Local Guide
Five recommended izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) in Gotanda where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks

Gotanda has a strong image as a business district. In fact, it is dotted with izakayas where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks at reasonable prices. Here are five recommended izakayas loved by locals, ranging from red-lantern taverns that retain the good old atmosphere of the Showa period to izakayas where you can enjoy authentic ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurant) food in a casual atmosphere.

Public bar with a taste of the Showa era

A hearty
A hearty "Meat Tofu" for 500 yen

This is a red-lantern type of popular tavern located in the Higashi-Gotanda area. Many longtime fans visit the restaurant, which has the same Showa-era atmosphere that has remained unchanged since its opening.
The specialty is a plate full of "Meat Tofu. The onions and pork, stained reddish brown in the soup stock, have been slowly stewed to deeply imbue the dish with flavor. Since it is served immediately after ordering, it is a good idea to order sake and meat tofu first and then think about what to order next. All menu items are generous in volume and reasonably priced at around 500 yen.

A wide variety of alcoholic beverages, including locally brewed sake

The walls of the restaurant are lined with a variety of menu items. A cozy atmosphere of an izakaya with a tasteful atmosphere crowded with customers.
The walls of the restaurant are lined with a variety of menu items. A cozy atmosphere of an izakaya with a tasteful atmosphere crowded with customers.

The teppan menu, which is essential for sake, such as motsuyaki and motsu nimono, is also well stocked. There is also a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, including local sake, shochu, and shochu-hi, all of which make the food even more enjoyable.
Also, at lunch time, you can enjoy hearty set menus such as sashimi and grilled fish for around 1,000 yen.
The restaurant is run by a couple who have worked together since their days as company employees at a liquor store. The restaurant's unchanged atmosphere and the nostalgic taste of its food make customers feel relaxed and at ease.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to the regular menu, a blackboard hanging in the restaurant offers a menu of dishes using seasonal ingredients. Please note that payment is cash only.
Asari
  • address (e.g. of house) 2-4-5 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 5 min. walk from JR, Tokyu, and Toei Subway Gotanda Sta.
  • Business Hours Monday-Saturday 11:30-13:30, 17:00-23:00
  • Closed Sunday, Holidays
  • TEL 03-3441-0839
  • Parking None
  • Memo Payment by cash only

Don't miss the famous stewed beef tendon with tomato sauce!

From right to left:
From right to left: "Stewed beef tendon with tomato sauce" 473 yen, "Garlic toast (2 pieces)" 220 yen

A popular bar that is crowded with the businessmen of Gotanda. The bar menu is centered on yakitori (grilled pork belly) and includes sashimi, homemade dishes, and more.
The famous "Beef Stew with Tomatoes" is made with wagyu beef stewed in a broth with paprika and chili peppers, giving it a sweet and spicy flavor that is somewhat exotic. It is recommended to order it together with garlic toast and dip it in the soup.
The alcohol menu, including sours, hoppies, and highballs, is served separately, so you can adjust the strength of the alcohol to your liking.

Excellent stewed dishes that incorporate Filipino cooking methods

There is seating at the counter, and dishes can be ordered in half-size portions, making it easy to enjoy a quick drink by yourself.
There is seating at the counter, and dishes can be ordered in half-size portions, making it easy to enjoy a quick drink by yourself.

The owner's wife, the proprietress, is from the Philippines. All of the stewed dishes were born from ideas she got while visiting the Philippines. In the warm climate of the Philippines, ingredients are slow-cooked and vinegar is added to enhance their preservation. The menu item "Braised Pork Belly," which incorporates this cooking method, is a dish in which vinegar tenderizes the meat and at the same time accentuates the flavor. The mild-tasting "Coconut Stew," which uses coconut milk to stew pork and bell peppers, is also so popular that it sells out as soon as it appears on the menu.

Local Guide Comment
The restaurant opens at 4:30 p.m. and is always full with regulars of all ages. Many fans say that you cannot miss Kanemasa in Gotanda, and it has long been a favorite among locals for its inexpensive and delicious food.
Yakiton Bar Kanemasa
  • address (e.g. of house) Ishizuka Building 1F, 2-6-1 Nishi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from Toei Subway Gotanda Station
    3 minutes walk from JR Gotanda Station
    5 minutes walk from Tokyu Gotanda Station
  • Business Hours Mon-Sat, eve of national holidays: 16:30-23:30 (L.O. 23:00)*Sun & national holidays: ~22:30 (L.O. 22:00)
  • Closed Open all year round
  • TEL Phone: +81-3-3495-4677
  • Parking None

Don't miss the light fried horse mackerel with a "weightless" texture!

The photo shows
The photo shows "half-boiled" fried horse mackerel for two (2 pieces for 1 person = 1,280 yen); you can also order "half-boiled" and "fully-boiled" for one person each.

This popular izakaya offers dishes centered on bluefish such as horse mackerel, mackerel, and sardines. A stylish space can be found downstairs in the basement of the Nishi-Gotanda building. The signature menu item is fried horse mackerel with the catchphrase "zero weight. There are two types: "semi-mature," which is moist and rare, and "fully mature," which is deep-fried thoroughly, allowing you to enjoy different textures. The most popular is the "half-boiled" type, which is deep-fried for 30 seconds. The harmony of the crispy batter and rare horse mackerel is irresistible. It is recommended to enjoy it first with salt wasabi, then with homemade chives and soy sauce, or tartar sauce to change the taste.

Match sake with the abundant snack menu, which mainly consists of blue-fish.

The restaurant sources horse mackerels directly from Matsuura, Nagasaki Prefecture, which is known as the
The restaurant sources horse mackerels directly from Matsuura, Nagasaki Prefecture, which is known as the "holy land of fried horse mackerels.

