There was a shop in Shinjuku that was closing down, so I lined up but they were already sold out, so I gave up. With little time left for lunch, I stumbled upon this place. They offered a lunch set with fried chicken for 550 yen. The sign was unlike any I had seen before, not indicating a new opening. I wondered if they had just started serving lunch. As I descended the stairs to the underground location around 12:30, there were a few customers already seated and no one waiting. The interior was like a typical izakaya, with dim lighting creating a calm atmosphere. Looking at the lunch menu again, I noticed that the fried chicken was notably cheap compared to other options like katsudon or oyakodon which were around 800 yen. I decided to go with the fried chicken. You could add sauce for an additional 110 yen, but I opted to have it without. In less than 10 minutes, my meal was served. The fried chicken pieces were a reasonable size, with a crispy coating and juicy chicken thigh meat. Oh, this is really delicious. Despite the simple sides of cabbage and miso soup, this set meal was very satisfying. Considering its location near Shinjuku Station, it was even more impressive. (August 2022)

K-san, who was transferred to the Shinjuku headquarters, had a farewell party arranged by I-san, who was already transferred. Despite the lively atmosphere of the neighboring customers (probably students), we had to speak with a considerable volume. However, we had a fun time, with Y-san getting excited about the same TV show as I-san. The food exceeded expectations, but due to the lively conversation, we ended up ordering less than we expected. The dishes included a special assorted skewer set, edamame, crispy cabbage, Oshu Mitori chicken gyoza, and Marukin soy sauce fried chicken. The bill for four people came to ¥16,770.

I wasn't in the mood, but I was invited so I went. All-you-can-drink for 2 hours for 1,650 yen is written on the storefront. Met inside the store. Ordered a draft beer. Then the staff told me that I need to order 2 or more dishes per person that cost over 400 yen each... Is it okay not to write that on the storefront? Cheers! Tofu was served as a starter. The potato fries on the menu were supposed to be thin, but thick with skin arrived. When I asked the staff, they said they didn't have the thin ones in stock. If only they had mentioned it when I ordered... Other dishes were just reheated frozen foods. I stopped taking photos. At this rate, even without the pandemic, chain izakayas will be an endangered species. Thank you for the meal ♡

This is Toriten located at Shinjuku Nishiguchi. I visited this place to eat yakitori, but on this day I was in a drunken mode so I didn't take any photos of the appetizers and first drink. The interior of the restaurant has a counter right from the entrance, and it feels a bit dark and cramped. They took care of our belongings at the front counter. I noticed that compared to the Nihonbashi main store, this place has become more like a bar. I found out that the Nihonbashi main store had already closed on that day. The appetizer for the day was oboro tofu, and we toasted with Super Dry beer. I was a bit disappointed by the beer mug with foam stuck inside, it reminded me of a Chinese restaurant. So, I decided to order a bottle and use the same glass for drinking. With a clean glass, I could drink without any worries. We had some light dishes like yakitori and pickles, and enjoyed drinking with two older gentlemen at the counter.

After having tempura, we visited this place. It was the day after a holiday and all the restaurants were packed, but we finally managed to get a table here. It seems like this place has been in business at this location for a long time. I had been here before, and it seems to have become more popular since then. This was our second stop, but I couldn't find anything I really wanted to eat or drink. Even though I was full, I still wanted something to eat, but there wasn't anything that caught my eye. The taste was neither good nor bad.

I left Shinjuku Station's west exit and headed towards the Koshu Kaido direction. This restaurant is located very close to Keio Department Store. I decided to stop by for a light drink. I started with a glass of draft beer to cheers. Cold beer always tastes good no matter when you drink it. I enjoyed some tofu as a starter while sipping my beer. Instead of chicken, I ordered pickles and cucumbers as my side dish. At my age, this kind of light meal is just right for a casual drink. I switched from beer to a highball and also ordered a dashimaki tamago. The warm and fluffy rolled omelette was delicious. I didn't order the famous dishes like yakitori or chicken nanban, but I was very satisfied with the reasonable prices and the variety of drinks.

After watching the World Cup on Saturday night, I made a detour to Shinjuku. After drinking plenty of beer at the stadium, I continued drinking in Shinjuku. There were many people who had also watched the rugby match, including foreigners. I didn't have much time before the last train, so I went to a restaurant near the station. The underground restaurant was almost full, with many people who had just watched the rugby match. I managed to get a seat at a table and ordered a lemon sour to drink. I didn't feel like having beer anymore. The appetizer was chilled tofu, warm and sweet, very delicious. Since we were two old men, we ordered the following: a set of 6 skewers for 880 yen, hot chicken soup dumplings for 580 yen, and crispy cabbage for 390 yen. The skewers were delicious, including thigh meat, gizzards, skin, heart, quail eggs, and one more that I forgot. The soup dumplings were frozen but had plenty of meat juice, which was good. The cabbage with garlic miso and tangy sauce was enjoyable with two different flavors. Overall, everything was delicious. I was tired and got drunk quickly, so I ended the meal with two lemon sours. Thank you for the meal.

