One Year of Ono Kai: An Underground Diskoteka-Izakaya Finds Its Rhythm in Poblacion

In Poblacion, where restaurants come and go, and concepts evolve as quickly as the neighborhood itself, surviving the first year is already a milestone worth celebrating. For Ono Kai, however, its first anniversary feels less like a checkpoint and more like the continuation of a story that has steadily found its audience over the past twelve months.

Hidden beneath the lively streets of Makati, Ono Kai has built a reputation as an “underground diskoteka-izakaya,” a place where Japanese-inspired dining, nightlife, cocktails, and art come together under one roof. It’s the kind of venue that feels equally suited for an intimate dinner, a late-night drink, or an evening spent discovering something new.

To mark its first anniversary, the restaurant introduced a menu curated by Executive Chef Charles Togezaki that reflects the restaurant’s signature approach to food: Japanese techniques layered with Spanish flavors.

Ono Kai officially launched with a night of music, drinks, and thoughtfully crafted “Izakaya” plates, introducing Poblacion to a concept that brings Japanese-inspired dining and Spanish flavors together in a lively, underground setting. From the beginning, the restaurant set out to offer more than a typical dining experience, creating a space where good food, creative cocktails, and music come together.

One of the evening’s standouts was the Gyu al Ponzu, rich and satisfying, alongside the Tuna Tortilla, a fresh take on the familiar favorite. Combining tuna, chimichurri, tortilla, and seaweed. There’s also a menu of distinctive plates and crowd favorites, including Gambas Tostadas, a playful take on a Spanish favorite, alongside drinks such as Tokyo Dry. Each offering captures Ono Kai’s approach to familiar flavors with a creative twist, making the menu as much a part of the experience as the music and atmosphere surrounding it.

A year later, that same spirit continues to define Ono Kai. What began as a fresh addition to Poblacion’s dining and nightlife scene has grown into a destination where guests can gather over inventive food and drinks, discover new flavors, and let the evening unfold at its own pace.

What made the anniversary tasting particularly memorable was how effortlessly the menu matched the atmosphere of the space. Ono Kai exists somewhere between a restaurant, cocktail bar, and nightlife destination. As the evening progressed, the energy in the room shifted naturally from dinner service into a more relaxed and social setting, blurring the line between dining and celebration.

Beyond the food and cocktails, Ono Kai’s biggest strength may be its commitment to creativity beyond the kitchen.

Since opening, the restaurant has dedicated part of its space to showcasing local artists through a rotating feature wall. The initiative gives creatives an opportunity to display their work in front of a new audience while adding another layer of personality to the venue.

For its first anniversary, the featured artist was Migs Camacho. The artwork installed throughout the space became part of the evening’s experience, inviting guests to engage with visual storytelling while enjoying the food and drinks. Rather than treating art as decoration, Ono Kai has embraced it as an essential part of its identity.

That connection between food and art feels intentional. Much like a gallery exhibition or a live performance, dining at Ono Kai is designed to be immersive. The music, lighting, cocktails, food, and artwork each contribute to the overall experience, creating an environment that feels distinctly different from a traditional restaurant.

In many ways, this approach reflects the creative energy that defines Poblacion itself. The district has long been a hub for independent concepts, artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs looking to carve out their own space. Ono Kai fits naturally within that landscape, drawing inspiration from different cultures while maintaining a character all its own.

For a place where food meets art and dinner can easily turn into a night out, the future looks just as exciting as the journey that brought it here. In a neighborhood always searching for the next interesting thing, Ono Kai has proven that the best concepts are often the ones that create their own lane. And after one year in Poblacion, it seems that Ono Kai is only getting started.