The signature horse mackerel is mainly from Matsuura, Nagasaki Prefecture, for its meaty texture and deep flavor. In addition to fried horse mackerel, you can enjoy a wide variety of menu items using bluefish, such as "Aomori," an assortment of six kinds of bluefish sashimi, seared mackerel sushi, and potato salad with heshiko (mackerel or other bluefish pickled in salt). Sake is recommended to go with these dishes. The owner selects a brand of sake for each season. Reservations are essential as the restaurant is very popular. If you plan to visit on the day of your visit, it would be best to come right after the restaurant opens.

Local Guide Comment
If you like sake, be sure to try "Saba de Shu," a sake made especially for saba (mackerel). It has a pleasant acidity and goes well with rich mackerel dishes.
Sake and snacks Aomon
  • address (e.g. of house) B1F KK Building, 2-31-4 Nishi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 5 min. walk from JR Gotanda Station
    5 min. walk from Tokyu Osaki-Hirokoji Station
  • Business Hours 17:30-23:30 (L.O. 22:30)
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 03-6417-0636
  • Parking None

Preserving the taste of the restaurant's founding days, only one skewer of beef halami is available per person.

The
The "Beef Halami Kushiyaki" (front) comes with potato salad and costs 990 yen per skewer. Ordering is limited to one skewer per person. Seared beef heart (back) is also popular.

This austere-looking izakaya is located in a back alley near Gotanda Station, and some of its regular customers have been coming every week for over 40 years since it opened in 1979. The signature dish is the "Beef Harami Kushiyaki" made from Japanese Wagyu beef. It is grilled rare and offers a delicious red-meat-like flavor. The founder of the restaurant noticed the beef halami (diaphragm), which was not so popular in the 1980s, and put it on the menu. The taste from the time of its founding has been carried over to this day. The restaurant also offers a wide variety of dishes using domestic Wagyu beef, such as the "Beef Nankotsu Kushiyaki" and "Beef Tail Soup Ojiya" that are very popular.

A wide selection of authentic sweet potato shochu from Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures

The names of regular customers are written from wall to ceiling, indicating that the restaurant has been well-loved for a long time.
The names of regular customers are written from wall to ceiling, indicating that the restaurant has been well-loved for a long time.

The name of the restaurant, "Nichinan," comes from Nichinan City in Miyazaki Prefecture, the hometown of the founder's wife. For this reason, bottles of authentic sweet potato shochu from Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures line the walls of the store. The lineup includes rare brands rarely seen in Tokyo, making it a must for shochu lovers. It is a good idea to order two or three beef skewers and enjoy authentic sweet potato shochu slowly and carefully. The signature grilled beef halami skewers are inevitably sold out, so be sure to enter early to place your order.

Local Guide Comment
Nichinan's famous "wine-wari" drink is made by mixing the shochu "KINMIYA" with white wine. The ratio is 70% Kimmiya: 30% white wine. Try it if you are a strong drinker!
Kushiyaki Shochu Nichinan
  • address (e.g. of house) 1-13-6 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 3 min. walk from JR, Tokyu, and Toei Subway Gotanda Sta.
  • Business Hours 18:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:00)
  • Closed Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays
  • TEL 03-3449-4425
  • Parking None

An authentic Japanese izakaya located in "Gotanda Hills

Grilled fish skewers (left), from front to back: mackerel, tuna brain, and salmon fillet (200 yen each). Peachy
Grilled fish skewers (left), from front to back: mackerel, tuna brain, and salmon fillet (200 yen each). Peachy" (right) is 300 yen per skewer.

This 8-seat izakaya with a counter seating capacity is located in Gotanda Hills, a popular spot in Gotanda with a high concentration of snack bars. The dishes prepared by the owner, who trained at a ryotei restaurant in Akasaka, are reasonably priced yet delicately flavored. The owner's experience is especially utilized in the grilled fish skewers. Rare parts of tuna, salmon fillets, mackerel, and other items are purchased directly from an acquaintance who works at the Toyosu market, allowing diners to enjoy the difference in ingredients. Another popular item among regular customers is the "Peachy". The perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness will surely make you addicted to this skewer.

Japanese dishes such as chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and dashimaki tamago (rolled egg) are also popular.

The restaurant has an L-shaped counter with eight seats. Customers are moderately close to each other, creating an at-home atmosphere that encourages spontaneous conversation.
The restaurant has an L-shaped counter with eight seats. Customers are moderately close to each other, creating an at-home atmosphere that encourages spontaneous conversation.

The owner, who started his career as a chef at the age of 20, is a talented chef who has experienced all aspects of cooking at a ryotei restaurant, including grilling, frying, boiling, and working in the kitchen. His skills are highlighted in his Japanese dishes such as chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and dashimaki tamago (rolled egg), all of which are popular among regular customers. The celebrity autographs that fill the restaurant's interior also attest to the reputation of the restaurant's proven skills. If you make a reservation in advance, they can also arrange for off-menu nabe dishes. Why not stop by as your first stop in Gotanda Hills?

Local Guide Comment
The best part of Gotanda Hills, where Bitei is located, is that you can enjoy "Hashigo-no-Drinking. It is a good idea to try out several restaurants starting with Bitei.
Bitei
  • address (e.g. of house) River Light Building 1F, 1-9-3 Nishi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from JR Tokyu Gotanda Station
    3 min. walk from Toei Subway Gotanda Station
  • Business hours 17:00 - 24:00
  • Closed Sunday
  • TEL 090-3547-2661
  • Parking Charged (building shared)

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.