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Kono

New York

Sleek counter dining from New York yakitori king

The backstory: Opened in 2022 by yakitori maestro Atsushi 'ATS' Kono and Kooth Hospitality, Kono is a 14-seat yakitori counter tucked inside Chinatown's Canal Arcade. The intimate restaurant offers a seasonal 16-course, meticulously crafted journey through chicken – grilled over kishu binchotan charcoal.

Leading the pack: Saitama-born Kono was the first chef in the US to earn a Michelin star for his yakitori cookery during his previous tenure at nearby Yakitori Torishin. He left in 2019 to partner with Kooth Hospitality and open this more personal project.

The omakase: While meals at Kono have a basic structure, the menu is guided by seasonality as much as it is by its binchotan hearth. True to yakitori tradition, each course spotlights a different chicken cut – everything from juicy thigh meat, crispy skin, heart and cartilage to other specialty parts – highlighting texture and respect for the whole bird. The tasting concludes with small plates like udon in a rich chicken bone broth and green tea ice cream crowned with golden ossetra caviar.

Beyond cooking: Before becoming New York's yakitori maestro, Kono was a professional breakdancer with the Rock Steady Crew at 18. So don't be surprised to hear him playing old school hip-hop and see him getting down during service, wooden skewers in hand.

Fancy a drink? There's a secret four-seat, 100-square-foot Japanese whisky bar and vinyl listening room hidden behind one of Kono's walls. Message the restaurant on Instagram to book it.

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