So you have a free night on your trip or you don’t want to lock in a reservation several weeks in advance so you can keep your day flexible. Sure, you could go for something specialised and casual like tonkatsu, yakiniku or even a Japanese curry. But what if you wanted a range of different Japanese food options, and maybe even some well-priced drinks with it.
Let me introduce you to the Izakaya – the perfect casual restaurant for when you don’t know exactly what you want to eat, but you know you want to eat something good and have a good time.
A great Izakaya is usually where I end up if I have a free meal slot, or just want something to break up the monotony of omakase or course meals.
The Izakayas below are my favourite in Tokyo.
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Table of Contents
The Best Izakaya Restaurant in Tokyo and Japan
Shokudo Todaka (食堂とだか) – The Large Appetite Izakaya
Sanchokuya Taka (産直屋 たか) – The Seafood Izakaya
Shimada (銀座 しまだ) – The Refined No Reservation Izakaya
Kanemasu (かねます) – The Rustic No Reservation Izakaya
Sowado (創和堂) – The Comfy Izakaya
Kotaro (高太郎) – The Upscale Izakaya
Kishidaya (岸田屋) – The Old School Izakaya
Uotake (季節料理 魚竹) – The Grilled Fish/Fish Market Izakaya
Uogashi Fukuchan (魚がし 福ちゃん 2号店) – The Rules/Sashimi Izakaya
Maguro Mart (マグロマート) – The Tuna Izakaya
The Best Izakaya in Tokyo and Japan
Note the number of recommended Izakayas will continually grow. To keep this guide reasonable in length, only noteworthy ones will get a write up. To follow the latest on my Izakaya journey, please follow my Instagram.
Shokudo Todaka (食堂とだか) – The Large Appetite Izakaya
Shokudo Todaka is known as the Large Appetite Izakaya because they are known to stuff you full of food with a multitude of dishes and generous portions. But don’t be fooled by the quantity of food – the quality of food at Shokudo Todaka is one of the best for Izakayas in Japan.
Chef and owner Todaka Yuhei-san has a background in kaiseki, working in various restaurants in Kagoshima before moving to train at Ryugin in Tokyo. This fine dining training has given him a unique perspective. He realised that there are many great chefs with great skills, and when deciding how he would stand out amongst the crowd, he realised his desire to entertain customers was stronger than others. As a result, he is always experimenting with ingredients to create new dishes that surprise and delight customers. As he is running an Izakaya, rather than a kaiseki restaurant, he cannot use only expensive ingredients so he spends a lot of time thinking about unusual combinations to bring out the most in ordinary ingredients, making “S-class” dishes at a cheaper price point.
On top of the great value food, Shokudo Todaka also offers all-you-can-drink, whether it is sake, whisky or freshly prepared Japanese fruit juices. It’s no wonder they are fully booked for over a year but not to despair. They opened a second restaurant, Toranomon Todaka, which offers the same concept and same dishes.
If you enjoyed Shokudo Todaka, you may also like –
- Shimada
- Kanemasu
Shimada (銀座 しまだ) – The Refined No Reservation Izakaya
Shimada is known as the Refined No Reservation Izakaya because it is the best Izakaya that serves elevated classics without requiring a reservation. In fact, Ginza Shimada is generally where I end up by default if I have a spare food slot or want a small snack.
Head chef Hiroshi Shimada previously worked at Michelin starred kaiseki restaurants such as Azabu Yukimura before starting Ginza Shimada to make good food more accessible. This is why some of his dishes would not be out of place in a mid-level Kaiseki restaurant (at a fraction of the price) and it’s why he has several seasonal dishes an his menu at any time.
It is a standing Izakaya which means you eat while standing at a bar, similar to the pintxo bars of San Sebastian. It does get busy which is why I recommend you go early or late but the standing casual nature of Ginza Shimada means turnover is generally pretty quick.
They have an excellent grape juice as well.
If you enjoyed Shimada, you may also like –
- Sowado
- Kotaro
- Kanemasu
Kanemasu (かねます) – The Rustic No Reservation Izakaya
Kanemasu is known as the Rustic No Reservation Izakaya because it is the best Izakaya that serves unpretentious casual food without requiring a reservation.
Similar to Ginza Shimada, the chef here also hails from famed Kaiseki restaurants such as Kitcho. Kanemasu’s proximity to Tsukiji market is the reason for the food focus to be on seafood. They are famous for their signature Uniku (beef roll with uni), though to be honest, it looks and sounds better than it actually tastes. I personally think their other popular dishes are better, in particular the abalone croquette (croquette flavour changes seasonally), fresh yuba and hairy crab salad.
