Oi bozu — Restaurant in New York

Oi Bozu is the reincarnation of BBF - or perhaps not so much reincarnation as a slightly pared back, refined version. It's the same owner we all love, but some behind-the-scenes dispute with the other guy behind the venture led to the renaming and shrinking of the menu. Still the same guy behind Brooklyn Ball Factory and Bozu. There's no more cafe and the phenomenal hoji lattes will be missed; their hours are 6pm-11pm now.

What remains is (still) the most underrated spot in LES, with unbelievably good dinner options and great drinks at great prices. I'm fond of their whiskey highball and whatever is in their heavenly lychee cocktail; my favorite food item before the rename was the hamburg steak bowl (which I think has probably gone to Japanese heaven for the time being) but I can happily recommend the ramen as well. I really am not kidding when I say the food here is as good as it gets. You'll find cool takes on Japanese food that aren't so devoid of creativity like the nth oversalted tonkatsu ramen shop opening up on your street; instead, we've got epic pickled veggies, one of the best veggie ramen broths in the business, and sushi bombs - which really might be a better way to eat sushi, and I have a feeling they're going to have their moment in a year or two. Eat them here and you can say you knew all about them before they were cool.

That's before we talk about the old charming diner-bar hybrid inside, with chatty and funny bartenders. Seriously, where do they find them? Marie is awesome and as hilarious as it gets. Service is casual but excellent.

Not to mention if you come here a little later, you'll probably find the owner chatting away with a guest or three, one or two of whom is likely another Japanese restauranteur in New York City. This is absolutely an If You Know You Know spot and I would love to see it become a Everyone Knows spot - it definitely...

We really wanted to like our experience here because we were big fans of BBF before their rebrand but unfortunately it just wasn't up to par. They did mention they were doing a sort of pop-up style business model for the time being which is why their menu was more limited but we were pretty disappointed with the quality of the food too.

Of the dishes we ordered: Agedashi Nasu: just ok, expected it to be a crispy fried eggplant in a warm dashi broth but it seemed like it was boiled and served chilled. Miso escargot: the miso overpowered the taste of the escargot itself but wasn't bad per se Salmon: probably our least favorite dish, it was just three thin slices of plain steamed salmon with a miso dressing on the side Sushi Bombs: this was their specialty item, but it ended up just being round pieces of nigiri with too much rice vs fish and the rice was also quite hard. A far cry from the handrolls that BBF used to excel in Tokyo Ramen: this dish was quite good, just a bit expensive.

Our server was very nice but she was the only person working the entire restaurant so sometimes difficult to flag down for water refills, etc.

I had read a review from another former BBF fan that this was just new management but with same quality, slightly more upscale food and maybe I went in with too high of an expectation because of it. Sadly I left disappointed - it felt like Oi Bozu still has a lot of bugs to work out before I can compare it to what it used to be. At its price point, there are other izakayas in the neighborhood that are...

Ludlow Street offers BBF as a Japanese cafe that moonlights as sake bar with food in the evening or perhaps BBF is a sake bar that "sunlights" as a Japanese cafe from morning to late afternoon . either way, it's a fine addition to the Lower East Side--warm inviting modern ambiance, clean to the eye, lots of sunlight /light, and very chill quiet vibe during the day. seating options stretch from the long counter bar to a few tables in the front area to a more substantial seating / dining room area in the back of the interior. the space is well-maintained by staff...Marie Kondo wb proud. the coffee options--very good. my last two stops at BBF, got a drip and Americano to go, respectively. both fine hot brews completed the mission of kicking up my energy and alertness and warmed me up as winter weather failed to oppress me with coldness...and the coffee is quality as it tastes so smooth. there's a variety of seasonal coffee and tea drinks as well as a small menu of pastry and sandwich options. last time, i got a croissant--it was such simple buttery flaky richness. have yet to enjoy BBF for an adult beverage or a dinner bite when it flips to a nighttime spot but it's on my mental list. the service is hospitable and efficient...the dedication to what's being served shows in the authenticity of the staff in serving guests--even in things as basic as a drip coffee or a plain croissant. places like BBF subtly remind you: the most important time is always the present...be...