brown sugar mixed into it) and had a much fuller, robust taste (think red wine mixed with sugared plum juice). All in all, we enjoyed what we had. Browsing through the menu, we realized that a lot of Shigure's fare seemed to be based on small dishes, so we split seven dishes between us: the Atsu age (sic?), which was deep fried tofu topped with grated ginger; the avocado-potato salad (surprisingly good), which came with two crispy yuba chips on each side and a small poached egg on top; the Washugyu Tataki (tiny pieces of thin-sliced medium-rare Washugyu beef with a side of wasabi/kizami sauce and tiny sauteed mushrooms); the Smoked Salmon (thinly sliced smoked salmon mixed with shredded raw onion and a light dill cream); the Smoked Plate, which was three pieces of smoked tuna, scallops, and a grape tomato and a smoked quail egg; the Maguro Sashimi (six pieces of tuna sashimi); and, finally, the Smoked Chicken (pieces of grilled/smoked chicken served with curry salt and what looked to be soy sauce). Everything was delicious, with the highlights of our meals being the avocado-potato salad and the Smoked Plate. I especially liked the artful presentation of our food (nothing blended together or spilled over into each other), and the overall mood of the place was very relaxed and casual. The lighting's a bit dim, but I think that's just part of the environment Shigure wants to cultivate: a laid-back, soothing atmosphere where you can sip your sake while noshing on some Japanese tapas. It took a while for us to get our check, but other than that, the service was prompt, our servers were polite, and we left Shigure feeling full and satisfied. I'll definitely come back again to sample some more of their unique dishes.
(4)Leonard L.
In the land of baby carriages we call Tribeca, lies a sake watering hole called Shigure. There seems to be an on-going theme with similar establishments as dark wooden oak seems to always play the overall layout of the place. I'm not complaining as it gives character and a sense of sophistication to the ambiance. You won't be " wow'ed" by the fare here as nothing i ordered here ( food wise) was memorable. The duck cha-siu tasted like roast beef to me, is that weird? Charcoal grilled shrimp was exactly what it sounded like - while being tasty, it's a bit pricey for what you get. Sho koji fried chicken was also decent but I'm not sure how you can mess up chicken kaarage? In my option, Shigure shines with its extensive sake menu which bolsters over 40 different kinds of rice wine as well as several options for shochu. They even have Japanese whiskey by my favorite company - Suntory. The bartender and staff were very nice. Even recommended me a fruity-er tasting sake that i enjoyed thoroughly but wasn't going to admit willingly. She understood my bravado and even told me that particular sake was one of the owner's favorite. Great place for a pre/post dinner drinks if you enjoy sake/shochu/japanese whiskey. If you plan to drink here, your best bet would be to order a bottle. Might be cheaper that way. tip - Happy hour runs from 5-7pm
(3)Allene T.
Not impressed... like, at all. I used a 50% off Scoutmob deal here (max of $20 discount) and even after that, I'm not sure it was worth the expense. My friend and I ordered a little too much food - you only need about 4 or 5 dishes (don't double). Think of it as a Japanese tapas spot. We ordered quite a few things from salmon roe on rice to pork belly to sashimi-type dishes - all of which weren't anything to be impressed by. The fried chicken - not seasoned very well and quite bland. Does not come with any sauce, but it's nicely fried and battered. Pork belly kakuni - we also ordered a double of this and it was hard to finish. So much meat and that's it. Very fatty. Salmon roe on rice - easily the best dish. Tastes exactly what it sounds like. Avocado potato salad - meh. Not enough avocado. Fish on bonito was personally my favorite, but my friend hated it. Maybe I have a thing for raw fish, but I think all the different flavors meshed quite well together. The atmosphere is quite interesting- seems like this would be a hot spot at night for a few drinks. Overall though, not very impressed at all by the food and the prices.
(2)Harue J.
A really cool sake bar and a hidden gem in Tribeca. This place has a quiet, understated but groovy and retro vibe with antique Japanese shochu & beer posters on the brick walls. The sake list is fabulous. I enjoy asking questions and learning about different, unusual sake. Their ring folder menu consists not only a long sake list, but also lists of beer, shochu, whiskey, wine, and cocktails (w sake or shochu and other japanese ingredients). ($9~$13/per on average.) Food is very good. Some are simple but taste very much like good homemade food in Japan. Yes, shio-koji karaage is great, so juicy. (I like shio-koji everything :)) Wagyu tataki is fabulous. Food is not cheap, but each dish is a good portion (tapas dish) to be shared w/ 3 people. The special soup for 2 is so big and hearty w/ salmon that it was too much for me and my husband. The people are really friendly but never pushy. They leave you alone, which can be translated to slow service. But this is a place you come to relax, linger, and to have conversations over good food and drinks like so many bars in Japan. The background music is also groovy but dim and soft.
(4)Jorge G.
Unusual place for me to even try--the storefront is 'coy' (just a logo/symbol; no restaurant name or signage, no way to tell anything about the place as you're entering it). Inside--unusual for a sushi restaurant--the booths, tables, and floor are old, ratty wood; unvarnished, splintery. Bar to the left as you saunter to the back. Its as much a sake bar and drinker's lounge, as it is a sushi place. But with a 'dive-bar' feel. Confusing. Hanging lamps; misty atmosphere. Kinda looks like a rustic Japanese joint in an old b&w movie by Ozu, Ichikawa, or Kurosawa. Waitresses are surprisingly shabbily dressed; they slouch over to your table like its a burden to be separated from the cellphone conversation they were having. In general, this is the problem: its not a serious restaurant and I don't know how that can be. If you're serving me raw fish you'd better take it super seriously. I don't eat raw fish in a place run by kids, or one which has kids as well 'hanging out' in little coteries, yukking it up (har dee har har) over whatever's on their cellphones. Sheesh. Drink prices: standard for Manhattan $14 or so. Creative drink menu but not extraordinary. Still, you can always get a Kirin lager for $7. But for the reasons above, we didn't order any food.
