Sake Bar Asoko interior
From drinks to decor, tap into the childhood nostalgia of ‘80s & ‘90s Japan through the eyes of Sake Bar Asoko’s founders. Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko

The RundownNew York

Sake Bar Asoko Is a Nod to ’90s Japan From Decibel Alumni

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This past November, a new sake bar from longtime bartenders at Sake Bar Decibel quietly opened on East Broadway between Chinatown and the Lower East Side — and it’s already capturing the hearts of sake novices and connoisseurs alike. Founded by Yuri Itakura, Shintaro Cho, and Arianna Cho, Sake Bar Asoko offers a peaceful space to enjoy authentic Japanese food and beverage, with nods to the founders’ childhoods sprinkled throughout the space.

We sat down with Sake Bar Asoko’s three founders to find out everything you need to know about the bar “over there” (what Asoko translates to from Japanese) — from the best way to enjoy sake in within its three distinct spaces to getting in a game on the trio’s original Nintendo 64 machine, which is hooked up and ready to go on the restaurant’s miniature TV in the back.

The Resy Rundown
Sake Bar Asoko

  • Why We Like It
    It’s a chic house of sake from two industry vets, with a menu of dishes like karaage, yellowtail sashimi in leek sauce, and udon. Obviously, you’re ordering sake; do yourself a favor and let the server guide you through the many dozens of options.
  • Essential Dishes
    With a focus on otsumami (snacks and small plate,) the menu caters to a myriad of dietary restrictions, including those who are gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan. Meat eaters and pescatarians should consider the negishio hamachi (yellowtail sashimi with leek sauce) and mentai mayo udon (garnished with scallion and served with a spicy cod roe), whereas vegetarians and vegans can go for the knoko notakikomi gohan (varied mushroom rice dish) and signature Asoko tofu.
  • Must-Order Drinks
    As the name implies, sake is the name of the game at Asoko. Five types of sake (junmai, honjozo, ginjo, nigori, and daiginjo) are all offered by the glass, carafe, and bottle, with numerous options available within each category. Our recommendation? Share your flavor profile preferences and let the experts lead the way.
  • Who and What It’s For
    Casual dinners with friends, date night, curious sake drinkers, and fans of all things related to Japanese food, beverage, and culture.
  • How to Get In
    Reservations are available on Resy one week in advance for up to parties of four for Tuesdays to Saturdays. Walk-ins are welcome daily and for parties of five or more, contact doushitan@sakebarasoko.com.
  • Fun Fact
    Although the decor may seem random, each thoughtfully curated piece has a special significance. Nearly every decoration/piece of furniture comes from the founders’ own personal collections.
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Founders Yuri Itakura, Arianna Cho, and Shintaro Cho inside Sake Bar Asoko. Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko
Founders Yuri Itakura, Arianna Cho, and Shintaro Cho inside Sake Bar Asoko. Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko

1. The space pays homage to Heisei-era Japan — along with the founders’ childhoods.

Sake Bar Asoko draws much of its inspiration from the childhood memories of (Shintaro) Cho and Itakura, originally from Kanazawa and Osaka, respectively. “The Heisei era technically spans from the late ’80s to 2019, but Cho and Yuri’s era is late ’80s and early ’90s, so we wanted to tap into that nostalgia,” says co-founder Arianna Cho, who is originally from Los Angeles.

Although both are from Japan, (Shintaro) Cho and Itakura ultimately met in New York while working at Sake Bar Decibel more than a decade ago. The two quickly became friends and dreamed of opening their own space, and with the help of Arianna — who left the fashion world and pivoted to hospitality upon marrying Shintaro in 2023 — the rest was history.

“We all have different perspectives, so it’s great for a team,” says Arianna, who deems the space’s conceptualization as a team effort. Nods to Japanese culture are immediately present upon walking in the door, and are peppered throughout the entire space all the way to the bathroom. And although the décor may seem random, each thoughtfully curated piece has a special significance. More on that below.

Some of the thoughtfully curated design details guests can find at Sake Bar Asoko Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko
Some of the thoughtfully curated design details guests can find at Sake Bar Asoko Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko

2. Three separate areas exist within the space.

Even with its cozy size that accommodates a total of 45 guests, three separate areas exist within Asoko’s walls. “We have this long, narrow space, so we wanted to create three different concepts,” Arianna explains.

The first, and most minimal of the three spaces, features nine tables and is a nod to the area’s hip vibe. “We’re in Dimes Square, so there’s a big fashion community,” Arianna explains. A series of black-and-white photos by Daidō Moriyama line the walls, along with old street style magazine covers from TUNE and Fruits, an homage to Cho and Itakura’s childhood. “These magazines are what Cho and Yuri grew up with, interspersed with records as a nod to Japanese culture,” she says.

