An exciting new restaurant is making its way to the Bowery this year. Hiyake Japanese BBQ is a brand new Japanese restaurant that is scheduled to arrive at 135 Bowery.
Owned and operated by Xuelong Zhang, not much is currently known about the new restaurant. Named after the Japanese word for “sunburn”, Hiyake is expected to serve up traditional Japanese barbecue, called Yakiniku. Featuring smoky, charred meats that have been slow cooked for hours, yakiniku is an exceptionally beloved form of Japanese cuisine that has been popularized in the west thanks to restaurants like Gyu-Kaku.
Hiyake BBQ will be replacing Tang Hot Pot, which previously operated at 135 Bowery. Opening up in 2016, Tang Hot Pot was on its way to big success, earning two Michelin recommendations in 2018 and 2019. Sadly, once the coronavirus outbreak began in 2020, the hit to businesses was too great for Tang to handle and the team was forced to close the restaurant despite its promising future. While their sister restaurant, The Tang NYC, remains operational, the space at 135 Bowery has remained vacant until now.
Nestled between Broome and Grand street, Hiyake will be opening up in a competitive neighborhood with plenty of foot traffic. Only a couple blocks north of Chinatown, Hiyake will certainly be facing some stiff competition – though yakiniku isn’t as prominent in New York as dumpling houses or hot pots.
Unfortunately, Xuelong couldn’t be reached for comment, but it is clear that he is still very early into the process of opening. Hiyake hasn’t even launched its website yet and is currently awaiting approval from the Manhattan Community Board for a new beer and wine license.