(2)David T.
Very cute place. Good food, good service. Half sake bar, half restaurant. Had a very pleasant meal. Went at 9pm. It was not iverly busy. I was able to walk in without a reservation. See my pictures of the following items. Grapefruit Tea - Good - Nice grapefruit notes and I like the cast iron tea cup Shishito Yaki-Bitashi - Very Good, but would prefer more grilled with a glaze and less broth Charcoal Grilled Shrimp - Very Good Washugyu Tataki- Roasted and thin sliced Washugyu Beef served with KIZAMI-wasabi sauce - Very Good Duck Cha-Shu - Very Good Gindara Kasu-Yaki - Good, but I prefer a sweeter Miso Glaze Shoi-Koji Fried Chicken - Ok but a little bland Anago Yuba-Maki - Yuba wrapped Sea Eel - Very Good Obanzai - 3 small appetizers - Noodles, Seaweed and Tofu - Good Avocado Potato Salad - Good Kuro Subuta - Very Good I highly recommend Shigure if you are looking for a quiet, casual japanese meal..
(4)Neville G.
I really like this place. Its casual, unique and friendly. the prices are just right, and the food options allow for multiple visits and lots of experimentation. Good for a couple or small group of 4-6. Grab a saki flight and get some recommendations from your server.
(4)Hiroko T.
I have just signed up with Yelp to rave about this hidden gem! I am Japanese/Washoku foodie/sake enthusiast, and I think SHiGURE is the best sake bar in NYC. Run by the Japanese it serves authentic, true Japanese tastes of superb quality. The sake and shochu selections is exceptional, thanks to the passionate sake expert with extensive knowledge. They have the list of popular but selective sake and shochu as well as some hard-to-find ones. Here I explored different kinds of sake and found the best imo-shochu ever. I have tried most of the chef's signature menus. They are based on traditional, authentic Japanese cooking with modern tastes perfectly executed by the outstanding Japanese chefs. I love small dishes like Pork Belly Kakuni, Shio-koji Fried Chicken, Charcoal Grilled Softshell Shrimp, and Homemade Smoked Salmon. They also started daily specials (weekdays only) a couples of months ago which are phenomenal! Sashimi selections directly from Japan are super-fresh. Chef's seasonal fresh vegetable/fish/meat tapas are prepared with care, using the highest quality of ingredients. You can experience a wide variety of the taste of Japan. I am thrilled by new cuisine every time I visit. The atmosphere is spacious, nice decor. The staff are very friendly. Overall the best quality sake bar I've ever known in NYC.
(5)Tiffany L.
I've been toggling between a 2 and 3 star rating. The food and drink here is excellent. But the prices are sky high, and the portions all about the size of my palm. I guess the theme here is to do an upscale izakaya (Japanese tapas), but it feels a little insulting to order so many dishes and drinks and still leave with an empty stomach (and wallet). If you're still interested in checking this place out, I'd recommend ordering the karagi (fried chicken). DON'T get any of the grilled options. You're paying about $2-$4 PER PIECE of meat on a stick. Nice space, and quiet so it's great to go on a date or to catch up with friends.
(2)Ivy T.
If you come here with a groupon, hoping to save money for dinner, it's impossible. If you come here with a groupon, hoping to try awesome food at a lower cost, this is the place! We came here on a Saturday night (very easy to find parking on the street) and found there are only two other tables of customer when we walked in. With that said, service is not a problem because they are not busy at all. We ordered soft shell shrimp, Washugyu Beef, Pork Belly and cold Soba, along with one glass of sparkling wine. With three of the dishes being Tapas size, of course all this food is not enough to make two people full. However, washugyu beef was cooked perfectly, and the soft shell shrimps (although there are only 3 pieces) are so delicious, the seasoning is just right, it gives you a grilling taste and you can eat the whole shrimp including the heads and the shells. The pork belly is also very well braised and it falls apart easily when you grab it. The fat on the pork belly may seem scary, but it tastes so good with the meat. Cold soba was pretty surprising but it is a one person portion that doesn't come with any toppings. There are two options for Groupon, but they may ask you to have at least 4 people if you redeem the $40 for $80 option.
(4)Stephen L.
I've now been back to Shigure a good dozen times and every time I visit I like it more and more. Other places I get tired of over time, but with Shigure it just gets better and better. In NYC, it may be the perfect combination of decor, atmosphere, food, drinks, and staff. It just all works so amazingly well together. Atypical for an izakaya, the really high ceilings give it a light airy space and make it feel larger than it is. There really aren't all that many seats, but the spacing of the tables and the high ceilings gives it a much larger feeling. Bonus points for the his/hers toilets complete with Toyo Washlets. The huge map of Japan with all of the prefectures numbered is a nice touch as well, though it's a mystery why the list starts at 10. Booze wise, they don't have the biggest shochu selection in NYC, but they definitely have a very thoughtful and well curated list. Highlights include Kawabe (rice), Nakanaka (barley), and Yachiyoden (sweet potato). Lots of Japanese craft beers are fun to explore as well. Japanese whisky and sake are available too, of course. And nice selections of both. Foodwise, the daily specials are always worth exploring, particularly their sashimi specials, often flown in direct from Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo! The fried chicken is amazing. One dish I have to order every single time is the Kuro Subuta, which is the Japanese version of sweet and sour pork. And it eclipses that basic Chinese dish amazingly well. One other food tip. There are housemade pickles for order on the chalkboard above the bar, but they don't appear in your food menu. These are a strange assortment of pickling experiments including tomato and avocado. As you can imagine, some are better than others, but all are worth trying if only for the novelty. Other menu items are solid to fantastic. I'd echo what I wrote previously. People need to find this place. Seriously. It's criminal that it's not busy every single night. While it's definitely busier than it was when they opened, it's still too easy to get a table any night of the week. Maybe now that the weather is nice again, people will start heading out to these hard to reach locations for some amazing food. Oh, and after dinner, pop downstairs for some live jazz at b-flat, purported to have the best ice in NYC. No idea if that rumor is true. Kampai!
