Jinzaemon

Being able to enjoy both charcoal-grilled skewers and fresh seafood is reason enough to drop into Jinzaemon in Kita-Senju. The yakitori selection spans staples such as negima (chicken and scallion) and yagen cartilage to white liver, hearts, and neck, with diners noting that the white liver makes for a particularly satisfying bite. Variations like homemade chicken meatballs (tsukune) and chicken tenders (sasami) topped with wasabi or spicy cod roe (mentaiko) make working through the skewers especially engaging.

Seafood stands on equal footing with the skewers, featuring three-kind and five-kind sashimi assortments alongside octopus sashimi and horse mackerel namerou (seasoned tartare). A wide array of a la carte plates—such as beansprout teppanyaki, natto omelet, and agedashi tofu—gives groups plenty of room to mix and match dishes to everyone's tastes.

For drinks, choices range from Hoppy and draft beer to junmai sake and shochu bottle-keeps. Except on Wednesdays, the izakaya runs from 14:00 to 23:00, making it an easy option for an afternoon drink. With its lively Showa-era atmosphere, it works equally well for solo guests at the counter or groups settling in for a meal.