Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 3 best izakayas of all time
As a local/native in Kyoto, I’ve been in search of the best izakaya (居酒屋: Japanese tavern) for as […]
Izakaya
Restaurant Review
Ura Stand, Kyoto: Chicken sashimi and kushiage at hip retro izakaya
Chicken sashimi (raw chicken) sounds impossible to eat. So does it in Japan in general. But some know […]
Restaurant Review
kitchen Bisshon, Kyoto: tachinomi izakaya pizzeria in an alleyway
Tachinomi izakaya(立ち飲み居酒屋) means a Japanese casual standing food bar. So tachinomi pizzeria, kitchen Bisshon, clearly took advantage of […]
Restaurant Review
Kyoto’s 6 best izakaya houses (kaikans)
Izakaya house (kaikan / 会館) is a machiya townhouse (machiya / 町屋) or a retro building that is […]
Restaurant Review
Kushihachi Honten: Unrivaled, Kyoto-based kushikatsu izakaya chain
Background music at Kushihachi Honten. Kushihachi (串八) is a Kyoto-based, kushikatsu (串かつ: deep-fried skewers)-focused Japanese izakaya chain. Its […]
Restaurant Review
Tenzankaku Hihi-yokocho: Japan’s longest countertop izakaya in Osaka
At retro Uehommachi Hi Hi Town (うえほんまちハイハイタウン), a Japanese underground food hall (地下飲食店街) connected to Osaka-Uehommachi Station (大阪上本町駅), […]
Restaurant Review
Shintamon Sakakura, Osaka: Malaysian Japanese tachinomi izakaya
Tachinomi izakaya(立ち飲み居酒屋) means “Japanese standing food bar” (more details). Amid a tachinomi izakaya neighborhood surrounding busy Temma Station […]
Restaurant Review
TEL AVIV: Kyoto’s Israeli izakaya restaurant downtown
TEL AVIV (テルアビブ / TEL AVIV ISRAELI STREET FOOD BAR) opened on December 1st, 2023 in Downtown Kyoto […]
Restaurant Review
Rokuzaemon, Kyoto: Speakeasy John Wick izakaya downtown
So John Wick izakaya means a Japanese izakaya (居酒屋: tavern) that looks like it could appear in the […]
Restaurant Review
Kushitatsu: Kyoto’s only whale meat restaurant in Arashiyama
As the controversy of Japan’s whale-eating culture catches international attention, there are certainly some Japanese restaurants that serve […]
Restaurant Review
Ishimaru Shoten, Kyoto: Tiki bar in the alley in Pontocho
Pontocho (先斗町) is one of the five most popular neighborhoods in Downtown Kyoto. Bars and restaurants are crammed […]
Restaurant Review
Saiko People OSAKA, Japan: Contemporary pan-Asian izakaya
Just one station away from garish, John Wick 4-featured Namba (なんば) is quiet Sakuragawa (桜川) where posh Saiko […]
Restaurant Review
Sekai No Yamachan Honten: Nagoya’s legendary izakaya chain
Sekai No Yamachan (世界の山ちゃん) is a Nagoya-based izakaya chain specializing in Nagoya comfort food. Here’s what Sekai No […]
Restaurant Review
Matsukawa Liquor Store: Kyoto’s most famous kaku-uchi izakaya
Izakaya is a Japanese tavern. Among the three kinds of izakaya, kaku-uchi (角打ち) izakaya is considered the dopest. […]
Restaurant Review
Daidokoro Tenya, Kyoto, Japan: Downright cozy izakaya
A discreet alley behind Kyoto’s poshest shopping mall ‘BAL’ is where a cozy izakaya ‘Daidokoro Tenya (台所 てんや […]
Restaurant Review
Tacofini, Osaka: Mexican Japanese taco stand izakaya
Tacofini (タコフィニ / Tacos Del Infinito) offers authentic tacos and classic izakaya repertoire with a Mexican twist. It’s […]
Restaurant Review
Umayarou, Kyoto, Japan: Horse meat izakaya
Horse bastard! That’s what Umayarou(馬野郎) means in Japanese. The name screams everything about what Umayarou has to neigh: […]
Restaurant Review
Furusato, Kyoto, Japan: “Welcome home” izakaya
The syncretic Japanese promised land Furusato (ふる里) offers authentic Japanese homespun meals. How about some whale bacon? “Welcome […]
Restaurant Review
Ikura Mokuzai, Kyoto, Japan: Understated, lumber supplier izakaya
Who knew a lumber supplier could supply exquisite Japanese seafood? It’s so Kyoto. In Kyoto, being understated seems […]
Restaurant Review
Aketotemoro, Kyoto, Japan: WTH izakaya
A contemporary izakaya with a red light. Japanese bar food at its best. A red light at Aketotemoro. […]
Restaurant Review
Koin Agaru, Kyoto, Japan: Exquisite pork butakushi in the ’80s dreamy vibe
Japanese pork skewer (butakushi) izakaya, Koin Agaru, offers bistro-esque Japanese contemporary dishes. It is to savor pork tongue […]
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Izakaya, explained: There are only 3 types, after all
There are just so many izakayas in Japan. The article explains 10 most common izakaya types and 3 […]
Restaurant Review
Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, Japan: The Kill Bill restaurant
In the most expensive neighborhood in Tokyo, legendary Japanese izakaya Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu, also known as the Kill Bill […]
Restaurant Review
Izakaya Toyo, Osaka, Japan: The flamethrower chef from Netflix
The legendary izakaya/street food vendor in Japan’s third biggest city Osaka, Izakaya Toyo, offers drop-dead local Japanese seafood […]
Restaurant Review
Endo Shoten, Kyoto, Japan: Under-the-radar bookstore izakaya
An independent bookstore, Endo Shoten, is by far the most under-the-radar izakaya restaurant in Kyoto City. The izakaya […]
Restaurant Review
Muraya, Kyoto, Japan: Akira-esque cyberpunk izakaya “in da hood”
In an edgy neighborhood, Sakyo Ward known as a “makai” (hell or demon world in Japanese), cyberpunk izakaya […]