(5)Ms G.
sake flights & fried chicken. that is all. tried a few of their other dishes but i kept reordering the fried chicken. edamame? basic. pickled veggies? meh. honestly nothing i had was memorable. sorry! its an interesting place. you may totally miss it, but the chicken is definitely worth a try.
(3)Lori L.
It might be considered blasphemy to some to enter a sake bar and not order anything to drink... but Shigure was nonetheless an easy choice for dinner. It's one of the only sake bars and izakayas to be found in TriBeCa, and on a weekday evening, was at a dull murmur thanks to a handful of other groups present. Don't mistakenly head down the stairs to its sister speakeasy, B Flat, although it might make for a good post-dinner venue. The interior is composed of dark oak, high ceilings, and a plethora of seating options, from seats at the bar (perhaps better for those going in solo), booths for larger groups, and a handful of two-tops towards the back. Once my friend arrived, we started going through the extensive menu, attempting to narrow down our choices for dinner. The options are tempting, to say the least, covering a sampling of chilled and cold plates to heavier grilled and braised dishes, and daily specials will only increase the difficulty of making a final decision. Our first plate to arrive was one of the specials: Ebi Shinjo Hasami Age. We'd been warned beforehand about the temperature of the dish, but still managed to burn the roofs of our mouths after taking our first bite. Each piece consists of two slices of lightly battered and fried eggplant sandwiching a few pieces of fried shrimp. The seasoning was light and spot on, complemented only by a simple dashi broth at the bottom of the bowl. The following dish, the Avocado Potato Salad, was probably the one disappointment of the evening. The salad was too monotonous in texture and flavor, composed of creamy avocado and potatoes, and was already rich enough without the addition of a poached egg. It definitely need a crisp carbohydrate to counter, but the appearance of only two Yuba chips left much to be desired. The following Duck Cha-Shu was far more satisfactory and is probably one of my favorite presentations of this protein to date. Several slices of duck breast are marinated and slow-cooked, and complemented by the chives, curled watercress, and wasabi. A very simple dish, yes, but executed to perfection with just the right seasoning, it made for one of the more memorable bites of the evening. In a close tie, however, was the Gindara Kasu-Yaki, grilled black cod marinated with Dassai Dai Ginjo, a light, balanced sake. The cod was tender and supple, and each section of the protein easily gave way at the prodding of our chopsticks. There was a deep caramelization at the edges of skin, which offered a delightful crispness and sweetness to each bite. To finish our meal, the Kobe Beef Sukiyaki. We had to ask for bowls of rice to go with this dish, as it's traditionally served with udon or soba, and there would have been a fair amount of leftover sauce otherwise. The beef was thinly sliced and well-marinated and the shimeji mushrooms and celery root slices were appreciated additions. We made sure to cut into the poached egg on top and mix before eating, however, as it added an element of richness to the plate. I've found at a lot of venues that tout the strength of their liquors and drinks that the food often gets put on the wayside. Thankfully, Shigure is not one of these places, and I'd be more than happy to return to try out a few more items on their menu.
(4)Tony C.
Upon entering Shigure, you know you are in a legit sake bar when the bar wall is lined with sake and wine up to the ceiling. I love the dim, mellow atmosphere. Music isn't too loud as well so you can actually have a chat accompanied by sake and tapas. I used the $40 Groupon for this visit and the staff happily accepted it along with saying it covered even the happy hour as well. Sake Flight (3 for $15.00) - Part of their happy hour from 5:00 to 7:00. You get to choose from 9 varieties of sake. Great way to sample their selection. Shishito Yaki-Bitashi ($4.00) - Ordered this during the happy hour special. This dish of shishito peppers looks simple but it was one of my favorites of the meal. The peppers were mildly spicy and smoky but it was the dashi broth that made this super tasty. The best part is biting into a pepper and getting a squirt of dashi broth. (9/10) Shio-Koji Fried Chicken ($6.00) - Another dish that I am glad was on the happy hour menu. You get 5 pieces of juicy fried chicken. The chicken wasn't heavily salted which was a good thing. (8/10) Duck Cha-Shu ($9.00) - The duck breast was very tender and full of flavor with hints of wasabi. Even though it looks kind of raw, the taste is worth the appearance. (8.5/10) Kuro Subuta ($8.00) - This was a dish of fried pork in a syrupy sweet and sour vinegar sauce. It tasted and looked like it belonged in a Chinese fast food restaurant. The meat wasn't crispy and the sauce was too sour. (6/10) I was going to give Shigure 4 stars until I saw that they have the toilets that washes your behind. There is a front rinse, a back rinse, and a dryer function. First time I ever saw these toilets in a restaurant. Warning: Not to be used if you are ticklish.
(5)Oliver H.
This place is pricey but that comes with the territory of sake in NYC. The dishes are small but unique and masterfully prepared. I had the smelt tempura, pork kakuni, smoked chicken, Shigure salad and a miso soup prepared with sake lees. All tasty but be prepared to spend a big chunk of change if you want to feel full. The space has good bones but the atmosphere needs improvement. If they reworked the lighting to be more intimate and relaxing I'd recommend this place for a drink with light appetizers.
