Rockmeisha

Some great things debuted in 2004: Shrek 2, The Killers’ Hot Fuss, and, if you lived in the West Village, you got Rockmeisha, one of New York’s early ramen hotspots. Fast-forward 20 years, and the rock-and-roll loving, beer chugging, noodle slurping ramen bar is back, now in the East Village, after a pandemic closure. The izakaya plates, like spicy popcorn shrimp and octopus, do a good job of soaking up pitchers of beer. But you’re mostly here for a steaming bowl of Hakata-style ramen, creamy with boiled-forever pork bones and full of thin noodles. Don’t be distracted by the vintage jukebox and pro-wrestling championship belt on the wall. Just focus on doing your best vacuum impression on your bowl before bar-hopping on down Avenue A.

photo credit: Will Hartman