Like Ginza Shimada, it is also a standing Izakaya. I recommend you go early as their best sellers constantly sell out (sometimes just 30 minutes after opening).
If you enjoyed Kanemasu, you may also like –
- Shimada
- Kishidaya
Sowado (創和堂) – The Comfy Izakaya
Sowado is known as the Comfy Izakaya because it has one of the most comfortable ambiances of any Izakaya in Tokyo. This carries over to the food as well which is refined and well executed, a style that was largely pioneered by Kotaro (more on that below).
They are known for their Unzen ham katsu, which may possibly the most famous Izakaya dish on social media. Seafood is sourced from Kyushu, the home island of chef Hideaki Sakai. They also have a wide range of natural wines, a rare occurence for Japan.
Sakai Shokai is part of the same group as Sowado. There are many similar dishes but the ambiance is more modern and comfortable at Sowado so while Sakai Shokai usually has slightly better food, I generally recommend Sowado. Sowado is also an easier reservation, largely because the restaurant seats over two times as many diners.
If you enjoyed Sowado, you may also like –
- Kotaro
Kotaro (高太郎) – The Upscale Izakaya
Kotaro is known as the Upscale Izakaya because it is one of the best premium Izakayas in Tokyo and the one of the Izakayas that started the trend of refined Izakaya food. In fact, former chef apprentices at Kotaro went on to start Sakai Shokai (above), Sowado (above) and Lamp.
The food here features elegant and refined versions of Japanese casual Izakaya classics, blurring the lines between Kaiseki and Izakaya. Signatures include smoked potato salad featuring two types of potato and an egg smoked over cherry wood, one of the best menchi katsus in Tokyo and handmade udon made daily.
Sake is relatively expensive for an Izakaya, though expected of a more upscale establishment.
It is relatively difficult to get a reservation unless you know a regular, mostly due to the western media singing its praises. While it’s certainly good and would make the top Izakaya list for most Tokyoites, it is in that sense overrated, not worth the effort of reservation (without a regular) and not FOMO-worthy. So my recommendation is if you can easily get a reservation, whether it is through a friend or a tenacious concierge, take it and enjoy Kotaro. If you don’t, the other Izakayas in this article are just as good, and you may even enjoy them more depending on your preference.
If you enjoyed Kotaro, you may also like –
- Sowado
Kishidaya (岸田屋) – The Old School Izakaya
Kishidaya is known as the Old School Izakaya because it is one of the longest standing and one of the most iconic Izakayas in Tokyo. Walking in feels like you’re walking into a time capsule; an Izakaya stuck in time.
If you’re looking for a local favourite amongst the older generation, Kishidaya will be right up your alley. They are known for their gyu-nikomi (beef stew) which is one of the best in Tokyo and it’s not uncommon for regulars to order multiple serves of this. The nikomi is special because it’s made with various cuts of fresh beef offal that are simmered slowly for a long time, leaving deep but clean umami flavours.
Some other notable dishes include their grilled fish, beef with leek and potato salad but they are all secondary to the main star of gyu-nikomi.
It is relatively in the middle of nowhere but is near TeamLab Planets and the fish markets, so if you’re in the area already, it’s worth a detour. Despite not having many activities near by, Kishidaya does get busy so I recommend you visit early.
If you enjoyed Kishidaya, you may also like –
- Kanemasu
- Shokudo Todaka
Maguro Mart (マグロマート) – The Tuna Izakaya
Maguro Mart is known as the Tuna Izakaya because as the name suggests they special in serving one thing and one thing only – Maguro (Tuna). Here you will find all interesting parts of tuna served in multiple different ways. There’s even a maguro sake where nihonshu is infused with a tuna dashi, resulting in a drink that’s somewhere between a soup and a cocktail.
While the tuna itself is not anywhere near as high quality is the tuna you would get at a proper sushiya, it’s still a worthwhile visit for tuna lovers or anyone else who wants to eat tuna in an a la carte casual setting.
Tip – Nakano Broadway, a mall full of anime, manga, and cosplay shops, is near by so it’s a good place to visit before/after if interested.
If you enjoyed Maguro Mart, you may also like –
- Sanchokuya Taka
Wishlist
Let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations for Izakaya restaurants that you want me to hit up!
Conclusion
So there we have it, the best Izakaya in Tokyo and Japan.
So fellow foodies, what’s your favourite Izakaya in the world?
The Pursuit of Food Perfection 
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