(3)Olive O.
Very authentic Japanese food. Delicious. A little too dark and tables are pretty old.
(4)Joanie K.
Yum! What a great new find! No wait ftw I'm not a sake connoisseur so didn't fully appreciate all the choices. The food though was great. I had the avocado potato salad (really bizarre but delicious), pork belly kakuni (a single was fine for 2 ppl- order rice), and the sashimi special.
(4)Monte H.
Step 1: order food and drink Step 2: get food, wait for drink, start eating, make remark about deliciousness Step 3: keep waiting for drink. make smartass remark about small portions Step 4: get more food, wait for drink Step 5: drinks come. but you ran out of food. Step 6: order more food. Sip your delicious sake Step 7: food comes out, but seriously these portions are absurd. Step 8: rinse and repeat the above Step 9: give up and decide to grab the bill before you head out to a deli for sandwich. Step 10: gawk at the final bill and think about donating body organs so you can pay off the credit card debt. 2.5 stars.
(3)Sumito A.
Get to the Chase: Pros: 1) Fantastic place for medium to large groups to celebrate bdays and special occasions with speciality cocktails and sake! (had 15-20 people...no reservation)...but if you want a booth/table go early around 9:30 pm 2) Miki-san (the owner? or bartender) is awesome!!! She gave me a speciality nigori (unfiltered sake) and had a drink with me upon my request to celebrate my bday! 3) Chill, open space with also great late night eats (food available until 1 am) 4) the Seaonsal fruit with sochu was amazing! I had a Fuji pear drink which was outrageously delicious (real shaved fruit) 5) Soy milk and nigori sake was a fantastic combination cocktail Cons: 1) Cocktails weren't especially strong 2) Can get pricey if you drink a lot
(5)Hank C.
A sake bar and Japanese tapas (not sure what the exact term is but izakaya comes up) restaurant, this location serves up a large menu of drinks (10 pages) and a small menu of food items (2 pages). With seating in the space for around 40 people, they accommodated our group of 4 easily and a larger group of friends seated in the back space was about 20. Dim lighting helped set their mood, and we decided to try a number of different items. First up... the home-made ginger ale was okay, but lacked the bite of fresh ginger; it was almost too filtered. The dishes we tried: - Grilled Edamame - nothing special here, came with little magazine pages folded into a trash box - Tako-Su was an octopus sashimi (cooked) and had a delicious cucumber and seaweed (thick, not thin) salad below it. - Goma-Saba was a cured mackerel with sesame sauce - my favorite dish of the night - I love the sour and fishy flavor. - Shishito Yaki-Bitashi was grilled peppers..nothing exciting here, not spicy, not salty, just grilled - Duck Cha-Shu was duck breast slow-cooked; an interesting take, but not much in the way of "Cha-Shu" ... just "Shu" - Charcoal Grilled Shrimp fileted nicely, and had edible skin which was soft but crispy at the right places, but little flavor otherwise - Skio-Koji Fried Chicken was great - reminded me of a slightly less salty version of Salt-Pepper Chicken - Gindara Kasu-Yaki was black cod with miso (really a sake / miso) - I've had better, the flavor here was more fishy than savory - Pork Belly Kakuni was not bad, but we make it better at home - Ojiya Soba is basically cold soba with the dipping soup; nothing special here, just a cold, refreshing dish to cleanse the mouth Service was not bad, a bit slow, but attentive when present. They were always quick to ask about our drinks. Overall - food was okay, but people are really here for the tremendous sake variety they have up on the wall and step-shelves as you come in.
(3)Eva P.
This is by far my favorite Japanese restaurant in the city! The menu changes with what's fresh that day. I've been there at least a dozen times and my favorite thing to order is the sashimi dishes. They're always super-fresh and the servings are large compared to other izakayas in the city. Also recommend trying Joto sake from Hiroshima....so good! As other reviewers have noted, B-flat is downstairs. It's a nice chill bar for a cocktail and worth checking out after dinner.
(5)Peter S.
Located across the street from the Tribeca Grand Hotel. The area can be fairly sedate on the weekdays, even on a Thursday night. I frequent a bar in the basement of Shigure frequently called B Flat. Ambience - Kind of rustic, darker, and on the mellow side. Maybe it was because I went on a Tuesday night, but it was kind of quiet even though the bulk of the tables were taken. Place has a very high ceiling and the place is fairly spacious. If you're looking for a tiny-hole-in-the-wall, this place isn't it. And given that it was a Tuesday, the weather was frigid, and this is where it's located, the place was fairly packed, in my opinion... Service - There were only two waitstaff, one man and one woman. Never got to make talk with the man and the woman served us all night, if she served us at all. The place needed more waitstaff. Someone tell management that you need more than two people to serve 8 tables of patrons. The woman who served us was very taciturn and did her job. She felt like ice. She didn't talk much. Perhaps a language barrier. Food - No complaints. But I've had better fried chicken downstairs at B Flat. The pork buta kakuni was tender, but could have used more seasoning. The portions were better than average for Japanese izakaya style food for the price when compared to pricier options in Midtown Alcohol - I think they had beer, a bar for liquor, sake, and shochu. I expected more in terms of sake selection. Not the best that I've come across and I've seen regular non-izakaya restaurants that are smaller in size carry a larger sake collection. And they had two specials for sake that night. The one I asked for, they did not have. But they were nice enough to do tastings before buying a bottle. Final verdict - The place is spacious and good for a date, if you want a chill, quiet night. It's in Tribeca, so it's not really accessible by public transportation. Prices are moderate. No bargain to be found here, but the food portions were better than average. Will I go back? Only if I'm in the area.
