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Tokyo’s Best Yakitori Restaurants with Diverse Wine Lists

5 Restaurants
Walk through the traditional Noren banners marked by distinctive red lanterns and you’ll find yourself in charmingly smoky restaurants that serve flame-grilled skewers. Once known as food popular with common people, yakitori has undergone a culinary evolution in recent years. The appeal of yakitori lies in its impressive variety— a single bird can provide over 50 different cuts of meat, presenting an incredible variety of delicious options to enjoy. Today, some Yakitori restaurants incorporate French techniques, with some even employing dedicated sommeliers to suggest suitable wine pairings.

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Updated on 16 September 2024
Yakitori Honda
3-5-1 Minato, Chuo-ku, 104-0043 Tokyo
¥¥¥ · Yakitori

This yakitori restaurant in Shintomicho offers a Kappo restaurant-esque atmosphere. Indulge in Hinaijidori chicken courses highlighting the chef’s remarkable ingenuity. This restaurant puts the same passion into their wine as their yakitori, so don’t miss out on the superb pairings offered here.

Yakitori SANKA
2F, 64-4 Yaraicho, Shinjuku-ku, 162-0805 Tokyo
¥¥ · Yakitori

The skills of the chef from Kochi Prefecture dazzle here at this small yakitori restaurant. Featuring chicken and salt from Kochi, this restaurant supports Japan’s regional communities. If you’re not sure what drink to order, ask for a recommendation from the chef who is also a certified sommelier holding a sake diploma.

Jimbocho Gokita
2-4-9 Nishikanda, Chiyoda-ku, 101-0065 Tokyo
¥¥¥ · Yakitori

The distinctive sensibilities of the chef, and his vast experience with French cuisine, are apparent throughout this restaurant’s ‘neo yakitori.’ The courses begin with French hors d’oeuvres and feature the restaurant’s own original sauce in place of typical Japanese tare. You’ll want to make a champagne toast and then try various French wines recommended by the chef.

Yakitori Hinata
2F, 3-12-4 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, 106-0046 Tokyo
¥¥¥ · Yakitori

A restaurant in Azabujuban based on the concept of yakitori and French wines. Just tell them what you like, and they’ll select the perfect glass for you. The courses are all served omakase style, so discuss any dishes you’d prefer to skip in advance.

BIRD LAND
B1F, 4-2-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, 104-0061 Tokyo
¥¥ · Yakitori

Located near the Sukiyabashi Intersection in Ginza, Bird Land is a pioneer in introducing course-style dining to the yakitori world. Enjoy liver paté, chicken grilled in pepper and oyakodon (chicken and egg on rice), and even rare cuts such as chicken oyster.

Top image: Ⓒ Yakitori SANKA