Chef Atsushi “ATS” Kono has long been a yakitori expert, grilling and smoking skewers at Yakitori Torishin and his Chikarashi Isso yakitori pop-up at Hotel 40 Bowery. He flaunts those skills through his chicken yakitori tasting menu at Kono, his Chinatown restaurant, which he opened in 2022. The $185 kappa-style menu comes with 16 courses of chicken skewers as well as dishes; there’s a moment for add-ons like organ and rarer cuts, presented in a stylish box.
The 14-seat, U-block-shaped counter faces the deep-set grilling stage (the better to keep the smoke and fire away from diners), where the chefs grill, smoke, flip, and fan all sorts of chicken parts and vegetables to a hip-hop soundtrack.
What you’ll eat
- The selections on the tasting menu range from the tail (with crunchy bits of cartilage) to tender chicken oysters (squeeze the lime onto it), plump fresh herb-covered chicken belly, and chewy chicken hearts. Be sure to experiment with the two fiery spice blends.
- I enjoyed the monaka rice cracker, presented in a box, where the bottom half was layered with a rich chicken liver pate, truffle slices, and black truffle miso. Smush on the cracker top to make your own sandwich.
- The duck meatball is a hearty DIY skewer, served with the orangest egg yolk I’ve seen and a seared koshihikari rice ball that was nicely crispy on the outside.
Best seat in the house
Sit along the counter if you want to see what the chefs
are doing. Opt for the larger group tables for four to five people along the perimeter of the room.
How to find it
Enter the alleyway at 46 Bowery, and Kono’s speakeasy-style door is on the right of the pathway.
Insider tip
Through the back of Kono is a hidden Japanese whisky and listening bar called Beatbox by Kono. Ask the staff about it.