While wandering around Nishi-Shinjuku, I stumbled upon this restaurant. It's located underground but has a visible sign outside, making it easy to find, and the atmosphere inside is nice. I had heard from a friend that the food was delicious, so I had some expectations. The place was moderately busy but had some empty seats when I visited on a Wednesday around 8 pm. I was seated at a table right away. I started with a classic ginger highball and a plate of 6 yakitori skewers. I also ordered chicken sashimi, oyakodon, tsukune (meatballs), umeshiso tsukune, and gyoza with wings. I was pleasantly surprised to find freshly grated ginger in my ginger highball, which was a nice touch. The restaurant also offered a variety of cocktails, and I tried the grapefruit and peach flavored ones, both of which were delicious with lots of frozen fruit. The yakitori skewers included bonjiri, gizzard, skin, liver, thigh, and quail (though there was no explanation). The bonjiri had some cartilage, which I'm not a fan of, and the quail eggs were a bit strong in flavor, but overall, the chicken dishes were tasty. The chicken sashimi was particularly good and not something you see often on menus. The tsukune meatballs were juicy and flavorful. The total cost for 2 people, with 4 drinks and 6 dishes, was around 7,000 yen, which wasn't super cheap but considering the quality of the food and drinks, it was worth it.

I went on a regular night. The shop was not too big, not too noisy, just right. Mostly office workers finishing work. The menu was diverse and enjoyable to choose from. The food was warm and delicious, including yakitori, rolled omelette, and fried long yam as small dishes. There were plenty of vegetable options, and the pickled Chinese cabbage was recommended. Three of us, who don't drink much, spent about 9,000 yen. There was a time limit, but it was an easy-going place to visit.

The chicken is so delicious that I might end up overeating!! I will definitely visit again!!

The quality and price don't match. I went for a second round on Friday night, and it was empty. However, I had to wait 15 minutes in front of the restaurant and another 30 minutes to get seated. The food was slow to come out, there were order mistakes, and the cost performance was poor. I don't think I will come back again.

I visited after work.

After the matchmaking party, just the two of us. Neither good nor bad.

It seems like my order was not taken correctly, but the staff apologized and even served me tea while I waited. I think the issue may have been with the ordering system rather than the restaurant itself. The service was good. However, the takeout containers are prone to sauce spills.

There are two Toritetsu restaurants near Shinjuku. It seems like a popular chain, similar to Tsukada Nojo based on the menu. The cabbage appetizer was nothing special and could have been more generous for the price of 300 yen. The Cola Highball for 380 yen tasted more like cola with little whiskey flavor. The tsukune was 200 yen and the chicken skin and thigh were 130 yen each. The tsukune could have been larger for the price. It had a nice texture despite some burnt parts. The thigh was tender but lacked juiciness. The skin was salty and crispy, a good value for the price.

"I stopped by because they advertised 'All yakitori for 99 yen' and wanted to have a casual drink. Each yakitori was cooked just right, but overall, they were too salty. The meat and flavors were good, but overshadowed by the excessive salt. The quail eggs and liver were tasty, but again, too salty. However, the 'Torinamban' stood out as a shining recommendation on the touch panel. It was delicious with a refreshing taste and tender meat. The tartar sauce with plenty of finely chopped onions was slightly sour and complemented the dish well. I recommend trying it. The hot lemon sour drink was perfect for the cold weather, providing a pleasant buzz. The alcohol content was strong, so be careful. Next time, if you decide to go, order with less salt. Overall rating: 5 stars out of 5. Taste: 3 stars (salty yakitori, but delicious Torinamban). Service: 3 stars (friendly staff). Value for money: 3 stars. Conclusion: If you have the chance, try it with less salt next time. Thank you for the meal!"

Shinjuku Nishiguchi, located in the basement of the building of Daily Yamazaki Shinjuku Express Bus TM store. When you go down the stairs, you will find the entrance to the shop. It was my first visit around 8 p.m. on a weekday. Upon entering the shop, it felt a bit dark. Although there were empty tables, I was guided to the counter seats on the left side. I started with a draft beer (616 yen). The lighting was dim, so I couldn't take a good picture. The atmosphere was nice. After a while, the appetizer (324 yen x 2) was served. It was chilled tofu, quite delicious and satisfying. Although the menu was hard to read in the dim light, I ordered a set of 10 assorted skewers (1685 yen). I also ordered the spicy cucumber salad (410 yen), but the picture I took was dark and not clear. However, it was refreshing and tasty. For my second drink, I had a highball (410 yen). When the yakitori arrived, with 10 skewers, it was quite fulfilling. Personally, I enjoyed the tsukune, chicken skin, and vegetables. The cigarette smoke from the neighboring menthol cigarette was a bit strong at the counter seats, but I had a delicious and satisfying yakitori meal. If I have the chance, I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal.

In mid-August 2015, ramen is the perfect way to end a visit drinking party. At this place, you can have your ramen right after finishing your drink. This restaurant is known for its chicken white broth ramen, so I decided to give it a try. After about 10 minutes, the hot chicken white broth ramen arrived. It came with two small slices of chashu, green onions, boiled egg, menma, and a surprising addition of Korean seaweed. The soup had a strong chicken flavor and was light and mild. The noodles were medium-thin and straight. The chashu was smoked chicken, which was unexpected but surprisingly good. I finished the soup completely. However, adding rice to make it into porridge or adding an egg and rice to make it like a risotto might have made it even more delicious. I made a little mistake...