Kimura
East Village, New York City
Bar in New York City, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
Kimura on St Marks Place is an easy-to-book East Village spot that suits casual neighbourhood visits better than special occasions. The crowd is local and low-key, booking is straightforward, walk-ins are likely. If you need a room that signals occasion, look elsewhere; but for a no-fuss evening in one of downtown Manhattan's most characterful streets, it fits the brief.
About Kimura
What Kimura Actually Is (And Isn't)
If you're expecting a slick, reservation-required East Village destination with a polished front-of-house and a Resy waitlist, reset that expectation. Kimura at 31 St Marks Place sits in one of downtown Manhattan's most reliably chaotic blocks, the venue itself doesn't signal ambition from the outside. That gap between expectation and reality is exactly why it rewards the right kind of visitor; and frustrates the wrong one.
St Marks Place is East Village shorthand for a certain kind of casual, counter-culture energy. The crowd skews younger, the pace is faster, the atmosphere is closer to a neighbourhood local than a destination dining room. If you're planning a celebratory dinner and need a room that reads as a special occasion from the moment you walk in, Kimura is likely the wrong call. Angel's Share, a few blocks away in the same neighbourhood, delivers a more considered atmosphere for dates and milestone evenings.
Where Kimura earns its keep is for the guest who wants something low-key but specific; a spot on a street that knows what it is, without the performance of somewhere trying too hard. The East Village regulars who make up a large share of the crowd aren't there for occasion dining; they're there because it fits into the rhythm of the neighbourhood. If that matches your own tempo for the evening, it works well.
On the practical side, booking difficulty is low, this is an easy reservation to secure, which sets it apart from the overcrowded corner of the market occupied by harder-to-book Manhattan spots. For groups, the neighbourhood setting and casual format tend to suit small parties better than larger ones. If you're coming in from outside Manhattan, the St Marks Place address is direct to reach from multiple subway lines running through Astor Place and 8th Street. More on getting around in our full New York City experiences guide and our full New York City restaurants guide.
The honest summary: Kimura is worth booking if the East Village's casual, neighbourhood-first energy is what you're after. It is not the right choice if you need a room that signals occasion, there are stronger options on the same block if atmosphere is your primary criterion. Go in with calibrated expectations and it delivers. Go in expecting a destination-grade experience and it won't.
Practical Details
| Detail | Kimura | Angel's Share | Amor y Amargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neighbourhood | East Village | East Village | East Village |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Easy |
| Leading for | Casual local visit | Date night | Aperitivo / low-key drinks |
| Group suitability | Small groups | Pairs | Pairs to small groups |
| Walk-in friendly | Likely yes | Sometimes | Generally yes |
For more on the East Village bar scene, see our full New York City bars guide and profiles of Amor y Amargo and Attaboy NYC. If you're building a longer trip, our full New York City hotels guide and our full New York City wineries guide are useful next reads. For comparison with destination cocktail bars outside New York, see Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston.
Planning details
- Location
- 31 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
- Reservations
- Book on Resy
- Website
- kimuranyc.com
- Phone
- +1 917 905 1864
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Kimura sits squarely in the East Village's layered cultural logic, where the neighborhood's Japanese-inflected food history meets the craft-cocktail generation. The copy emphasizes specificity over breadth: this block rewards places that execute a clear point of view. That creates a compact, focused room that feels curated for locals and serious drinkers rather than tourists. The result is an intimate, energetic bar that reads as deliberately placed on St. Marks Place — part of a downtown continuum where foot traffic is intentional and expectations for quality are high.
Best For
Kimura is best for neighborhood evenings and casual after-work drinks when locals are seeking thoughtful cocktails in a compact setting. The description highlights weekend demand and tight booking patterns, which makes it well suited to people looking for a lively downtown night out without the tourist crowds. Midweek, earlier evening slots tend to be more accessible, so it also works for quieter weekday socializing. The venue reads as a local spot where specificity and execution matter — ideal for small groups and pairs who appreciate craft cocktails and an East Village sensibility.
Ordering Tips
Demand here tracks neighborhood rhythms: weekend evenings fill first and midweek earlier slots are generally easier to secure. The write-up flags booking friction as a signal of demand, so checking availability in advance is prudent. Where venues mix counter and table seating, counter seats typically move faster than tables, so consider taking a bar seat if speed of entry matters. Because the piece treats reservations and waitlists as meaningful signals rather than certainties, prospective guests should confirm the booking policy directly with the venue before arriving.
