Katabaru

“Cozy izakaya vibes with solid small plates, juicy karaage, and strong cocktails, perfect low-key spot when you want good food without the chaos. Their grilled unagi rice steals the show… smoky, sweet, and so good I’d go back just for that.”

“A fun Japanese restaurant in east Billyburg 3 stops from L Montrose stop. Good happy hour selection, $drinks, $5 sapporo, $karaage till 7. Good ambiance, service a bit slow as they were packed, one of the entrees came out very late after others but was taken off the bill. Nanban chicken burger tender with crispy fries. Katsu and Una don both delicious and filling. Soft shell crab & squid apps came out nicely, not a big fan of the pork belly.”

“Katabaru was a great dinner spot. We enjoyed delicious cocktails, soft shell crab, gobu sticks, sushi, and flavorful rice bowls (pork cutlet and popcorn chicken ones) all capped off with sake. The space is cute and inviting, the food was consistently excellent, and the servers were very nice and quick. Would definitely recommend.”

“Very unique and delicious dishes! The anchovy potato was out of this world! The scallops were so fresh, as well as the sushi. The reason I have 4 stars for the food is because my husband wasn’t satisfy enough with the beef steak. Compared to other dishes, this one was quite average. It could have been just not to his taste, unfortunately I couldn’t try it bc I’m a pescatarian. The cocktails were extremely yummy. If you love matcha, you must try the matcha low alcohol thing, I don’t usually order alcohol at a restaurant but this one seemed different. And I was right! Beautiful space, perfect for dates and hang out. The bathroom was one of the best, I took pic of it 😅”

“Burdock Root: This was prepared perfectly. It was a highlight of the meal—very good flavor and texture. Chicken Karasge: was impressively juicy on the inside while maintaining a great crisp on the outside. Una-tama Don: Absolutely delicious. The balance of flavors here was spot on. Where the meal lost its momentum was with the sides (pickled radish, seasoned vegetables, and miso soup). Calling the side "seasoned vegetables" felt a bit misleading. It was actually just hijiki (seaweed). While technically a vegetable in some contexts, it’s much more accurate to just list it as hijiki so diners know what to expect. Miso Soup: This was the biggest disappointment. I am a huge fan of miso soup and I can’t remember a time I haven’t finished a bowl—until now. They seemed to use a dark miso, which is already quite bold,it tasted so bitter. After two sips, I had to stop.”