Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Evil Katsu announces Dec. 14 closure

Photos and reporting by Steven 

Evil Katsu, the quick-serve spot at 435 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, will close after service on Dec. 14.

East Village resident and hospitality veteran Asher Sendyk launched Evil Katsu in December 2020 as a pop-up ghost kitchen on Rivington Street after being laid off during the pandemic. 

He and partners Chris Wagenlander and Hai Oliveira moved the operation into this Ninth Street storefront in July 2021 — their first permanent home after the takeout-only concept quickly caught on. They specialize in various katsu sets, sandos (aka Japanese sandwiches) and sides. 

Sendyk cited flat sales and rising costs that made it unsustainable to continue. He reflected on starting the business during COVID, building something "unique to us and to the neighborhood," and doing it on a shoestring budget. 

Evil Katsu's East Village location "meant a lot," he told us in an email. "We've lived in the East Village for essentially our entire professional lives. It meant a lot to leave a positive mark in the place we call home — not just passing through, but contributing to the neighborhood we're part of." 

He thanked the regulars who kept the small shop going: "Mom-and-pop shops like ours truly depend on their regulars. You kept us going."
Above, Chris Wagenlander (left) and Evil Katsu staffer Dustin Elsler
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3 comments:

  1. ed angerNovember 25, 2025 at 6:58 AM

    😥

    ReplyDelete
  2. ShadowwhispersNovember 25, 2025 at 7:17 AM

    Aw, I and my waistline really liked EK.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mr Nice GuyNovember 25, 2025 at 10:42 AM

    I'm really going to miss Evil Katsu. It's super cool to get high-end-restaurant-quality katsu in like 10 mins. I grabbed a pork sando last week when I heard they were closing - it instantly makes your day better.

    Good luck to Chris and Dustin in their next venture. Bonus points if you guys keep it in the EV!

    ReplyDelete

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