(3)Badalato F.
I Got a Thrillist blast about Shigure, so I decided to go. Arrived around 10 after a knicks game. The place was virtually empty, which made the atmosphere a little weird, but the actual design/layout/vibe of the restaurant was nice. I was interested in coming here b/c they had a really extensive beer and (of greater interest to me) sake list. I also like small plates/tapas style restaurants and was interested in the Japanese take on this. Apparently, these types of places are called izakaya in Japan. Moving on. First, the staff was really attentive and friendly throughout the whole meal. I got warm sake, though the name of it escapes me. The sake came in a carafe. The sake was poured into a smaller vessel, which got put into this container filled with hot water, which warmed the sake. It was cool/I liked it. The waiter made sure my shot glass (not sure if there is a name for the small Japanese shot glass cups) was always full, that the vessel in the warmer thing was full and that the water in the holder thing was always hot. Very good. In terms of food, I tried the following: - Kuro Subuto - a fried pork d with black vinegar sauce - Shio-Koji - fried chicken - Duck Cha-Shu - marinated, slow cooked duck - Gindara Kasu -Yaki: marinated, grilled black cod. Apparently I was not craving vegetables. Overall, the food was good....but just good. The best dishes were the pork and the duck. Neither was exceptional, but they were both tasty enough. The chicken kind of reminded me of a chicken cutlet. A decent, yet overall unremarkable, chicken cutlet. The cod was my least favorite. It was quite salty and a little too fishy for me. to summarize- service: really good. Atmosphere: good, would have been better if the place wasn't empty. Drinks- really good. Food: good... but just good. I'd come back under the right circumstances, those circumstances being, im in Tribeca and looking for a place to drink and have some Japanese small plates.. Wouldn't go out of my way to come back.
(3)Ashley D.
Came here on a Saturday expecting something really exciting food wise and sake !! The waiter that first approached us seemed nice at first. We asked him for recommendations for the sake (since it was our first time trying it) and he gave us a few suggestions and we ended up trying Dassai which wasn't bad but I just didn't like too much. After we received the sake we made a gesture to the waiter that we wanted to order. He asked us if we wanted an appetizer and when we said no he said he would take our order later. The bar was practically empty and he wasn't very busy at all. He proceeded to flirt with two female Customers and ignored us. It wasn't until another employee saw us sitting for a while and asked if we wanted to eat that we got a chace to order the fried chicken and the pork belly which were both AMAZING!! We were only asked if we were okay once and no one paid us any mind. We felt completely uncomfortable and couldn't get anyone to stop to give us our bill. Overall, the food we tried was great but as far as customer service goes, NOT GOOD. I felt as if we were purposely ignored because other tables were constantly visited by the waiters. Still debating if I'd come back here.. EDIT:: wrote this review while we were still at the restaurant... After eating we sat and waited for over 30 minutes making awkward eye contact with the waiters.. After a while the male waiter who previously refused to take our dinner order came to us to tell us the kitchen was closing. We assured him that we wouldn't be ordering anymore and he said thank you and walked away. We waited what seemed like forever waiting for a check. We used a groupon deal and figured that he might not bring us a bill . Still we waited a while again until we decided To leave a tip and finally walk out. The waiter chased us outside and said that we still have a bill open. We explained to him that no one would give us a bill which led us to believe that there were no extra charges after using the groups voucher. He shook his head at us and didn't say anything. We paid the remainder of the bill and left. Never felt so humiliated when we clearly had intentions of paying for our food. Now I know that I will NEVER return here again. As tasty as the food was, it's not enough to get us to come back here.
(3)Jason W.
Whoa! What a great experience I had there last night and the 2 times before that so time to offer up a Review. First what a great sake selection they have, I could spend a week in there learning about all of the wonderful sakes they have to offer, try the Nan Bubijin Tokubetsu Junmai. The atmosphere is way more then your typical Japanese Izakaiya, it's more of a cross between that and a high end sake bar. However don't be turned off by fancy sake, the prices are more than reasonable and the food is absolutely amazing, the same quality as I would find in Japan and great if your on a budget. Hats off to you Shigure, I will be frequenting there more often.
(5)Valery C.
A sake bar that has flown under the radar in the half year that its been open, undeserved, as it is an engaging if quiet place. Located above and sharing ownership with the Japanese cocktail bar, B Flat, Shigure feels more spacious than it is by way of high ceilings. The attractive bar area is filled with shelves of liquor bottles, resting also on a series of steps descending from the windows that recall Kaidan Tansu, or step chests. Several tables fill out of the rest of the dining room, albeit not in the most efficient way. The space is appointed in dark woods and bricks, not terribly imaginative but comfortable. Wait staff were very friendly and eager to help. Sake bar foremost, they have plenty available, and offer flights that make it easy to try up to 9 different sakes for very reasonable prices. They also have excellent shochu and Japanese beer selections. Check the blackboard for additional specials, both alcohol and food. The food menu is concise, serving more as drink accompaniments, but their quality elevated them to far better than merely bar snacks. Portions were not large, such than our party of two tried nearly everything on the menu in one meal with our sake. I was mostly pleased with the food offerings. Many were subtle, which is not to say bland, but don't expect bold flavors. Preparation was very good, and many were appealing to the eye. At the same time, little was memorable. Instead, there was a home-cooked quality to the food that was quite appealing in its own way. Shigure is a modern sake and shochu bar that manages to sidestep trendiness, feeling instead, somehow, to be an old place that's always been there. Well worth a visit for Japanese liquor, with comforting food.
(4)Angus V.
