Izakayas are casual Japanese pubs offering a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy great drinks, and dishes such as delicious chicken skewers and fresh seafood. In this guide, we’ll introduce some of the best izakayas in the city, where you can enjoy a memorable evening of food and beverages!
- Affordable all-you-can-drink yakitori bar: Yakitori Marukin Shinjuku Honten
- Creative sushi and seafood izakaya: Shiawase Shinjuku Sakanaumai
- Gyoza, fried chicken, and horse sashimi at a Kyushu izakaya in Tokyo!
- Yakitori and premium Japanese chicken cuisine at Shinjuku Imaiya Honten
- Okinawa food and drink at a Roppongi izakaya
Affordable all-you-can-drink yakitori bar: Yakitori Marukin Shinjuku Honten
“Yakitori Marukin Shinjuku Honten” is a great place for travelers, especially those on a budget, to start their izakaya journey. This izakaya in Shinjuku offers delicious food and drink at tourist-friendly prices. Their menu is highlighted by an all-you-can-drink option where patrons serve themselves with a self-pour system. There are over 70 types of drinks, including beer, sake, liqueurs, and soft drinks!
The restaurant specializes in yakitori, grilled chicken skewers, and offers a wide range of them. They all pair well with the restaurant’s famous garlic tare dipping sauce (please refrain from double dipping), which is provided at your table.
They also have creative takes on tsukune, chicken meatball skewers, with unique flavors such as mentaiko (spicy cod roe) mayonnaise, grated radish with ponzu, cheese, and ume plum paste!
Of course, you can also try a number of non-yakitori dishes, such as their “Makanai Omuyakisoba,” a tasty hybrid of Japanese omelet and yakisoba noodles.
Yakitori Marukin Shinjuku Honten is a great entry point into the world of Tokyo izakaya, as you can sample a great deal of Japanese pub food and drink at more-than-reasonable prices.
Creative sushi and seafood izakaya: Shiawase Shinjuku Sakanaumai
Izakaya can also offer fantastic seafood offerings. That’s on full display at “Shiawase Shinjuku Sakanaumai,” where customers can enjoy not only classic seafood dishes, but also creative takes on sushi in a fun and exciting atmosphere.
One of those is the restaurant’s aptly named “Mount Sushi.” This interactive dish features sushi rolls topped with a film cylinder. Inside the film is tightly packed grated yam, chopped marinated tuna, salmon roe, tobiko (flying fish roe), and more.
Gently raise the film and watch as the contents of the film spread across the sushi rolls. This innovative sushi is just as fun to eat as it is to prepare!
Another exciting dish on the menu is the “Drooping Saltwater Eel and Egg Sushi,” sushi rolls topped with thickly grilled eggs and an extra-large anago (salt-water eel). Staff sears the eel right at your table in front of you, making it another visual marvel to take in before eating.
Of course, you can also enjoy traditional sushi. The restaurant’s nigiri selection is highlighted by fatty bluefin tuna, a type of fish Shiawase Shinjuku Sakanaumai takes pride of in preparing with meticulous care for maximum deliciousness.
If you’re looking to make sushi and seafood the star of your izakaya night, Shiawase Shinjuku Sakanaumai more than delivers with a menu and atmosphere to remember.
Gyoza, fried chicken, and horse sashimi at a Kyushu izakaya in Tokyo!
Ueno is home to many enticing izakaya, but something that makes “Kyūshū Nechūya Ueno LIVE” stand out is its focus on specialty regional dishes from all over Kyūshū, the southwesternmost of Japan’s main islands.
Their “Hakata Iron Plate Gyoza,” which features big and juicy gyoza dumplings on a sizzling hot plate, is a must-order that pairs perfectly with beer. These gyoza are grilled to a perfectly golden brown color that whet the appetite on appearance alone.
It’s recommended to dip the gyoza, which have a juicy meaty filling and crispy skin, into the accompanying sauce. You can also try them with Yuzusco, a Kyushu-made bottled sauce that blends yuzu citrus, black pepper, and vinegar, for a spicy kick.
Up next is the “Miyazaki Chicken Nanban.” This generously portioned take on chicken nanban (fried chicken topped with tartar sauce) will satisfy any appetite. The izakaya’s version features huge pieces of deep-fried chicken coated in a sweet vinegar sauce.
The tartar sauce provides a cool and refreshing sensation that pairs perfectly with these extremely juicy chicken thigh pieces.
Kyūshū Nechūya Ueno LIVE also provides the opportunity to try out horse sashimi, a delicacy not commonly found outside Japan. While some may have hesitation, the restaurant’s careful curation and sourcing ensure safe consumption, as well as a flavor that will have you hooked!
The premium platter features lean meat and fattier shoulder loin. Both have exquisite flavor and tender texture, and pair perfectly with condiments of grated ginger and sliced garlic.
Kyūshū Nechūya Ueno LIVE promises a unique izakaya experience, offering delicious food and drink, as well as regional delicacies from the comfort of Tokyo.
Yakitori and premium Japanese chicken cuisine at Shinjuku Imaiya Honten
“Shinjuku Imaiya Honten” is an izakaya that shows that chicken skewers can be fine-dining! This restaurant serves not only yakitori but also other delectable dishes using Hinai chicken, a free-range breed known for its firm texture and umami-rich fat.
All the skewers here are delectable, but one must-try is the restaurant’s hand-kneaded tegone tsukune (seasoned minced chicken sticks). It has a remarkably fluffy texture and pleasantly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with egg yolk as a dip.
Undecided diners can also get a sampling of the high-quality yakitori on the menu by ordering a five-skewer omakase set, filled with crowd-favorites.
Shinjuku Imaiya Honten delivers Japanese chicken cooking beyond skewers. One of the most popular items on the menu is their oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl), which is seasoned with chicken broth made from Hinai chicken.
The chicken is charcoal-grilled before being cut, resulting in a crispy skin and soft and juicy meat that really make this different than your typical oyakodon.
Shinjuku Imaiya Honten is a great place to see what types of gourmet cuisine can be found at izakayas in Tokyo!
Okinawa food and drink at a Roppongi izakaya
Okinawa has a rich culinary history and an amazing izakaya scene. If you can’t squeeze a trip to Okinawa into your Japan itinerary, don’t worry—”Okinawa Dining Ryūka Roppongi” has you covered!
This izakaya offers both an authentic Okinawan atmosphere and menu. Their sōki soba noodles, an Okinawan soul food, is both the perfect start and finish to a night of good food and drinks. These firm, medium-thick noodles in a bonito and pork bone broth are topped with sweet and spicy simmered pork ribs, making every bite hit the spot
The fried foods are also delicious, with croquette versions of Okinawa’s famous purple yam being a standout. An excellent combo of sweet and savory!
The izakaya also has a wide selection of Okinawa’s traditional liquor, awamori. While its high alcohol content and strong aroma can be intimidating for some, you can ease yourself in by trying it in cocktail form. The “Ryūjin” cocktail features an awamori-base with lychee, watermelon, and shiikwāsā (a citrus fruit native to Okinawa), mixed with green mint syrup. A nice tropical flavor!
If you’re looking for a taste of Okinawan food, drink, and atmosphere in Tokyo, Okinawa Dining Ryūka Roppongi is a surefire hit!
Izakayas are a great place to enjoy not only the atmosphere of Tokyo nightlife, but sample a wide range of Japanese food and drink. The restaurants listed in this article definitely let you do just that!
