Yakitori is a must-have when in Tokyo as it is truly a local experience. For a quality, yet casual yakitori meal, try Tokyo Imaiya Honten in Marunouchi.
About Tokyo Imaiya Honton
Tokyo Imaiya Honten is located in Marunouchi Building, also known as Maru Biru, which has restaurants on 5th, 6th, 35th, and 36th floors. The restaurant offered traditional yakitori in a presentable, yet casual restaurant in the heart of Tokyo’s financial district.
There are countless of yakitori restaurants all over Tokyo and each one has their forte and specialty. At Tokyo Imaiya Honten, they do a stellar job of charcoal grilling each and every skewer to the point where it is deliciously char-grilled with the smoke flavors wonderfully in every bite. Plus, if you are looking for vegetables, the menu offers plentiful choices of grilled vegetables.
Note that reservations are strongly recommended, especially during the first turnover of weeknight dinners.
View of Tokyo Station from the window booth seats. These are typically given to those who called ahead to reserve a table, as opposed to walk-ins. You can ask your hotel’s concierge for assistance with restaurant reservations.Nama biiru, or draft beer. The fun part about yakitori dining is that it’s all about pairing drinks while eating. It is a very social type of meal to have with your companion or table. Drink and eat, eat and drink, and on and on until you are full.Welcome appetizer. While this is presented as a welcome amuse bouche, note that on your bill, there will be a service fee of about 480 yen per person – this is how the restaurant earns a bit more and justifies that extra expense with this “welcome”. So enjoy it, and don’t be surprised by this added charge.Cabbage. Order just one because the cabbage head is massive! It comes with a miso dip and a sesame dip for each person. This is a great way to open up your appetite while waiting for the yakitori orders to arrive.
Yakitori
Breast with skin and skin. The specialty of Tokyo Imaiya Honten is how intensely they grilled the yakitori to the point where every skewer really gets the char-grilled taste – and that makes it so delicious.Thighs with leeks, gizzards, and hearts. Aside from the usual meat cuts, adventure with ordering the different innards of the chicken. In a quality restaurant like this in Japan, you can surely feel safe that these are high-quality, clean chickens.Tsukune, or chicken meatballs. Each yakitori restaurant creates their own variation of tsukune in how they flavor and season the meatball itself. At Tokyo Imaiya Honten, the tsukune has a green color from added vegetables and an egg yolk for the dipping sauce.Tebasaki, or chicken wings. The restaurant only uses the flat part of the wing, as opposed to other restaurants that may include the wing tip and the drumette. Like the other chicken parts that came with the skin, you can really enjoy the taste of the seasoned, crisp char-grilled chicken.
Vegetables
Negi, or leeks. These leeks were beautifully charred from the yakitori grill so the outside was crisp while the inside was tender and thoroughly cooked through to enjoy the sweetness of the vegetable.Shishito peppers topped with bonito flakes. Japanese shishito peppers are not spicy at all (compared to US shishito peppers or the Spanish padron peppers). If you do want it spicy, sprinkle red peppers for added heat.Gingko nuts have a nice chewy nut texture when coming off the hot yakitori grill. For both chicken parts and the vegetables, all the ingredients are properly salted and seasoned to really bring out the taste everything.Asupara, or asparagus. Nicely charred from the grilled and tastefully salted to really bring out the natural sweetness of the vegetable. The best part of yakitori meals is how it is guilt free with all the vegetables healthily grilled without added oils.Shiitake mushrooms. This really highlights the taste and purity of the high-quality mushroom as it is so succulent and tender from the heat of the grill. In fact, carefully eat it as you can drink the natural mushroom broth within each mushroom cap.
Tokyo Imaiya
6F Marunouchi Building
2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Monday to Friday, 11am to 1:30pm and 4pm to 10:30pm
Saturday & Sunday, 11am to 10pm
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