Sports bar in Times Square? Chances are you’re saying no thank-you. But this is not meat-head central, this is one staircase away from descending into Tokyo.

Located on the basement level of West 49th Street, this izakaya, Japanese pub, is a fun place to relax, grab some Japanese snacks, a pitcher of Japanese beer, sake or shochu, and watch a little TV.

The menu is typical izakaya fare with lots of weird fish and chicken parts hitting the deep fryer; like octopus balls, chicken gizzards, squid legs, and oysters. Sauteed udon and soba noodle dishes, tempura, yakitori, edemame, and broiled Rayfish Fin fall under the more obvious menu choices. The list is vast, and every night they have more exotic options as specials.

The crowd is mostly Asian and the atmosphere is lively. While the location is underground, Hagi isn’t anymore. Between bloggers, newspaper write-ups, and an appearance on the Travel Channel’s No Reservations, there is usually a wait for a table. They don’t take reservations, but will take your cell phone number and call you when a table becomes available.

Finding the entrance to Hagi may be hard at first. The good news is it’s not part of the Hawaiian Tropic Zone.