Very disappointed with this place. The draft beer was not working, and it took forever to get the happy hour food. This was at 6pm when it wasn't busy at all. So I'd hate to see what it's like when it's busy. Food was ok. Maybe because I'm so annoyed by the epic wait I'm being more harsh than I should re the food quality. But the other irritation is that the staff didn't seem to care that the food took so long to arrive.
(2)Nomad M.
Tonight was the second time around. I got even better experience! First off, get your hot sake. No, just regular one, the one served smoky hot - on fire! I had the Unique Hot Sake: fuguhire zake (hot sake with Tiger Fugu fin). Just let the fugu fin soaked in the sake for couple minutes then sip. It was the best i have ever had - warm and smoky. perfect for a windy early autumn night! Even if sake is not your thing, there are plenty Japanese liquor options you can choose from in addition to the killer cocktails from the Angel's share alumnus. Since I was not too hungry, I ordered two apps - wasabi zuke (cucumber and creamy wasabi sauce) and yuba wrapped anago. Both were really good, but the yuba was divine. Just right amount of saltiness; the anago was savory and the yuba served as if a "sponge" which absorbed the sauce and perfectly accompanied the anago. As i am writing this review right now, I already made plan to go back some time next week and order the Unique Hot Sake and yuba anago again! All I need to do just get off the train one stop early :)
(4)David N.
Shigure is one of those finds that you are so excited to find. The popular trend of Izakaya is popping up all over the city as wave of hipster have grown fond of them in lieu of rowdy bars for a bit more sophistication. Located in the neighborhood between Chinatown and Tribeca with an unassuming frontage one could almost pass by it. Upon entry the upstairs is Shigure but down the stairs lead you to B-Flat. The restaurant is simple inspired by the school like décor with black board of Japan to school like stools and chairs, industrial lighting and casual ambiance. The tapas style is simple food...has all the typical offerings of pork belly, shio-kohi fried chicken, ramen, Gindara Kasu-yaki etc... all to be enjoyed with wide selection of hot/cold Sake or beer. It is where you come with friends to converse, drink and enjoy without the rowdiness. The pitfall here is like all Izakaya and Tapas...don't come hungry starving because what for surely be a high tab will skyrocket into the stratosphere.
(4)Kevin F.
Shigure is my favorite new find of 2013... a great place to get your Japanese on without being a simple sushi joint. A perfect snack-n-sip. The focus here is on drinking with a huge selection of sake and several kinds of shochu and Japanese beers. That said, the food DEFINITELY does not come across as an afterthought. It's small plates so I probably wouldn't come if I was starving, but for social drinks and bites or a smaller meal it's absolutely perfect. Atmoshere: - Super chill - Friendly, efficient staff - Low, but sufficient lighting - Minimal, but comfortable furnishings All of the food is small-plate style with only a few items topping $10 with several good vegetarian options (though vegetarians should beware the bonito). - Grilled Edamame - So good! Why does no one else do it this way? - Tataki Gobo - Burdock infused with sweet vinegar and then coated with sesame. SOOOO delicious... and like nothing I've ever had before. I could eat a giant bowl of this. - Shishito Yaki-Bitashi - Grilled shishito peppers in dashi broth covered in bonito. Delicious (and healthy!) snack bite. Sake time!
(4)Mandy L.
Another new "izakaya" wins my heart. I put the word izakaya in quotes because this place seems a bit more like a lounge/bar with Japanese small plates than a traditional izakaya. My husband and I stumbled upon Shigure after hanging out with friends and decided to stop in for another drink and some snacks. Husband got himself a glass of Japanese whiskey he seemed thoroughly happy with and we shared a thin-sliced octopus dish and the Kani Oden, which was like a piece of art. The bowl consisted of a snow crab shell sitting in seaweed broth. Inside the shell was a mosaic of different goodies ranging from yam-noodle to sea urchin to a piece of a tofu. Very beautiful and tasty too. The best part of our experience was the super friendly service.
(4)Julie L.
I almost don't want to write a review for Shigure because I want to keep it a hidden gem forever, but a place like this really deserves some good press. One of my friends discovered it recently and brought me + 7 others here on a quadruple date. Since there were so many of us and everything on the menu looked interesting, we ordered two of everything. I've never tried everything at a restaurant before, so I can't say this for any other place, but I can definitely declare that everything on Shigure's menu was delicious! My favorites were the washugyu tataki and the duck chashu, but really you can't go wrong with any dish. They also have an extensive selection of sake and though I'm not a connoisseur, the bottle my friend ordered was very smooth and paired well with our food. The space is open with high ceilings and it's great for two people or a large group like ours. Highly recommend.
(5)Caroline T.
i've been going there too often. love love love this place. this place is hidden, i've always passed by it and one night i just felt adventurous and went in for some drinks and some bites. man is there food freaking delicious here ! i love tapas. i just find this place to be very meaningful. every time i go there i get their fried chicken, their pork belly, duck cha shiu and a whole lotta other goodiesss. this is my new favorite hiding place when i wanna have good company without being bothered. super chill staff, so sweet and cleanliness level daaa bomb. it's not a super huge place, but i find it very forgiving, cozy, and the place is just spacious by the way everything is placed. but then again every time i'm go there it's super early, i haven't been there late enough to see how crowded it might get. i just reallly enjoy the times i've been there.
(5)Jin H.
Great food but very small portion. Yeah it's a sake bar not a typical restaurant.
(4)Atie A.
Foods are great. They do have good selection of sake. But I may not come back. The bartender made me uncomfortable. I think he tried to be friendly but he made it in a rude way. Its not the place that I can relax.
(2)Marc K.
