Discover the charm of Japanese dining at izakaya (Japanese pubs) in Kagurazaka! 20 popular spots to stop by while exploring the neighborhood

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Choi Hoshiteppei is an izakaya (Japanese pub) located about a 6-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station, tucked away on a narrow stone-paved alley, where you can enjoy drinks and vegetable-focused dishes.

The interior is a renovated standalone house with a hideaway feel, creating a space with a traditional Japanese atmosphere. The 1st floor has counter seating, and the 2nd floor seems to have relaxed table seating.

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The menu centers on seasonal vegetables simply grilled over charcoal. Even just a little salt or lemon juice is enough to bring out the vegetables’ savory flavor and natural sweetness.

The menu also includes dried fish with its flavor concentrated, as well as meat dishes.

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They offer a selection of Japanese sake, shochu, wine, and other drinks that pair well with the food. Some of the shochu is said to be mellow, blended in advance with soft water and left to rest for about 1 week so the flavors come together.

If you make a reservation, you can enjoy a course meal made with plenty of seasonal ingredients.

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Shirokane Toritama Kagurazaka Ten is a popular spot about a 5-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station, tucked down a side street off Kagurazaka-dori (Kagurazaka Street), where you can enjoy yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) made with a wide variety of rare cuts along with drinks.

All 24 seats are at the counter. The space is softly lit and filled with jazz, creating a comfortable atmosphere.

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The basic way to order is a course of 7 or 10 skewers. Each skewer is fairly large, so even the 7-skewer course feels filling.

They grill more than 20 kinds of skewers over binchotan (high-grade charcoal), including rare cuts, and people say every skewer is cooked just right and tastes great.

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In addition to the course meals, they also seem to offer a full a la carte menu that pairs well with alcohol.

The owner has carefully selected a range of labels, and the restaurant is well known for pairings with wine and Japanese sake. There were also multiple reviews saying it is a place they want to come back to.

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Sakagura Kinsuke, located along Sannenzaka about an 8-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station, is an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) that is well known for menus that reflect the colors of the season and many dishes prepared with guests' health in mind.

The space has the warm feel of wood. There are counter seats where you can watch the cooking up close, as well as relaxing table seats.

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As an otoshi (small appetizer) served at the start, they offer a bowl or dish featuring shellfish that are in season at the time.

Their signature item is “katsuo no wara-aburi (straw-seared bonito).” They grill slices of katsuo (bonito) over lit straw and turn them into tataki (lightly seared fish). It is said to be fragrant and packed with rich flavor.

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The owner also puts their skills as a yakuzenshi (traditional herbal nutrition specialist) to work, serving dishes such as yakuzen curry (medicinal curry) made with kampoyaku (traditional herbal medicine) and spices.

It uses plenty of vegetables and is said to have lots of umami. You can enjoy it with drinks or pair it with rice as a nice finish after drinking.

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Kagurazaka Sakaya is an izakaya on Karukozaka, one street north of Kagurazaka-dori, specializing in kushiage (deep-fried skewers) and house-made soba noodles.

Inside, the bright, clean space is based on white wood, and if you sit at the counter, you can watch the chefs at work and enjoy the live atmosphere.

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Kushiage (deep fried skewers), made by cutting ingredients into easy to eat pieces, skewering them, coating them with fine breadcrumbs, and deep frying them in oil, come in a wide variety. There is a rich selection of vegetables, seafood, meat, and more.

If you order Omakase, they will serve you three recommended skewers at a time, so you can enjoy them fresh out of the fryer.

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They have a great selection of highballs with whisky and soda, and sours with shochu and soda that pair well with fried food, and people also like that drinking from bamboo glasses feels stylish.

They also serve dishes other than fried food, and to finish the meal, you can enjoy soba noodles that the owner kneads from scratch using flour. They say that adding salt brings out the good flavor of the soba even more.

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Noie is an izakaya located about a 2-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station toward Shirogane Park, on the second floor of a modern building.

The space has an open feel with exposed concrete, while touches like views of plants add warmth, and it has a reputation for being very comfortable.

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They directly source ingredients from all over Japan, including items that rarely make it to markets in Tokyo. You can also enjoy rare Wagyu.

Their specialty is aji fry (fried horse mackerel). They use aji caught at Sakaiminato in Shimane Prefecture, and the panko coating is crisp while the fish is flaky.

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The owner personally visits sake breweries around Japan to stock Japanese sake labels he likes. They also have Japanese sake you would be hard pressed to find at other places.

With the Japanese sake All you can drink course, you can enjoy a self serve style where you pour the Japanese sake from the refrigerated case into your own glass.

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Sakashita Ryoishu Souko, located on the second floor of a building tucked away on a side street near the Kagurazaka-shita intersection, is an izakaya known for its wide selection of Japanese sake.

