Hidden gem izakaya w/ Zen garden vibe. Addictive corn ribs & crunchy katsu.
This Japanese spot in Chelsea offers a delightful escape with its hidden alleyway location and tranquil, minimalist ambiance reminiscent of a Zen garden. Reviewers rave about their must-try dishes like the addictive corn ribs and the perfectly crunchy tenderloin katsu. For a truly memorable experience, consider the unique corn ice cream and white chocolate dessert.
This Japanese-inspired restaurant is celebrated for its creative dishes, with the corn ribs and various katsu preparations (pork, ebi, tenderloin) being frequent highlights. While many find the food flavorful and well-executed, a recurring criticism, especially for dinner, is the lack of included rice and sides, leading some to feel the portions are too small for the price and prompting comparisons to other establishments that offer more complete meals.
"Highly recommended dishes include the corn ribs, tsukemen, ebi katsu, tenderloin katsu, and mazemen noodles. The corn ice cream is also a unique dessert option."
Customers generally have a very positive impression, highlighting the unique ambiance and delicious, craveable dishes like corn ribs and various katsu options. However, a significant point of contention is the perceived stinginess with rice and sides, particularly during dinner service, leading to dissatisfaction for some.
Important Note
There is significant customer dissatisfaction regarding the absence of rice and sides with dinner entrees, particularly katsu, leading some to feel it's not good value for money. Some also note that the katsu can be too lean or too fatty depending on the review.
"Konban is an Asian restaurant recommended for a dinner with a budget of $130pp tip and tax."
Neutral"Konban is listed as a place to avoid."
Negative"The user highlighted Konban's corn ribs and corn ice cream as favorites from a corn crawl video."
Positive"Responding to a recommendation, the OP expressed thanks and stated these items look fantastic."
Positive"The user suggested Konban for its corn rib appetizer and corn ice cream dessert."
Positive"The commenter reiterates their frustration about Konban not serving rice for dinner, calling it 'tapas-style' and expressing dismay as they market themselves as katsu specialists."
Negative"The commenter reiterates their frustration about Konban not serving rice for dinner, calling it 'tapas-style' and expressing dismay as they market themselves as katsu specialists."
Negative"The commenter expresses shock and frustration that Konban would refuse to serve rice, especially when they would be willing to pay for it, and notes the inconsistency with Korean dining expectations."
Negative"The commenter expresses shock and frustration that Konban would refuse to serve rice, especially when they would be willing to pay for it, and notes the inconsistency with Korean dining expectations."
Negative"The commenter expresses disbelief that Konban would deny a request for rice, especially during dinner."
Neutral"The commenter expresses disbelief that Konban would deny a request for rice, especially during dinner."
Neutral"The commenter expressed annoyance with the prevalence of truffle flavoring in dishes."
Neutral"The commenter expressed annoyance with the prevalence of truffle flavoring in dishes."
Neutral"The commenter mentioned that rice might only be available during lunch, finding this policy strange."
Neutral"The commenter recommended Ichibantei as another solid choice for katsu, noting that they are open very late."
Positive"The commenter recommended Ichibantei as another solid choice for katsu, noting that they are open very late."
Positive"The commenter explained that Konban is an izakaya (small plates for sharing), and serving rice with the katsu would be pointless as it would prevent customers from ordering other dishes. They believe the dish in the picture and other items ordered made a sufficient meal without separate rice."
Neutral"In response to a user's sarcastic comment, this user doubled down on their previous statement about Reddit being generally smarter than the 'lowest common denominator'."
Neutral"This is a continuation of a debate about the intelligence of Reddit users."
Neutral"In response to a user's sarcastic comment, this user doubled down on their previous statement about Reddit being generally smarter than the 'lowest common denominator'."
Neutral