Venue details
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Signature Pours
Vanilla Fig Manhattan
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- The Long Island Bar; Notable alternative
- Dirty French; Notable alternative
- Superbueno; Notable alternative
- Amor y Amargo; Notable alternative
- Angel's Share; Notable alternative
Bar context
How Kimura Compares to Its East Village Neighbours
For a date or anniversary dinner where atmosphere needs to do some of the heavy lifting, Angel's Share is the stronger pick. It operates with a quieter, more intentional feel than Kimura's St Marks setting, the cocktail program is the main event rather than background noise. The trade-off is that Angel's Share is harder to book and less forgiving of large groups. For a pair celebrating something, it outperforms Kimura on occasion-grade experience.
If you want something more energetic and the occasion is less formal, Superbueno brings a livelier room with a distinct Latin-influenced drinks list, is comparably easy to get into. For a more focused, spirits-led experience with a smaller footprint, Amor y Amargo is the neighbourhood's best answer for aperitivo-style drinking without the noise of a full bar program. Neither requires significant planning to book. Kimura sits between these options in energy level; more casual than Angel's Share, less programmatic than Amor y Amargo.
The The Long Island Bar and Dirty French operate at a higher price point and with more destination intent; both are worth considering if budget allows and you want a more polished finish to the evening. For most visitors choosing between East Village options, the decision comes down to occasion type: pick Angel's Share for intimacy, Amor y Amargo for focused drinking, Superbueno for energy, Kimura when the priority is simply being in the neighbourhood without overthinking it.
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Unlock the full Kimura guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Kimura
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Kimura | No published awards |
| The Long Island Bar | Top 500 Bars 2027 · #3672025 North America's 50 Best Bars · #64 |
| Dirty French | Star Wine Lists 20262026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 World's Best Steaks 50 Best Steakhouses in North America · #322025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #6192025 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #4302023 OAD Gourmet Casual Dining in North America Ranked · #1932023 OAD Casual in North America Recommended |
| Superbueno | 2026 North America's 50 Best Bars · #9Top 500 Bars 2026 · #35Tales Spirited Awards 2026 - Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons - Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons (Top Four Finalist)Tales Spirited Awards 2026 - Best U.S. Cocktail Bar by Gruppo Montenegro - Best U.S. Cocktail Bar by Gruppo Montenegro (Top Four Finalist)2026 OAD Casual in North America RecommendedTales Spirited Awards 2026 - Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons - Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons (Top 10 Nominee)Tales Spirited Awards 2026 - Best U.S. Cocktail Bar - Best U.S. Cocktail Bar (Top 10 Nominee)2025 James Beard Awards · #12025 North America's 50 Best Bars · #2 |
| Amor y Amargo | 2024 North America's 50 Best Bars · #232022 North America's 50 Best Bars · #23Pearl Recommended Bars |
| Angel's Share | 2026 North America's 50 Best Bars · #31Top 500 Bars 2026 · #2002026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 North America's 50 Best Bars · #432025 OAD Casual in North America2024 North America's 50 Best Bars · #432012 World's 50 Best Bars · #34Pearl Recommended Bars |
What to weigh when choosing between Kimura and alternatives.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the food good at Kimura?
Kimura sits on St Marks Place in the East Village, a block that has always run on casual energy rather than destination dining. Without documented menu details or chef credentials on record, the safest approach is to treat this as a drink-first stop. If food is the priority for your visit, the East Village has stronger dedicated options nearby.
Is Kimura good for groups?
St Marks Place venues tend toward compact footprints, which makes large group bookings unpredictable. Kimura at 31 St Marks Pl reads as a better fit for pairs or small groups of three or four than for a party outing. For larger groups in the area, Superbueno on Norfolk has more room and a layout that handles the numbers.
Do I need a reservation at Kimura?
Based on available information, Kimura does not operate a formal reservation system, which makes it a walk-in option on St Marks Place. That works in your favour on slower weeknights but less so on weekends, when the block gets heavy foot traffic. Arrive early or plan to wait if you're going Friday or Saturday.
What's the signature drink at Kimura?
No specific drink menu or signature cocktail is documented for Kimura. Given its St Marks Place address and casual positioning, expect a focused rather than elaborate drinks list. If a specific cocktail program matters to your visit, Amor y Amargo on East 6th is two blocks away and has one of the most considered amaro and bitters menus in the city.
Is Kimura good for a date?
The East Village's St Marks corridor is better for a casual second or third date than a first impression that needs to land. Kimura's no-reservation setup suits a spontaneous low-stakes evening. If you want something with more atmosphere and a built-in talking point, Angel's Share in the same neighbourhood offers a more considered setting for that format.
Does Kimura have outdoor seating?
No outdoor seating is documented for Kimura at 31 St Marks Pl. St Marks Place has limited sidewalk space by New York standards, so outdoor seating on that block is uncommon. If you want to drink outside in the East Village, Tompkins Square Park is walkable and several bars nearby have street-facing setups.
