Buta Ichiro
Asakusabashi: Yakiton
Buta Ichiro (Asakusabashi: Yakiton)
Buta Ichiro
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Sun: Open Sundays

Charcoal-grilled skewers of pork and chicken are the main draw at this very informal after-work drinking spot, along with some decent sake and quite a bit of shochu. While there's some tatami seating upstairs, it's mainly a standing bar, well suited to dropping in for a quick drink and snack on your way home or to another bar.

Prices are very budget-friendly, with pork skewers starting at just Y100, and good value for money, although a few of the meat items may have been a bit more chewy than average. The kalbi (rib meat) and harami (tender diaphragm meat) were our favorites from the skewered-pork list, and the grilled scallops and chicken tsukune (minced chicken meatball) were also quite satisfying and nicely infused with charcoal flavors from grilling.

Pork motsu nikomi (Y290) is an excellent way to start things off while you're waiting for your meat to grill. The various organ meats are all distinctively flavored, interspersed with tasty chunks of daikon radish that have soaked up the rich broth. Overall the flavors are softer and gentler than a typical nikomi, and a good match for most drinks. The sake list is small, and focused on reliable labels like Kubota Senshu (Y590 a glass).

There are standing bars both indoor the shop and out in front, and there's a second branch with an identical menu right next door in case there's no room here. Budget around Y2000 for food and drink.

Asakusabashi
Taito-ku, Asakusabashi 1-9-9.
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Venue listing from Bento.com5 Star Rating: highly recommended