FIND YOUR TABLE
Eleven places, eleven different evenings.
Some nights call for skewers, others for shared seafood or something simmered in broth. This guide goes beyond smoking to explain what I like eating and how I use each place.
Ibushigin — Shinjuku Sanchome
A restrained name, and a surprisingly wide-ranging menu.
When we meet in Shinjuku Sanchome, the first disagreement can be whether to eat fish or meat. Ibushigin is my first suggestion for those nights. With robata-style grilled food, seafood and oden, we can share a table without everyone wanting the same dish. The menu is broader than the understated name might suggest. A first drink, then choosing dinner together, is enough of a plan.
I like pairing the smoked-mackerel potato salad with sashimi or grilled fish, so the seafood doesn’t all arrive in the same form. Other specialties include tuna served on the bone to scrape off, beef croquettes and eisbein, tender simmered pork shank. A German dish appearing here is a pleasant surprise. A restaurant that lets me switch from fish to meat midway through the menu is useful when I’m inviting friends.
With a group, a substantial dish in the middle of the table works well. If we also want oden, I leave some room rather than order everything immediately. I choose Ibushigin because I can build a meal without committing to a single specialty. Conversation continues while the grill works, then the next plate gives us something else to discuss. That’s how I like an evening in Shinjuku to begin.
- Address
- 1F, No. 5 Akashi Building, 3-8-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- A short walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Station, among the bars of Shinjuku 3-chome
- Hours
- Weekdays & days before holidays 3 pm–midnight; weekends & holidays noon–midnight
- Food highlights
- Robata-style grilling, sashimi, Kyoto-style oden & eisbein
Nihon Saisei Sakaba — Shinjuku Horumon Yokocho
Once I see the sign, I know what tonight’s meal is about.
Second is Nihon Saisei Sakaba at Shinjuku Horumon Yokocho. The large yellow sign and lanterns put me in the mood for an informal meal. I come here when I want to focus on horumon, or offal. Rather than try to work through the whole menu, I start with favorite cuts and add something that interests me. It’s worth remembering for a relaxed Shinjuku evening.
Changing cuts changes the texture and richness. I can stay with my usual preferences or try one recommended by a friend. I like beginning with a few grilled dishes, then adding another plate. Someone always spots something else later, so I leave room on the table for it.
The address is 3-6-14 Shinjuku. It’s separate from the Shinjuku 3-chome branch introduced next, so use the Horumon Yokocho sign as your meeting point. I don’t want an accidental walking tour before our first toast. When we already know what we want to eat, finding the restaurant should be straightforward.
- Address
- 3-6-14 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- About 1 minute on foot from Shinjuku-sanchome Station’s C3 Exit
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 5–11 pm; Fri 5 pm–midnight; Sat 3 pm–midnight; Sun 3–11 pm
- Food highlights
- Offal, grilled pork skewers & small plates
Nihon Saisei Sakaba — Shinjuku 3-chome
A grand name. A simple question: which skewer next?
Third is Nihon Saisei Sakaba’s Shinjuku 3-chome branch. The lanterns and broad entrance curtain look every bit the pork-skewer bar. I consider it when I want skewers and stew in Shinjuku. Liver with scallions or the five-skewer selection? I like setting aside serious conversations for an uncomplicated drink and some food.
The menu covers heart, tongue, skirt and cheek skewers, along with offal stew and boiled tongue. I can choose an assorted five-skewer plate or individual cuts, making the amount easy to adjust. Vinegared offal or lightly pickled celery changes the pace between grilled dishes. Working out the skewer count is about the level of seriousness I want from dinner.
This branch is on the first floor of the Marunaka Building at 3-7-3 Shinjuku. Keep it distinct from the Horumon Yokocho address when sending directions. I like drinking here with straightforward skewers and small plates, adding food to suit my appetite. I’d rather think about the plate in front of me than plan the next bar too early.
- Address
- 1F, Marunaka Building, 3-7-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- About 1 minute on foot from Shinjuku-sanchome Station’s C3 Exit
- Hours
- Mon–Thu & weekends 3–11:30 pm; Fri 3 pm–midnight; closed public holidays
- Food highlights
- Liver-and-scallion skewers, other pork skewers, offal stew & boiled tongue
Uokichi Sakaba — Shinjuku
In Kabukicho and in the mood for fish? Follow that instinct.
Fourth is Uokichi Sakaba in Shinjuku. I choose it when I want seafood in Kabukicho. Sashimi, grilled dishes, oden and tempura let me alternate cold and hot plates. Someone who came for fish and someone who later wants meat can both find something. That’s easier than trying to give the whole group identical tastes.
Having both sashimi and robata-style grilled food makes a seafood-centered meal easy to share. That’s why I choose Uokichi. If I want the generously topped sushi later, I avoid ordering too much rice early on. A menu full of appealing dishes needs a little coordination between the part of me ordering and the part that has to eat it all.
