Kushiwakamaru serves affordable grilled skewers at a lively neighborhood restaurant in Nakameguro. Popular with the locals, this is a good option for a no-frills meal with friends.
Kushiwakamaru - image © Florentyna Leow
Kushiwakamaru is a beloved yakitori institution in Nakameguro, popular with Japanese locals as well as the Tokyo expat community. There’s an English menu available if you ask. The service is prompt and the drinks are cheap, which makes for a fun, rambunctious night out.
Most items on the menu range from good to great. It’s honest, hearty fare; everything is infused with salt, smoke, and charcoal. In terms of chicken, you’ll want to try the tsukune (meatball) and seseri (chicken neck). The vegetables are decent to good, especially the meaty shiitake mushrooms. Leave some room for rice balls or ochazuke (tea rice) to end your meal.
A must-order is the ‘chizu-pi,’ a skewer of cheese-stuffed green pepper wrapped in pork. On arrival, the cheese is tongue-blisteringly molten; but let it sit too long and it’ll cool down, congealing into dairy plasticity. Eat when the cheese is still melted. It’s perfect then.
Reservations for Kushiwakamaru are not entirely necessary. If you choose to just show up, though, reckon on some waiting time, particularly at peak dining hours.
Kushiwakamaru allows smoking inside, which may be off-putting for some diners. But it adds to the old-school atmosphere, and if the smoke doesn’t bother you much, it’s the ideal neighborhood yakitori joint.
For more Tokyo yakitori choices, see our Best Yakitori in Tokyo page.
English name:
Kushiwakamaru
Japanese name:
串若丸
English address:
1-19-2 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-0051
Japanese address:
〒153-0051 東京都目黒区上目黒1-19-2
Opening hours:
5pm-12am
Price:
Non-smoking section:
No
Reservations:
Recommended
Nearest Transport:
Train: 3-minute walk from Naka-meguro Station on the Tokyu Toyoko line and Tokyo Metro Hibiya line.
Telephone:
+81-3-3715-9292
Website:
Official website (Japanese and English)
Customer Reviews:
:: Read customer reviews of Kushiwakamaru on TripAdvisor.
Near To Here:
Kushiwakamaru is located in Tokyo's Ebisu district. See our complete list of things to do in Ebisu, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
More Tokyo Restaurant Recommendations:
See all yakitori restaurants we recommend on our Best Yakitori in Tokyo page and get the complete list for all cuisines on our Best Tokyo Restaurants page.
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