Inside, the kitchen and refrigerated cases filled with Japanese sake are surrounded by counter seats made from single slabs of cedar, creating a space where you can enjoy Japanese sake in a casual setting.

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They always keep about 80 to 100 kinds of Japanese sake from all over Japan in stock. They offer Japanese sake in many different styles, and if you are not sure what to choose, the staff will recommend one for you.

They also pay close attention to the vessels, using glasses and suzuhai (tin cups), chosen to match the flavor of the Japanese sake.

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The food menu is filled with dishes that pair well with Japanese sake, including creative dishes made with vegetables, meat, and fish, and the avocado tempura is also popular.

If you are new to Japanese sake, the recommended choice is the "Omakase 5 Kinds." You can taste five kinds of Japanese sake that are recommended for that season.

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Kagurazaka Irori Niku Yorozu is a restaurant located along Sannenzaka in the Kagurazaka area, where you can enjoy branded wagyu (Japanese premium beef) prepared in a variety of ways.

There is counter seating surrounding the open kitchen, and you can also watch the food being cooked over the irori (sunken hearth) at the center. The lighting inside is kept low, and jazz plays in this calm, relaxed space.

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The traditional Japanese irori (sunken hearth) is made by spreading ash so charcoal or firewood can be burned in it. A specialty here is "genshi sumibiyaki (primitive charcoal grilling)," a style of cooking that grills ingredients boldly over charcoal.

Brand-name wagyu beef such as Olive Beef and Matsusaka beef, grilled over charcoal, is said to have a moist texture.

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Olive Gyu (olive-fed Wagyu) is Wagyu raised on feed mixed with pressed olive fruit, and it is known for its tenderness. On the course menu, you can enjoy beef prepared in a range of ways, including charcoal grilling, shabu-shabu, and rice cooked in a kama (iron pot).

They also offer rare wines from California, which are said to pair well with the food.

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Kagurazaka Uoteru is a restaurant near Exit A3 of Ushigome-Kagurazaka Station. It is a sister restaurant of the popular izakaya (Japanese pub) Uoteru in Roppongi, and they say you can enjoy dishes made with ingredients unique to each season.

The exterior has the look of an old folk house, with counter seating around the kitchen on the first floor and calm table seating with Sunken kotatsu seating on the second floor.

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You can enjoy genjiyaki (traditional hearth grilling), where charcoal is lit over a bed of ash and skewered fish and vegetables are arranged around it to cook.

Because the ingredients are cooked slowly over time, the fish turns out tender, and the savory aroma of the charcoal is said to bring out even more flavor.

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The food focuses on dishes that pair well with Japanese sake, from seasonal sashimi and fried items to rice cooked in a Clay Pot.

For Japanese sake, they stock well-known labels from all over Japan, including some seasonal limited editions. It is said to be just right for having drinks with close friends while taking your time and chatting.

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Kagurazaka Ika Center is well known for serving fresh ika (squid), as it ships squid landed at fishing ports around Japan directly through its own network, and the restaurant also has tanks inside where squid and fish swim.

Inside, there are various types of seating in total, including counter seats, zashiki (tatami seating), and horigotatsu (sunken floor seating), making it easy to choose seats to match the occasion. It is recommended for a Banquet with members who love seafood.

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The main menu item is "iki-ika no otsukuri (sashimi made from live squid)." They take a live squid from the tank inside the restaurant and quickly prepare it.

The translucent flesh is proof of top freshness. It is said to have just the right bite and a nice sweetness. The type of squid available changes depending on the season.

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You can enjoy squid whether it’s fried or grilled, and there are also dishes made with ika-zumi (squid ink).

The restaurant also has a full lineup of seafood dishes beyond squid. The assortment of sashimi made from fish landed that very morning is popular for letting you enjoy the fresh flavor of the fish.

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Teshigotoya Seigetsu is an izakaya about a 5-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station, with charcoal grilled robatayaki and Japanese sake as its main focus.

Guests take off their shoes before stepping up into the dining area, which has counter seats where you can sit with your legs down and tatami rooms with Sunken kotatsu seating, creating a calm Japanese modern atmosphere.

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They offer many izakaya-style dishes that pair well with Japanese sake. The menu also has a wide range of items, including grilled and fried dishes, so you can enjoy trying a variety of foods little by little.

The signature item is tsukune (chicken meatball skewers). They shape ground chicken into dumpling-like pieces on a wooden spatula and grill them over charcoal until nicely fragrant. The sweet and savory sauce is said to be very tasty.

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They have a wide selection of more than 80 kinds of Japanese sake, including rare labels that are seasonal only or available in limited quantities.

There are also several tasting sets, so you can try small pours of three kinds of Japanese sake. They also offer comparisons of the same label made with different kinds of rice.