The address is 1-17-7 Kabukicho. Many places in this guide are over in Sanchome, so arrange to meet on the Kabukicho side for this one. I like it for a longer conversation over shared food: choose a dish, eat, talk, repeat. Staying at the same table for the meal and a cigarette helps keep the evening flowing.
- Address
- 1-17-7 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- Head toward Kabukicho from Seibu-Shinjuku Station or JR Shinjuku Station’s East Exit
- Hours
- 11 am–4 pm & 5 pm–midnight, as listed on the restaurant’s booking page
- Food highlights
- Sashimi, generously topped sushi, robata-style grilling, Kyoto-style oden & tempura
Motsunikomi Numata — Main Branch
Up the stairs, straight to the stew.
Fifth is Numata’s main branch, an offal-stew specialist upstairs in Shinjuku Sanchome. I choose it when I want stew to be the main event rather than the usual side dish. Instead of building the evening around a succession of skewers, I begin with one warming bowl. A clear reason to choose a restaurant makes inviting friends easy too.
There’s a stew seasoned with yuzu kosho, a citrus-and-chili paste, along with liver topped with scallions and boiled tongue. I like being able to center the meal on stew while enjoying other dishes. Offal in a stew creates a different evening from offal on skewers. A hot bowl naturally slows the conversation a little, and I’m happy to leave any hurry downstairs.
Starting with a stew and one other plate leaves me options for later. I prefer agreeing on the dish we most want rather than trying to sample everything at once. The restaurant is on the second floor at 3-6-3 Shinjuku. Once we’ve met near the station and found the stairs, the long debate about where to eat is over.
- Address
- 2F, 3-6-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- A short walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Station; take the stairs to the second floor
- Hours
- Weekdays 5–11 pm; weekends & holidays 1–11 pm, as listed on the booking page
- Food highlights
- Offal stew, liver with scallions & boiled tongue
Shumai no Joe — Seibu Shinjuku
Start with a steamer basket. Plan the rest afterward.
Sixth is Shumai no Joe near Seibu-Shinjuku Station. I choose it when I want dumplings rather than skewers or fish. Shumai, the open-topped steamed dumplings, are the focus. I like being able to put those on the table first and add small plates later. It’s an easy starting point when I want Chinese food without turning the evening into a grand dinner.
There are fried shumai as well as steamed ones, plus soup dumplings and gyoza. I enjoy changing the preparation instead of stopping at one kind. It’s easy to order too many similar-looking bites at once, so I keep a few choices for the next round.
The restaurant is on the ground floor at 1-21-2 Kabukicho, near Seibu-Shinjuku, which makes that side a sensible meeting point. I use it for a few people sharing different small plates and catching up. An evening without one fixed topic suits a menu I can explore gradually, moving between steamed, fried and other dishes.
- Address
- 1F, Ito Building, 1-21-2 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- Near Seibu-Shinjuku Station; a ground-floor restaurant in Kabukicho 1-chome
- Hours
- Mon 5 pm–midnight; Tue–Fri & days before holidays 5 pm–4:30 am; weekends & holidays noon–4:30 am, as listed on the booking page
- Food highlights
- Steamed and fried shumai, soup dumplings, gyoza & Chinese small plates
Hanakoma — Shinjuku
If the pot-cooked rice appeals, save room from the start.
Seventh is Hanakoma. I suggest it when I want to take my time choosing food with friends in Shinjuku Sanchome. Sashimi, grilled dishes and pot-cooked rice work for both light bites and a full meal. Private rooms make group planning easier. Even with several people, the first decision can be as simple as which plate to put in the middle.
There’s sashimi alongside grilled chicken and pork. I like being able to keep meat and seafood fans at the same table. Rice choices include spicy cod roe with whitebait and eel hitsumabushi-style rice. If someone wants rice at the end, I like to know at the beginning; enthusiasm over the starters can otherwise change the plan.
It’s at 3-6-13 Shinjuku, on the fourth floor of the Ishii Building. Other floors’ signs appear in the photo, so specify Hanakoma on the fourth. I choose it because a difference in appetites doesn’t require a change of restaurant. Everyone can choose something and share. It suits an evening without too many plans afterward.
- Address
- 4F & rooftop, Ishii Building, 3-6-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- A short walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Station; head to the Ishii Building’s fourth floor
- Hours
- 12:00–24:00
- Food highlights
- Sashimi, robata-style grilling, yakitori, pot-cooked rice & oden
Tori Tamura — Main Branch
Start with six. This is an evening for yakitori.
