Tuesday, November 27, 2012

[Updated] Longtime favorite Natori closing for good Friday on St. Mark's Place

[Photo via The Village Voice]

Sad news via the EVG tipline... a reader passes along word that Natori, the hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant at 58 St. Mark's Place, will close on Friday night. The tipster understands that the owner has to return to Japan for family reasons. A Natori employee confirmed the closing as well.

Hirokazu Takaya opened Natori here in the late 1980s ... among other reasons, the place was well-known for its generous early-bird specials. Last year, The Voice named it as a "Best of" in the Japanese — Sushi category.

Updated:
Back on Nov. 26, a worker confirmed that Natori was closing. However, Natori remains open for now ... we'll see if we can get an update on what's happening here. Anyway, good news for now...
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14 comments:

  1. Uncle WaltieNovember 27, 2012 at 8:42 AM

    That was the only place where you could get alligator meat in the EV. And yes, it does taste like chicken.

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  2. East Village EatsNovember 27, 2012 at 9:14 AM

    Ok, that really, really blows. I'm going to miss that place :(

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  3. AnonymousNovember 27, 2012 at 9:42 AM

    Booooooooooo! I heart Natori, especially the green room! this sucks.

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  4. esquared™November 27, 2012 at 10:32 AM

    Great hole in the wall [used to be] anonymous Japanese sushi joint. Saw many celebrities dining alone there, and no one gawks at them nor do they act like they're divas -- they're just one of the guys. Civilized and quiet place. A place where one can dine and think and not be bothered. You can hardly find this type of place in the EV anymore.

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  5. g whizNovember 27, 2012 at 11:12 AM

    Noooo!!! I remember eating there when it first opened, I was a poor college student and would be amazed at the quality of food you got there for the price.
    Recently I went to Natori after not having gone for a few years and the food was as good as I remembered. One of the pioneers, will be missed. Hope Mr. Takaya's family is ok

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  6. Marty WombacherNovember 27, 2012 at 11:25 AM

    Sad to see this place closing and I dread what will take its place. Sayonara.

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  7. abrodNovember 27, 2012 at 1:26 PM

    Man fuck

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  8. AnonymousNovember 27, 2012 at 2:16 PM

    Great, the neighborhood feels even less like home now. Farewell to yet another EV original. It will be greatly missed.

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  9. AnonymousNovember 28, 2012 at 12:02 PM

    This is indeed sad, sad news. Many years of good food and great memories. Will be going with our friends before Friday for a last hurrah!

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  10. abrodNovember 28, 2012 at 1:40 PM

    Went last night for one last hurrah before it's gone. Sadly it seems that the alligator meat has already gone - but I'll miss getting a decent amount of food and some booze on the cheap.

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  11. AnonymousDecember 8, 2012 at 4:42 PM

    Not sure what happened, but Natori was open today.

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  12. AnonymousDecember 10, 2012 at 6:57 PM

    On Monday December 10, 2012, it's still open.

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  13. AnonymousJanuary 27, 2013 at 11:16 AM

    As of January 27, 2013, is it still in operation?

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  14. EV GrieveJanuary 27, 2013 at 11:21 AM

    @ anon 11:16

    Yes. New owners took over.

    ReplyDelete

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