A few steps further in, guests are greeted with Asoko’s second tachinomi space, a standing room only bar — with front-and-center views of Itakura whipping up snacks and slinging sake behind it. “It gives Izakaya vibes in Japan, like old guys standing while eating and drinking,” Itakura says.

Arianna explains that tachinomi means “standing while drinking,” a custom that Cho and Yuri grew up with in Japan. “The spaces are small and there are no bar seats,” she says. “So you simply stand; we really wanted to implement that here.”

The bar’s final space, located in the back, is what Arianna describes as the trio’s analog love letter. “We wanted to make it feel like a Japanese living room,” she explains. Vintage posters and ’90’s relics line the wall, complete with authentic tatami mats to sit on. “I think it’s fun to sit with no shoes, it’s a good experience for guests,” Arianna continues.

However, the space’s crown jewel is situated in front of an illuminated, empty sake bottle-lined wall: an old-school TV and functioning Nintendo 64 player, perhaps the biggest homage of all, to Cho and Itakura’s childhoods.

The Kingyo Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko
The Kingyo Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko

3. You don’t need to be a sake expert to enjoy the bar’s offerings.

Sake is unsurprisingly the star of the show, though guests needn’t feel intimidated by a potential lack of knowledge surrounding the beverage. “Cho and Yuri spent 10+ years at Decibel, so their experiences help inform the sake curation,” says Arianna, who equally cites that the trio’s unique tastes also play into the diversity amongst the offerings.

“Yuri’s taste is more traditional, mine is more funky, and Cho is somewhere in the middle, so we feature iterations of all three on the menu,” she says. “You don’t need to know about sake to come here — we’re happy to sit with you and talk about sake, as well as have you taste a little bit to find what you like.” In addition to sake, the bar boasts an impressive shochu program, and also offers Sapporo beer, as well as one non-alcoholic cocktail option.

Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko
Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko

4. All food is prepared at the bar by co-founder Yuri Itakura.

Similar to the inspiration and decoration of the beverage menu, Asoko’s otsumami offerings were also created based off of nostalgia. “These are the things that Cho and Yuri grew up eating, although they might be new to some people,” Arianna says. Various dietary restrictions can be accommodated, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.

“My go-to pairing is tengumai yamahai with yellowtail,” says (Shintaro) Cho. “It’s got mushroomy, earth notes that go well with the fish.” For Arianna, noguchi and iburigakko is her preferred pairing. “Noguchi is a legendary brewer, and we serve his sake at room temperature. It’s really funky in the front with a dry finish,” she says, stating its juxtaposition with the smoked daikon, radish, cream cheese, and crackers is simply delightful.

Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko
Photo courtesy of Sake Bar Asoko

5. Nearly every piece of decor comes from the founders’ own personal collections.

“We didn’t buy much for the bar — almost everything came from our houses,” Arianna reveals. Walking through the space, what may seem like random objects are actually personal relics from all three of the founders’ childhoods. “Those shoes? They’re Tokyo Bopper, and they’re Yuri’s. Over there, that’s my first grade Sailor Moon lunchbox. And those video games? I asked Cho’s sister to send them from Japan,” she says.

Much of Asoko’s artwork has been given to the trio from friends, and the little sake images dotting the walls were designed by Yuri herself. “We call them nomitomo — Asoko drinking buddies,” Arianna explains, stating that nomu means to drink and tomodachi means friends, thus nomitomo for short.

Behind the bar, a myriad of personal items are sprinkled amongst the black shelves, which get their inspiration from the traditional masu boxes used to serve sake — and were by Cho and Yuri themselves. “From this middle space, we wanted to make sure Yuri was really comfortable, as she spends the most time here,” Arianna says, citing nods to SixTONES, Yuri’s favorite J-Pop band, a myriad of anime and Manga references, and even a collection of Yuri’s grandfather’s old cups and carafes, some of which are over 100 years old. “Now our houses are empty, but our restaurant is full!” Arianna exclaims.

Above all, the authenticity and nostalgia behind Sake Bar Asoko promises to leave a lasting impression — and if you’re lucky, may just come with an extra trip down memory lane to boot. “Fun fact: If you’re nice to us, we’ll let you play Super Smash Brothers on the Nintendo 64,” Arianna reveals.

Sake Bar Asoko is open Tuesday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight.


Vicki Denig is a wine and travel journalist based between New York and Paris. Her work regularly appears in renowned industry publications, including Food & Wine, Decanter, Condé Nast Traveler, Matador Network, and more. In addition to journalism, Vicki also oversees content for a list of prestigious clients, including Paris Wine Company, High Road Wine & Spirits, and more. Follow along her adventures on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.