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Karari is an izakaya (Japanese pub) near Exit 1 of Kagurazaka Station, and you can spot it by its wooden lattice door and the sugidama (cedar ball) made by rolling up cedar leaves and hanging them under the eaves.

Inside, the Japanese modern space is wrapped in warm lighting. At the counter seats, you can watch the cooking, while the table seats let you enjoy chatting with your group.

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The main draw is yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) made with fresh chicken butchered that morning. They use high quality binchotan (high-grade charcoal), which gives it a great aroma and keeps the meat juicy.

Another popular choice is mizutaki (chicken Hot Pot), a hot pot dish in which vegetables and chicken are simmered in a rich soup full of flavor drawn from the chicken.

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You can also enjoy charcoal grilled skewers and sausages made with Yonezawa-gyu (Yonezawa beef), delivered directly from a beef specialty shop in Yamagata Prefecture.

The "Yonezawa-gyu Beko Menchi" is a deep fried minced meat cutlet made with Yonezawa-gyu. Freshly fried, it is juicy with a rich sweetness from the fat, and seems to pair well with beer.

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Kagurazaka Imaiya Honten is the Kagurazaka branch of a restaurant group with multiple restaurants mainly in Tokyo, located about an 8-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station along Karukozaka.

The space has a refined Japanese modern feel. It also has counter seats and Semi-private rooms with a quiet atmosphere. It seems like a great fit for a night when you want to relax and enjoy conversation.

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The main menu features yakitori made with Hinai jidori (premium local chicken) raised in the Hinai area of Akita Prefecture. Skilled staff grill it over charcoal to bring out the full flavor of the ingredients.

It is finished with perfect grilling, and is said to taste great even with just salt.

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Hinai jidori (Akita native chicken), known for its deep red meat, firm springy texture, and sweet fat, can be enjoyed not only as yakitori, but also as Kara-age and oyako Rice bowl.

They also offer a wide range of Japanese sake, including ones from Akita Prefecture. They also have shochu and wine that pair well with yakitori.

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Located about a 4-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station on the second floor of a building, Jizake Kassai Kamozo is an izakaya with more than 120 kinds of Japanese sake.

In front of the counter seats, there is a large refrigerator case filled with many isshobin (1.8-liter sake bottles), and one of the pleasures here is said to be looking them over while finding a flavor you like.

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In addition to All you can drink Japanese sake, you can also choose specific labels and enjoy them in small amounts. If you are not sure what to pick, the owner will suggest recommended labels.

People who love Japanese sake can feel Manzoku here, and they also have sweet, lower alcohol options that are easy to drink even for beginners.

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A popular dish that also pairs well with alcohol is the “kaisen shabu-shabu (seafood shabu-shabu)” shown in the photo.

You lightly swish fresh sashimi in a pot of simmering dashi broth before eating it, which removes some of the fish’s excess fat and lets you enjoy it with a clean taste.

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Tokyo Sour Stand is a place that mainly serves sours made with shochu (Japanese distilled spirit), vodka, and other liquors mixed with soda water and fruit juice, and it is tucked down a narrow side street off Sannenzaka.

The entrance has a glass door, and some reviews said it feels easy to step in because you can see the atmosphere inside. At the U-shaped counter seats, you can also watch the sours being made.

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The main fruit sours are made to order, with the fruit cut and freshly squeezed juice added when you order.

They also have seasonal fruits available only at certain times of year, and the colorful sours are popular for their bright look as well.

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The food menu to go with the sours seems to focus on easy finger foods like cheese, nuts, and pickles.

The popular French fries let you choose either a thin long cut or a thin sliced style, and you can also customize the seasoning and toppings to your liking, with options like cheese and mustard.

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Robata Sakanamachi Gogo is a hideaway-style izakaya tucked down a narrow lane off Sannenzaka in the Kagurazaka area, where you can enjoy seasonal ingredients and Japanese sake.

Inside the renovated kominka (traditional old house), some reviews say it feels like stepping back in time to old Japan. You can also see a rare earthen hearth stove made of clay, something not often found today.

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The first otoshi (small appetizer) served is "Aburi Jimae-yaki." You can enjoy the experience of grilling vegetables and himono (dried fish) yourself over a small charcoal brazier called a shichirin (small charcoal grill).

At this restaurant, the menu centers on items that pair well with Japanese sake, such as the seasonal jizakana sashimi assortment (local fish sashimi platter) and robatayaki (charcoal hearth-grilled dishes) cooked over charcoal.

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In addition to the snack style menu items, multiple reviews also said the kama-meshi (rice cooked in a pot) is very good. It is also said to be perfect as a finishing dish after drinks.

They always stock about 35 kinds of Japanese sake, and the labels change each month, with about 10 kinds of Japanese sake also included in the All you can drink plan.