Eighth is Tori Tamura’s main branch. I choose it when I’ve decided to eat yakitori properly in Shinjuku Sanchome. The green curtain and yakitori sign in the photo are the landmarks. Unlike somewhere that offers every kind of seafood and meat, this is a place to build the meal around skewers. I’d rather enjoy choosing the cuts than spend ages deciding what type of dinner to have.
There’s a six-skewer course featuring cuts such as chicken and scallion, tail, gizzard, skin, liver and wing. The listed rule is a first grilled-food order of at least six skewers per person, with individual varieties ordered in pairs. Using the course as the starting point makes ordering straightforward. It suits a planned yakitori meal better than a stop for just one or two skewers.
After the first six, I can add more if I want. I appreciate having that clear starting point. I take note of the cuts I most enjoyed rather than automatically order two of everything. The address is 3-11-2 Shinjuku. Once the meeting point and first order are sorted, we can settle into the evening.
- Address
- 3-11-2 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- Near Shinjuku-sanchome Station’s C6 Exit
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 3 pm–3 am; closed Sundays & holidays
- Food highlights
- Yakitori courses: chicken and scallion, tail, gizzard, skin, liver & wings
Nice to Meat Cheese — Shinjuku
Between the skewers and stew, there’s room for cheese.
Ninth is Nice to Meat Cheese. My Shinjuku shortlist often runs toward yakitori, pork skewers and stew, but some nights I want meat and cheese. I included this place for that change of mood. The interior feels different from a traditional lantern-and-curtain izakaya too. Changing the food can change the whole feel of an evening.
Meat-and-cheese dishes and carbonara let cheese take center stage. I can add a vegetable dish alongside the meat and adjust the meal to the group. I like having that choice. As tempting as the richest dishes are, I enjoy them more when I vary the order rather than make every plate heavy from the start.
It’s on the fourth floor of the Masuzo Building at 3-9-4 Shinjuku. Even with several familiar yakitori places nearby, I sometimes want a different direction. For a shared meal, choosing one meat dish first gets the conversation going. A little restraint leaves space for the finish.
- Address
- 4F, Masuzo Building, 3-9-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- A short walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Station; fourth floor of the Masuzo Building
- Hours
- Noon–midnight, as listed on the restaurant’s booking page
- Food highlights
- Meat dishes, cheese dishes & carbonara
Odenya Takeshi — Shinjuku Sanchome
Let a bowl of oden slow the evening down.
Tenth is Odenya Takeshi in Shinjuku Sanchome. On nights when I want neither yakitori nor fried food, I choose oden. Warm ingredients simmered in broth are easy to enjoy a little at a time, without planning a huge first order. The large oden curtain outside makes the restaurant’s purpose refreshingly clear.
Takeshi uses two broths: flying-fish dashi and chicken dashi. I enjoy combining oden made with different bases. Sashimi gives me a cool plate between the warm dishes too. Even an impatient person has to pause in front of piping-hot oden. It’s a persuasive reason to take things slowly in Shinjuku.
The address is 3-6-12 Shinjuku, close to several other Sanchome places in this guide and easy to meet around. I use it for a proper meal or just a few dishes over conversation. I leave room to order more of my favorite ingredients and try not to rush the finish. That sort of evening matters to me too.
- Address
- 3-6-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- About 1 minute on foot from Shinjuku-sanchome Station’s C3 Exit
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 4–11 pm; Fri & days before holidays 4–11:30 pm; Sat 1–11:30 pm; Sun & holidays 1–11 pm
- Food highlights
- Creative oden in flying-fish or chicken broth, plus sashimi
Gin no Rikyu — Shinjuku
I planned a light drink. Then I noticed the clay-pot rice.
My eleventh choice is Gin no Rikyu in Shinjuku. I consider it when I want a substantial meat dish but don’t want to stop at skewers. Alongside the signature beef tongue, there’s sashimi, grilled skewers and clay-pot rice. A plan for “just a light bite” can change quickly when I see the rice options.
I like being able to enjoy thick-cut charcoal-grilled tongue and sashimi in the same restaurant. A cold seafood plate changes the pace between meat dishes. If there’s room, I can add skewers or tongue shabu-shabu. I start with two or three dishes rather than order every specialty at once. With a group, everyone choosing a favorite plate works well.
It’s on the third floor of the Omi Building at 1-18-13 Nishishinjuku. Open from noon until midnight, it has private rooms for gathering around the food. I find it useful when I want to stay near the station but keep talking at the same table. If clay-pot rice is the finish, I leave room early. After eleven restaurants, it may be time to trade the screen for a menu.
- Address
- 3F, Omi Building, 1-18-13 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Getting here
- About 1 minute on foot from Shinjuku Station
- Hours
- 12:00–24:00
- Food highlights
- Charcoal-grilled tongue, tongue shabu-shabu, sashimi, skewers & clay-pot rice
