“Worth the Wait! Isehiro’s Charcoal-Grilled 5-Skewer Yakitori Lunch”
Founded in 1921, the long-established yakitori specialty restaurant Isehiro.
Hello there—been eating anything delicious lately?
I recently visited Isehiro, a historic yakitori restaurant within walking distance from Tokyo Station, and enjoyed their amazing yakitori rice bowl.
Inside, the smoky aroma of skewers grilling over charcoal fills the air—just that alone whets your appetite.
While their full course meals cost nearly ¥10,000, lunch starts from ¥1,800, and you can choose the number of skewers to suit your preference.
It’s a hugely popular restaurant where lines are inevitable, and there’s no shade outside while you wait, but the yakitori is worth every minute in line.
If you get the chance, definitely experience the flavors of this long-established restaurant.
Reservations are available for course meals.
| Restaurant Name | Isehiro Kyobashi Main Branch |
| Cuisine | Yakitori, Chicken Dishes, Japanese Cuisine |
| Phone | 050-5868-7687 |
| Address | 1-4-9 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Closed | Sundays & National Holidays |
| Seating | 80 seats |
| Website | https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1302/A130202/13251802/ |
This time, I had their popular lunchtime dish: the “5-Skewer Yakitori Rice Bowl” (¥2,800).
While it’s a bit of a splurge for lunch, the rice is perfectly infused with a savory-sweet sauce, making each bite satisfying until the very end. It’s a dish that lets you enjoy both the masterful technique and the quality ingredients all at once.
The five skewers—thigh, meatball (tsukune), liver, chicken breast, and skin—are slowly grilled over charcoal, each offering its own distinct aroma and texture:
- Thigh: Juicy and full of flavor, with every bite releasing rich umami
- Breast: Soft and tender, with a delicate touch of salt
- Liver: Rich yet without any off-flavor, melting in your mouth
- Tsukune (meatball): A perfect balance of charred exterior and fluffy interior, with sweet-savory sauce that pairs perfectly with rice
- Skin: Crispy and fragrant, with an irresistible aroma
The tsukune stood out the most for me—it was so good I could happily eat an entire rice bowl of it.
The accompanying chicken bone broth soup was also excellent, with a gentle, comforting flavor that warmed me from the inside out.
“This is a yakitori rice bowl worth lining up for again,” I thought to myself.
If you’re ever near Tokyo Station, I highly recommend stopping by.
