The Best Izakaya Restaurants in Japan

Hence, there are countless low-key cheap Izakaya in this area. MATCHA is a web magazine dedicated 多摩センター　居酒屋 to bringing the rich culture and history of Japan to an international audience.
You will be surprised by the sashimi's freshness and lack of odor. Shellfish fans won't be able to resist this specialty restaurant! Only a specialized place like this can acquire so many different kinds of shellfish of such high quality. The food here has a shifting, evolving quality that brings out the umami of the shellfish. Watching the shellfish being prepared from scratch and the fragrance of the items as they are being grilled are just some of the thrills you can experience here.

An English menu is available and some staff speak English as well. No visit to Tokyo is complete without a night out at a friendly local izakaya. Basically Japan's answer to a pub, these boisterous venues are the best place to get a crash course on Japanese cuisine and spirits.
Everything here is cooked to bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients, and alcohol goes well with any and every dish. The meat is dried overnight then smoked, sealing in the umami, and is seasoned with a blend of over 10 spices that have also been smoked. This restaurant boasts over 30 types of sake that have been selected from across Japan by the 4 sake sommeliers of the izakaya. There are secret sake choices not on the menu, too, so be sure to ask to try them as well. This restaurants boasts authentic Japanese cuisine created by a veteran chef and sake.

Pretty much any izakaya will offer tea, juice and other soft drinks. From small, single-proprietor affairs to massive chains, izakaya are ubiquitous in Japan. They are places where people come to unwind with co-workers and friends.
The normal way is to simply divide the total by the amount of people; if people arrived later or left earlier, they’ll be expected to throw in roughly the price of their drinks and otoshi. If you feel you’ve paid too much, just figure out a way for someone to buy you drinks at the nijikai . Humble and affordable, you might not expect that this friendly izakaya in Tokyo is on the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list.
If you’re not interested in alcohol, most izakaya have a range of cold alcohol-free drinks available. This typically includes oolong tea, green tea, zero-alcohol beer and soft drinks, but not coffee. On the day of your visit, you do not need to order or pay for your food in Japanese . Galali is built in a repurposed traditional Japanese home, giving it a charming, cozy feel. The menu includes sashimi, grilled salmon, and salads, but the specialty here is Japanese sake, which is proudly displayed along with 12 different types of salt .

Izakaya often leave a running tab of the bill or some sort of token at the table. When ready to leave, take the token or the bill and go to the cash register near the exit to pay. At smaller or more traditional izakaya the tab might be kept with the staff, and they will tally your bill when you are ready to pay. At some izakaya, diners are required to remove their shoes at the entrance or near their table. If there are shoe lockers by the entrance, remove your shoes and place them into your locker of choice.
Shirube-e serves wide variety of sake, shochu, and Awamori alcoholic beverage ingenious spirit to Okinawa, and unique dishes. Well known for its big counter with foot warmers beneath located in the center of restaurant, Shirube-e is so popular izakaya restaurant that you should make a reservation beforehand. Many of Izakaya are popular for their delicious food and a variety of alcohol like sake, beer, or shochu spirits collections. Omoide Yokocho (思い出横丁) is a narrow alley near Shinjuku Station West Exit with over 50 small restaurants and Izakaya clammed.

A restaurant where you can enjoy delicious sake and food in a calm atmosphere. Leave it to us for any occasion, such as using the second house. Yokocho is Japanese for “alleyway,” but it has grown in meaning to refer to narrow streets lined with red lanterns and packed with izakayas and bars. Come here for a less polished, more authentic taste of Tokyo, and for the chance to have a drink with the locals. At larger izakaya chains, ordering may be done via electronic tablets. Smaller establishments' menus are typically written in Japanese only, with some being entirely handwritten.
Another notable feature of the place is the many varieties of sake and shochu that are available. All-you-can-drink courses are offered, perfect for diners who want to sample various drinks along with their meal. The famous item here is the , made with brand pork from Ibaraki Prefecture. This hearty dish is created using pork shoulder exclusively, so you can enjoy the light fatty flavor along with the deep and sweet flavor of the meat. Other popular choices are the , which features natural fish bought directly from fishing ports, while the consists of vegetables procured directly from contracted farmers. This means the window seats offer you a full view of Shinjuku's cityscape to enjoy together with your food and drinks.