Hori is a 14-seat izakaya located down a narrow stairway off East 50th Street, divided into an eight-seat bar and a six-seat room. The restaurant uses the Japanese ichigensan okotowari system: first-time diners must be guests of regulars. After dining and following a strict no-social-media rule, guests can register to access future reservations. Hori operates inside Studio Calmplex and adopted the policy to avoid disturbing neighbors. The concept was inspired by Midnight Diner and emphasizes jouren culture, encouraging regular customers and fostering connections among diners. The chef and operators describe the atmosphere as intimate and special.
Down a narrow flight of stairs off a nondescript stretch of East 50th Street, past a ceramics studio and behind a clothing boutique, is the 14-seat restaurant Hori. Technically, anyone is welcome inside the izakaya, divided into an eight-seat bar and a six-seat room, although reservations are required and even the most vigilant stalkers of the Resy page will find that there are not actually reservations available for the restaurant, ever.
"You have to go through several tenants to get here," he explains. "We needed to find a way to be friendly with our neighbors and not be bothersome, but also find our guests. And so that's why we started off with, 'Oh, you can bring your friend, but make sure they understand the rules and are respectful to our neighbors.'"
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