Hours
11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Food Type
Japanese Ramen
Atmosphere
Casual sit-down
Closest Theaters
Barrymore Theater, Gershwin Theatre, The Eugene O’Neill Theatre, The Cort Theatre, The Brooks Atkinson Theatre, The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Winter Garden Theatre, New World Stages, Broadway Theatre, Longacre Theatre, Walter Kerr Theatre, The Ambassador Theatre, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Age Restriction
Alcoholic drinks are available including beer, wine, sake, and cocktails, but there is no age restriction for dining at Sapporo.
Menu
Vegetarian/Vegan Options
No vegan options and basically no vegetarian options.
Review
By Randall Unger
When one thinks of Ramen noodles, one might automatically think of late night college munchies. The salty snack may hit home with the college set but it also has a home in the heart of Manhattan’s theater district. Sapporo is a a popular hot spot near Broadway and their Japanese-styled restaurant is the perfect stop before or after you see a show.
The outside of Sapporo is somewhat hidden among a cluster of other small restaurants on 49th street between 6th and 7th avenue. There is another Japanese place right next to an Italian spot and then there is Sapporo which you would probably find by accident if you didn’t know it existed. Their menu is posted by the entrance illuminated by a backlight, a nice touch but fair warning: the selection posted might overwhelm you at first.
Upon entering the Japanese eatery, you are greeted warmly by the the hostess and other servers who are present. Being greeted in such a pleasant manner is always a plus, points there. As you are taken to your table, you will probably find yourself observing other patrons’ orders. “What are they having and is it any good?” is the question you will most likely ask yourself.
After being seated, I ordered a ginger ale and then moved on to the menu which required a bit of navigation. Many of the dishes have Japanese names so, don’t be confused. Feel free to ask the server for help in telling you what each dish is. After some thought, I ordered the Berkshire Ton-Katsu, which is a pork cutlet with shredded cabbage and potato salad. I ordered the dish with regular Ton-Katsu sauce and I was not disappointed.
First came, some Miso soup, pretty standard but oh, so delightful. Miso soup is a staple of Japanese restaurants and its simple, salty flavor is a welcome starter at any Japanese establishment. Once the soup was finished, the entree soon followed. My Berkshire Ton-Katsu was a sight to be seen. I was a little intimidated at first but once I bit into the lightly-breaded pork cutlet, I was hooked. The breading was scrumptious as it just crumbled in my mouth. Once the delicious crust was broken, the tender pork was revealed underneath and even more flavor exploded on my tongue. A party had officially started in my mouth.
With the breaded pork making headlines on my pallet, now came the sides. There was shredded cabbage with a delicious peanut sauce which was just divine and an exotic type of potato salad which complimented the pork cutlet beautifully. When eating the Berkshire Ton-Katsu, please, please, please take your time. You will want to savor every bite and enjoy every morsel.
Established in 1975, Sapporo is a fun, little Japanese place that has excellent pork and a great variety of noodle dishes. They are basically Ramen noodles but with some flair. You can enjoy a nice snack or a filling entree. The choice is yours. Sapporo is the perfect place to go and the perfect Japanese restaurant to visit the same day or night of seeing a Broadway show.
Location
152 West 49th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 869-8972
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