I love this place. I've been to En, and I've been to Sakagura, and I would say that Shigure has the best overall mix of attributes of the three. Reasons Shigure is awesome: - Atmosphere. I've come here with a group of friends and again with a work crowd, and it's perfectly set up for conversation. The music is low and tasteful, the lighting is low and soft, and somehow the tables (I have no idea how...) seem to make the whole experience cozy and enclosed (but not isolated). I think they've made a place that works for dates, work gatherings, or pretty much anything else. - The food is delicious. And affordable. It really isn't stressful to pick which of the small plate dishes you'd like to try from the simple menu, because if you're walking in with a normal izakaya-level budget, you could almost just order everything. - The alcohol is amazing. In spite of hard earned drinking wisdom earned over the years, I somehow mixed a lot of different types of drinks and not only survived, but thrived! I'm not sure if that really deserves mention, but I poured shochu onto sake onto beer onto some sake, and somehow (magic?) everything mixed together perfectly with the food to create the PERFECT buzz. This is actually the main reason I'm writing a review today...I felt like reaching such a rare (for me) level of unbelieveably smooth, delicious and enjoyable drunkenness deserved to be memorialized. Sidenote: Girlfriend loved the "508" cocktail. I took a sip - it tasted like dessert. Guys, don't worry, I think there's something here for everyone, so your dates will definitely find something they like. Sidenote 2: Save some space for a run through the shochu list. Shochu is distilled, and somewhere between wine/sake and western style liquor in strength. Usually I just stay away, since that's generally a recipe for disaster (the kind where every drink of the night sucker punches you at the same time), but the more I try them, the more I like them. I've had the sugar cane one and a sweet potato one, and they were both smooth, but with pretty complex tastes. I had it on rocks, but both were smooth enough to drink neat, if you're not usually a fan of strong spirits. Sidenote 3: Honestly, the alcohol and enjoyment of the company you keep are central to the concept, so this could almost just be about alcohol. I just had to say that the more sake I drink, the more I'm starting to taste the complexity. There are a ton of different kinds, with different taste/smell profiles, and the descriptions in the wine list are spot on. Great place to put on your marathon-drinking shoes and in the name of education, go have a drink or many. - The service is great. Don't get intimidated by the impressive list of drinks; they'll work with you and find you something delicious. Your water glass is full before you know it, and the dishes and drinks hit the table with a quickness. Summary: Really cool! Go have a good time!
(5)Estelle T.
Overall I was disappointed and I won't go back unless the food improves. If you're just looking for some saki downtown, this wouldn't be a bad option (hence the 2 stars instead of 1) but I prefer to have some good bar food to go with it. I'm a big fan of izakayas and I've been on a quest to try all the ones on this list that I haven't been on: newyork.grubstreet.com/2… Shigure has an extensive saki list which is great, but the lower rating is largely due to the food, which wasn't up to my expectations. The atmosphere was fine. Shio-Koji Fried Chicken - The label is misleading. If you think chicken nuggets are fried, then yes, these are fried. There wasn't that 'crunch' you think of when you eat fried chicken (even at an izakaya) and the flavor was bland. Gindara Kasu-Yaki - This was good but I wish there was more flavor and the portion was small. Avocado Potato Salad - Excellent. I liked this dish the best. Kuro Subuta - The description for this dish is "friend berkshire pork with rice black vinegar sauce" but it was more like a really bad General Tso's. Dishes that were sold out and I couldn't try: *Kani Oden *Nonbei Ramen *Pork Belly Kakuni
(2)Gabriela B.
This place rocks. A limited menu but every single dish is amazing. The sliced beef tastes amazing, their simple salad is excellent, and the small dish of friend chicken is also great. Relatively inexpensive, easy to get into, and and amazing sake bar.
(5)Rachel J.
Shigure is a cute hidden spot in Tribeca. If you're ever in the mood to try some new Japanese beers or sakes, this is the place - they have an amazing selection. Ask for Jiro because he definitely will tell you everything you need to know! When I went with a group of friends, we asked him to bring us all different beers of his choosing. Let me just say that none of us were disappointed. As for the food - it's all made to share. Very light and simple with great flavor. I was highly impressed with all of the dishes - especially the daikon salad which was very refreshing! On another note, the ambiance and decor is exactly my taste. When you walk in, there is a map of Japan that was hand drawn to fill up the back chalk-painted wall. The lighting is dim but just the perfect amount. And the music is set at a level where you can actually have conversations. If you feel like you don't want to make the trek to Tribeca just for one bar, don't you worry!! B-Flat is another great bar located right below Shigure with great cocktails and food as well. But after going to Shigure once, I'm never opposed to a trip down to Tribeca. Definitely check this place out!
(5)Elaine C.
If you want to catch up with friends and hang out over food and drinks for a decent price, this is the place to go. Great drinks, great atmosphere and delicious food! This spot is a little hard to find. It shares the same address as B flat next door and the two bars just kind of blend into each other on the outside, especially since both only have signs on the door. Just make sure you have the address before you come and look for the name on the door or you may just end up wandering around a bit like I did. I love the atmosphere here. For a drinking establishment in NYC, it's really comfortable and conducive to conversation. It actually feels like you've stepped outside of Manhattan for a bit when you're here. There's no need to shout over one another. The seating isn't so compact you have to listen to your neighbors' conversations. It's kind of an intimate atmosphere that is super spacious. The drinks and the selection are amazing! I really don't know anything about sake or shochu or any alcohol really, but they have a nice selection and our server was able to help us narrow down our selection to something to our liking. We ended up ordering a sake that was incredibly smooth. Their cocktails are also really good. The drinks here were so good, it inspired me to order cocktails with sake in other establishments (I tried this at Milk and Honey but was disappointed to learn they didn't have sake). The food was also really good here. We ordered probably 90% of the menu and enjoyed every single dish. They had Japanese pickled vegetables!! One of my favorite dishes ever that I don't typically see served in an assortment at a restaurant. The duck cha shu and pork belly were so fatty and delicious. The fried chicken was also really good. The edamame was grilled! which was pretty unique and even more flavorful than how edamame is typically served. The daikon salad was refreshing. I definitely highly recommend this spot and can't wait to go back again myself! I actually just wrote a review for Milk and Honey before this and was almost hesitant to write one for this spot in fear it gets too popular and crowded, especially after being featured in Timeout. But since it is a new establishment, I want to make sure they don't go anywhere and so I'm spreading the word!!
