Are you looking for a Japanese bar, which is illuminated just like a darkroom, used for photography? If your answer is yes, then this is the place for you. Sake Bar Decibel is a crowded, ‘literally’ underground bar in East Village, New York. Waitresses are wearing kimono and serve you tens of different types of sake.
It is easy to miss, don’t give up looking for it between the Stuyvesant St and 2nd Ave. The whole place is illuminated in red light and the place is a heaven for Japanese rock music lovers. When you go down the stairs from the door, you come across a rope in the entrance blocking your way into the cave. The smiling Japanese staff will welcome you and get pass the rope if there is empty place.
The place is original, has a unique character and you may find dozens of sakes. The prices are reasonable; we paid $70 for nice sakes and 5 different snacks for two people. The place has roughly ten small tables, with graffiti walls and cozy decoration.
There are loads of pages full of weird names, which happen to be the Japanese names of different types of sakes in menu. We chose the easy way and asked for assistance. Dewasansan is a nice choice, but I am sure there are others. The place does only serve you some side dishes like edamame, shrimp chips, eel, sesame chicken, or stingray fin chips (yes that’s right. They are all delicious). There are also desserts on the menu but we did not try.
By the way, you don’t feel it first but sakes can be pretty strong!! It is an adorable place where you will feel yourself like drinking in a student bar in Tokyo. If you enjoy realllly good sake, love nibbles, don’t bother about day light and want to have a chat with your friends without being heard over by nearby tables, then try the Sake Bar Decibel. You will not regret it.
Loved the Decibel write-up! Definitely a good New York find, with a character and look of its own. Very curious to know what stingray fin chips taste like…