"A Texas BBQ joint walks into an Izakaya bar. No, that’s not the beginning of a bad joke. It’s what it feels like eating atKemuri Tatsu-ya, a 2017BAHot 10 restaurant. At this spot, chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto combine all the smoky flavors of Texas BBQ with the pub vibes of a Japanese izakaya. Start things off with a matcha painkiller, where buckwheat shochu, tequila, pineapple, coconut, and matcha tea are delivered to your table in an undeniably cute maneki-neko (waving cat) cup. There’s bright and blistered shishito peppers with bonito that seems to dance from the residual heat. The “Hot Pocketz” are a stoner’s fantasy with an artery-clogging pairing of Gouda and brisket. The Tokyo street corn makes you a believer in the combination of cotija and bonito. And the pièce de résistance—BBQ tsukemen with a rich dipping broth, hunks of brisket, a jammy egg, scallions, lime, and smoked jalapeño—is a must-order on a menu full of must-orders." - ByRachel Karten