(5)Valerie K.
We had a private party at Shigure last night (it had been in the works for several months), and it was great. We had about 70 people at the bar, and everyone loved the food and sake. More than anything else, Taka (the manager) was helpful, nice, and prompt throughout the planning process. I think this is the perfect venue for a large party/event. In addition, we had scouted it out for dinner back in December and really enjoyed the experience. Will definitely be coming here again.
(5)Jeremy W.
I love Japanese food and spirits. Hence, Shigure is my new jam. The restaurant itself is decorated in a really cool Japanese minimalist-style (I love the hand-painted map mural of the Japanese islands at the back). The service is great - we met Jiro (the owner) when we visited, and he hooked us up with some of the appetizers to try out. That brings us to the food, which I found to be spectacular. There's ample selection and all of it is presented beautifully. Definitely recommend you visit Shigure!
(5)Joe R.
Authentic iza kaya and relatively well kept secret in tribeca. Duck is fantastic. Best iza kaya in NYC for the price.
(5)Joyce T.
The restaurant is very dim, companied with all the dark wooden tables and chairs, giving the place a weird feeling. Oddly, the bar in the front is quite contemporary. Food was mediocre. We people, a party of 11, ordered different dishes and none of them was exceptionally memorable. I got there late and thought I might as well order something small so I asked for tempura - since the restaurant seems to feature small dishes - without straining my eyes to read the menu in the dim light, but the guy in a silk vest (could be the manager) shook his head scorning at me and stepped away. He didn't even try to give recommendations! If it weren't for the group, I'd have left the restaurant on the spot. It was raining and windy that night. What a waste of my time and money making the trip down there.
(1)Valya V.
Food delicious here. I tried there dishes that I have never tried before and I am big lover or Japanese cosine. Chef does great job. Affordable and delicious! Try potato salad. Yammy
(5)Jay B.
What a happy place. It is hard to pin down what makes this place such a hidden Japanese dream. Is it the full bodied bar keep, who looks straight out of central casting for a Kurosawa film? Is it the casks upon casks of interesting sakes to explore? Is it the wonderful menu of delicious Japanese small plates that come out presented like you are visiting someone's private Kyoto retreat? Perhaps all of the above. The menu is limited, but uniformly delicious and between the appetizer and large plate selection, make for a wonderfully satisfying experience. The pork belly is ridiculously good. Highly recommended.
(5)Andrew L.
New Japanese tapas with good food, nice sake selection, and great service. Added bonus, B-Flat is right below.
(5)Rishi G.
The food was good. The fried chicken was suprisingly amazing. The quality for the price was a bit off.
(4)J P.
loved this place. tried all the happy hour items, except the maceral. the fried chicken was so good. loved the grilled edamame, and the peppers were very tasty. not a huge fan of the pickles. also ordered the udon - the dipping sauce was excellent. had a groupon, which made it even better.
(5)Cara L.
A new favorite place for us! My bf and I came here over the weekend with a Groupon. Love the atmosphere! We got in right before happy hour and they made sure we placed our order right before it ended so we could get happy hour prices. We each got a sake flight, the fried chicken, shishito peppers, grilled edamame, fried lotus root and a few of the daily vegetable specials. All of the food was fantastic, particularly the chicken. So good i'm thinking about it right now. Beware if you get the peppers, we had a few really hot ones, so not for the faint of heart. Service was incredibly friendly. It did take awhile for the lotus root to come out, not sure what the holdup was with it, if it took awhile too cook or if they ran out and had to make a lotus root run, but it was delicious. Sake hit the spot and a nice sized tasting for $15 during happy hour. We made a meal out of it, but its perfect to go for a tasting and a few little plates as a before dinner spot too. On a weird side note, they have a bathroom with an automatic bum cleaner. Never seen in a restaurant before but definitely made for some interesting conversation. I cant wait to go back and with the happy hour prices, I dont need to wait for a deal.
(4)Fiona L.
A friend told me about this "hidden" new gem in Tribeca and I went to check it out. I was really impressed with their extensive sake list and the manager's knowledge about their products. I was asking about one of the plum wine that I have never had before, they just pour a little for me and let me try! You don't get that kind of service anywhere! They never do this in any other Japanese Izakaya! The food is great! I love the fatty pork and Oden! The most incredible thing is - THE PRICE!!! There were five of us and guess what?! And we drank and ate so much that I had to be carry out (Ok, a little exaggerated) and it was half of what we would pay in midtown!!! I love love this place!!! Was sooo up set when they featured on "Time Out" and "New York Magazine"!!! This suppose to be our secret hangout! :(
(5)J.A. C.
Shigure is a hidden gem in Tribeca. I go there almost every week. The employees are very warm and welcoming. Fantastic sake list, and the food is delicious. I particularly enjoy the grilled edamame. I've never had edamame grilled before, but wish more restaurants prepared it that way. The smoked chicken and the duck ramen are also fantastic!
(5)