Yakitori Restaurants in Japan(55)
COURSE MENUYakitori Sei
Discover a dream turned reality: a Tokyo yakitori restaurant born from a family legacy. Impeccable ingredients, artful techniques, and a personalized dining experience await around an intimate 16-seat counter.
COURSE MENUYakitori Ruike
One of the newer belligerents in Nishi-Shinjuku’s “izakaya battleground”, Yakitori Ruike sets itself apart from other combatants with its sophisticated atmosphere and uncompromising dedication to quality ingredients.
COURSE MENUYakitori Matsuoka
This central Michelin-recognized Osaka yakitori restaurant’s English-speaking chef has amassed a following not just for his amiable demeanor and impeccable Kagoshima poultry skewers, but also his collection of rare Japanese whiskies and sake.
COURSE MENUHigonoya Omotesando
The Uredori chicken is the poultry pride of Ninohe City in Iwate Prefecture, renowned for its umami and texture. It is this chicken that is used in yakitori restaurant Higonoya, grilled to perfection right at the counter.
SEAT RESERVATIONBird Land Ginza
This famous Ginza grilled chicken restaurant puts Japan’s favorite comfort food at the center of a hearty set menu.
COURSE MENUYakitori Ginza I
Generous use of seasonal vegetables and inventive twists like foie gras in chicken tsukune set Chef Koichi Inoue’s yakitori restaurant apart. When dining at Yakitori Ginza I, wine pairings from the in-house sommelier are a must.
COURSE MENUFujiyoshi
Active for over 60 years, this Tenjin restaurant offers the winning combination of yakitori and sashimi, the latter made from fish kept alive in tanks right up to the moment of preparation.
COURSE MENUSumiyaki Kaminari Shintenchi
This legendary Hiroshima yakitori restaurant uses a combination of “tohbi” distant-fire charcoal grilling to seal in the flavor, as well as a tashi-tsugi sauce that has been continuously added to for over 40 years of operation.
COURSE MENUTaira
Domestic free-range chicken skewers are grilled upon ordering here at this Minami-Aoyama restaurant, but won’t leave guests’ clothes smelling like smoke. Chicken is accompanied by seasonal fare and sake, served with hospitality.
COURSE MENUChicken Kappo Hajime
History and interior design aficionados will be swept up in the Taisho Roman era-inspired interior of Chicken Kappo Hajime, but the sheer juiciness and flavor of its mizutaki and yakitori are the real stars of the show.
COURSE MENUHigonoya Aoyama Main Branch
For over 50 years, Higonoya’s original Aoyama outlet has been delighting locals with its supremely delicious Uredori chicken skewers. Shipped fresh from Ninohe City in Iwate Prefecture, the chicken is renowned for its robust flavor and texture.
COURSE MENUHigonoya Gaienmae
Directly outside the station exit is the Gaienmae branch of vaunted yakitori franchise Higonoya — a popular late-night destination made famous for its use of Uredori chickens from Ninohe in Iwate, which are renowned for their umami and texture.
COURSE MENUYakitori Kita
By sourcing multiple breeds of chicken from farms all over Japan, Chef Yosuke Nakamura is able to prepare traditional yakitori skewers and inventive a la carte dishes that best suit each bird’s specific flavor and texture.
COURSE MENUSumiyaki Kaminari Main Store
This legendary Hiroshima yakitori restaurant uses a combination of “tohbi” distant-fire charcoal grilling to seal in the flavor, as well as a tashi-tsugi sauce that has been continuously added to for over 40 years of operation.
COURSE MENUSumiyaki Kaminari Tatemachi
This legendary Hiroshima yakitori restaurant uses a combination of “tohbi” distant-fire charcoal grilling to seal in the flavor, as well as a tashi-tsugi sauce that has been continuously added to for over 40 years of operation.
SEAT RESERVATIONYakitori Omino
The charcoal-grilling wizards of this Oshiage eatery are taking yakitori to new heights.
SEAT RESERVATIONYakitori Ichimatsu
Michelin-starred street food served up at the counter: this Osaka yakitori shop is the best place to try this local cooking style.
SEAT RESERVATIONNana Cho Me
Yakitori grilled chicken skewers have never tasted as good as at this sophisticated Michelin-starred eatery.
SEAT RESERVATIONTorisho Ishii
Level up your skewered-meat adventure with a full-course yakitori-only meal!
SEAT RESERVATIONYakitori Sanka
Yakitori Sanka is an endeavor of love: Chef Yamanaka Takamasa’s love for his home prefecture of Kochi. The restaurant uses Tosa-jiro chicken in its skewers, grilled over Tosa binchotan charcoal and finished with traditional Kochi sun-dried salt.
SEAT RESERVATIONIshii Jr.
Three local chicken breeds from Kumamoto, Wakayama and Akita are the backbone of the ever-busy grill at Ishii Jr., the laid-back sibling of the Michelin-starred Torisho Ishii in Osaka.
SEAT RESERVATIONHiiragitei
Father opens the shop, mother handles the service and son helms the yakitori — Kyoto obanzai is carried with honor and tradition in this Michelin-featured shop near Kyoto’s Chionin Temple.
SEAT RESERVATIONYakitori Moe Es
What happens when yakitori and French meet in the middle? You’d get Yakitori Moe Es, a Michelin-featured sensation in Roppongi that’s making new waves in the Japanese skewer scene.
SEAT RESERVATIONAyamuya
A premium yakitori restaurant with a Michelin star (Michelin Guide 2020), where you can enjoy the rich and powerful flavors of Osaka.
SEAT RESERVATIONYakitori Takahashi
Yakitori Takahashi in historical Nihonbashi has earned a cult following and one Michelin star for its simple yet delectable yakitori using premium-raised game fowl and chicken carefully grilled and lightly smoked to perfection.
SEAT RESERVATIONTorisawa 22
Have your fill of premium grilled chicken at this top yakitori shop in Tokyo.
SEAT RESERVATIONTorishige
Witness the whole panorama of Japanese grilled delicacies at one of the capital's best traditional grill houses.
SEAT RESERVATIONTorila
Raw or cooked — the chicken here is so fresh that it doesn’t matter!
Recent Reviews from GuestsThere’s no better pairing for a tall glass of beer than a platter of juicy yakitori chicken skewers. Following a waste-not-want-not philosophy, very few parts of the chicken aren’t utilized in this cuisine — you can try everything from the breast and wings to the liver and gizzard.
Having started as a popular Japanese street food, these snacks have now been a favorite of Japanese izakaya gastropubs for years, where you’ll find the chefs hard at work beating at open charcoal grills with with their handheld fans, as the smoky smell of grilled meat fills the air. And although it’s a pub food favorite, some restaurants have started taking the yakitori craft to new levels with high-grade, premium meat and inventive dishes.
Within byFood’s range of yakitori restaurants in Japan, you’ll discover this whole range of delicious chicken eateries. Reserve your spot to discover why this social dining style in a mainstay on the Japanese food scene for everyone from partying salarymen to gourmet connoisseurs.