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Hakata Kushiyaki Yasai-maki Kushi Sangohachi Kagurazaka Ten is an izakaya in Kenban Yokocho in Kagurazaka. Kenban Yokocho is a stone paved street with a charming atmosphere, named after the kenban (geisha office for arranging engagements and lessons) located there.

The entrance features a tasteful wooden fence, and the interior is a stylish Japanese modern space with lively counter seating and calm Private rooms.

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This place serves popular izakaya menu items in Hakata, the center of Fukuoka Prefecture.

The specialty here is yasai-maki-kushi (vegetable wrapped skewers), made by wrapping meat around vegetables. There is a wide variety, including skewers wrapped around lettuce, cheese, and avocado. Because they are served on skewers, they are easy to eat even while chatting.

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With the course, you can enjoy Hakata motsu-nabe (Hakata-style Horumon Hot Pot), where Horumon and vegetables are simmered in a pork bone broth. People also say the ramen, cooked in the broth after finishing the ingredients, is delicious.

You can also enjoy goma saba (mackerel sashimi with sesame sauce), a Hakata specialty, as well as rice and tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet) served with mentaiko (spicy cod roe).

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Robata Sakaba Gingin is an izakaya pub known for its genshi-yaki (primitive style charcoal grilling), which is cooked over charcoal. The restaurant is located about an 8-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station, along Edogawabashi-dori.

The Japanese-modern interior has counter seats surrounding the grill and calm table seating. There is also a loft-like Semi-private room.

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"Genjiyaki (primitive grilling)," said to be one of humanity's oldest cooking methods, is a simple style of cooking ingredients over charcoal. They simply grill tasty fish that are rich with fat in that season.

The surface is said to be crisp, while the flesh stays tender and flaky. They offer more than 10 kinds of fish prepared as genjiyaki.

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The popular menu item "Beef Stew" combines beef tendon simmered for a long time with tofu. The simmering broth is said to have a deep flavor from being added to over many years.

They have about 15 kinds of Japanese sake from around Japan, which you can enjoy with dishes that pair well with Japanese sake.

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Sakaba Erubisu is an izakaya located about a 6-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station, just off Sannenzaka on a side street, and it focuses on creative Japanese cuisine and Japanese sake.

Lanterns line the entrance, and the inside also has a casual yatai (food stall)-like atmosphere, making it easy to visit even on your own.

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The restaurant's signature item is oysters, and because they serve oysters purified with deep ocean water, they say you can enjoy raw oysters with peace of mind.

You can try oysters from different production regions depending on the day, and compare oysters from all over Japan. They also offer fried oysters, grilled oysters, and oysters marinated in oil.

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The "kushikatsu" is also a popular menu item. It features vegetables, beef, seafood, and more skewered, coated with fine breadcrumbs, and deep-fried in oil. The batter is thin, so it eats lightly, and people end up having several skewers.

The alcohol menu is also well stocked with items like sours and chu-hai (shochu highballs), which you can enjoy together with snacks that pair well with drinks.

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Located just off Kagurazaka-dori on Jizozaka, Kagurazaka Torishin is a restaurant where you can fully enjoy excellent yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) with a focus on freshness and careful grilling, along with Japanese sake and wine personally selected by the owner.

The Japanese modern interior, built around white wood tones, offers a calm setting where you can relax and enjoy your food and drinks even at the counter seats.

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The chicken used for the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) is butchered that same morning. They carefully skewer each piece and grill it over high quality Kishu binchotan (premium white charcoal from Kishu).

With the skewer course, you can enjoy about five recommended chicken cuts, each with its own texture and flavor.

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In addition to yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), they also offer grilled vegetable skewers and a la carte dishes that go well with alcohol.

A popular rice dish to finish the meal is the "tori soboro-don (ground chicken Rice bowl)." The ground chicken is stir-fried and seasoned with a sweet and savory flavor, with a hint of ginger that goes well with rice.

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Kushiyaki Teppei is located on a narrow stone paved street near Sannenzaka in Kagurazaka, away from the bustle of the neighborhood, and is known as a place where you can enjoy a meal in a calm atmosphere.

The compact interior has about 16 seats and features lattice windows and a counter that reflect the restaurant’s history, creating a space with a distinctly Japanese feel.

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The yakitori here uses Akane-dori (local chicken), a jidori (premium local chicken) from Ibaraki Prefecture. It has a tender, clean taste, and when grilled over charcoal, it develops a great aroma and fills your mouth with rich flavor.

You can enjoy carefully crafted yakitori grilled by the owner, who has been cooking over charcoal for more than 45 years.

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The menu centers on an Omakase course, where you can enjoy more than 10 kinds of grilled skewers featuring various chicken cuts and vegetables, along with small dishes served in kobachi (small bowls).

They also offer a selection of drinks that pair well with yakitori, with a focus on Japanese sake. They change the Japanese sake labels with the seasons.