Izy

This swish izakaya helmed by chef Kazumasa Yazawa (formerly of Waku Ghin) is a long narrow concrete-lined space offering uber sophisticated Japanese bar food.

The vibe is a little clubby (but hey, it is Club Street, you’re here to party) and not particularly Japanese, but we love the colorful Pop Art on the walls and cool light fixtures made from repurposed drink bottles. It makes you feel like you could be at a hotspot anywhere in the world.

The food’s great no matter what you order, but don’t miss the perfectly fried chicken karaage ($20)—shatteringly crisp on the outside and juicy within, smeared with a layer of complex balsamic mayo—and the pork belly roll with fresh ginger ($6), a deceptively simple but mind blowing snack of thin sliced meat wrapped around a generous slice of fresh young ginger (to cut the fat).

Portions run on the small side, so also fill up on their stellar rice bowls: The wagyu summer truffle ($45) is our fav, but the braised pork belly variation ($32) is similarly unfaultable, featuring meltingly soft meat, and a rich runny egg to sauce the whole mess.

They’ve got a good choice of international wines to wash it all down too, from by-the-glass options (from $15) to blowout bottles from their library collection (from $220). And though prices are quite steep, with food this good, it’s hard to complain.