I stopped by Iseya in Kichijoji in search of a cold beer. First, I poured a cup of Sapporo Red Star beer from the large bottle, enjoying the refreshing hop bitterness. Next, I ordered the famous meat shumai, which perfectly complements the crisp beer. Originating from a butcher shop, the juicy pork filling in the shumai is truly delicious. Then, I ordered a variety of yakitori skewers, including pork liver, pork heart (x2), and pork cartilage (x2), each offering a satisfying chewiness and rich pork flavor. The Red Star beer paired perfectly with each skewer. Finally, I enjoyed the chilled chicken dish, where steamed chicken thigh meat is chilled and served with a refreshing salty broth. The broth, infused with citrus flavors, eliminates any unpleasant raw meat smell, allowing the tender chicken to be savored with each bite. Iseya understands the characteristics of meat and offers delicious dishes that bring out the best flavors. It's a place I would love to visit even in the summer.

I visited Kichijoji, a place full of memories from my student days. After 40 years, I went to Iseya, which still had a thick cloud of smoke inside. For those born in the Showa era, having beer and grilled chicken from noon feels familiar. The jazz cafes in Kichijoji may have disappeared, but Iseya remains unchanged. I hope they continue to operate forever.

The customer service was as usual. The way they grill the beef really makes a difference. It needs to be cooked slowly to bring out the best flavor. It's quite difficult to get it just right. Today's was a bit lacking... It really depends on the distance from the fire. But the quality of the meat (100 yen per stick) is amazing, so paying attention to that will make it even better. Oh, the tongue was really good. The seasoning was perfect and it had a great chewy texture. Well, even though the customer service may not be great, I'll probably go back. Thank you for the meal.

On this day, I went to Iseya, a long-established yakitori restaurant beloved in Kichijoji. They offer reasonably priced yakitori, which is why it's always crowded with locals and tourists. The skewers are very affordable at only 100 yen each! However, when I went there late, many items were sold out. They only had chicken wings, tsukune, heart, and white meat, and I couldn't try the tongue or head that I wanted to eat. The simmered dishes and homemade shumai were served quickly after ordering, and they had a homely taste that was comforting. In the end, I might have enjoyed these dishes more than the skewers, which were priced accordingly. The restaurant is always lively and bustling, and even though the food was just okay, it put me in a good mood. Sometimes, it's nice to visit such places just for the atmosphere!

In the evening, I felt like having a light drink, or rather, I suddenly craved for yakitori, so I went to "Isaya Sohonten" in Kichijoji. I've been to the meat shop in the basement and the Inokashira Park branch before, but it was my first time at the main store. The red lantern looked nice, and the sign of "Isaya" on the wall was quite eye-catching, but it was gone... I waited for about 5 minutes, and they quickly showed me to a table. The air conditioning was not working on the first floor, but it couldn't be helped. A draft beer and yakitori in this heat, perfect! However, they were already sold out of bonjiri, kashira, chicken skin, and cartilage... I really wanted to eat those four types... Oh well, I couldn't help it, so I ordered hinaidori, liver, tsukune, tebasaki, one cucumber, kimchi, and motsu stew. The lively atmosphere was great! It was really hot, but that was also fine! The smoke stuck to my clothes, but that was also fine! A typhoon is approaching, but today's weather was nice. On the way back, I pedaled my bike unsteadily, slightly tipsy.

Grilled skewer set with 2 additional skewers. Shochu carbonated set, total of about ¥1500 for chu-hai. Very easy to drink. It can get quite crowded at times, but you can usually get a seat if you wait a bit. Depending on the wind direction, you might get hit by the smoke from the grill. It's like the "Hot Limit" version of getting smoked out. Speaking of which, even though I hardly studied, I used to go to Toho High School during my high school days. I often saw it from the bus since it faced the main road. I've reached the age where I can watch things from the window. Definitely worth getting smoked out for!

I finally went to Iseya, which I had been longing to visit after being inspired by Yoshida Rui. The exterior has a charming atmosphere that is hard to describe! The yakitori was surprisingly light with both salt and tare. We also ordered shumai, simmered dishes, raw guts, and grilled corn. I thought we ordered too much, but it was just over 5,000 yen for two people. Cheap. It's a great restaurant. I want to go again!

Shochu and soda with plum syrup on the table is the best drink here. That's why I come to this place. The staff is still not very friendly, but that's understandable given the environment they work in. I used to be able to eat yakitori here, but now it's hard to finish anything other than tsukune. Shochu, soda x2, 4 tsukune for 1,200 yen. It's cheap. It would be unfair to expect more.

The famous Iseya restaurant. Disappointed. The skewers all seemed a bit overcooked. The liver was a bit dry, and the pork cheek was too fatty. The lemon sour and oolong high were surprisingly lacking in alcohol taste. People who want to drink should probably order shochu and mix it with soda or something. The staff were also unfriendly, so I won't be visiting again.

Since Masatoshi Nakamura appeared as a young man in the "Oretachi no" series, if you want to drink and have yakitori in Kichijoji, Iseya is the place to go. The yakitori is cheap and delicious. If you're looking for a place with lots of smoke, this is it. If you're a fan of Akahoshi's Sapporo beer, this is a rare spot. The famous dishes like shumai and simmered dishes are still popular. Drinking and eating these is what makes you a true lover of Kichijoji's nightlife.

Here at Kichijoji Station, if you look towards Inokashira Park from the signal in front of Kichijoji Station, you should see smoke. When it comes to having a casual drink in Kichijoji, I have always had the image of Hamonica Yokocho in mind, so this was my first visit here. I thought about having a standing drink, but it was full. However, there was an empty seat at the counter, so I sat down. Oh, the moment I sat down, smoke stung my eyes. First, I ordered a beer and some shumai. I have eaten shumai at other branches before, and it was really meaty and delicious. For grilled items, I chose hinadori with salt and kashira with sauce. Hinadori was light and delicious. And the deliciousness of kashira was even better, with plenty of fat and a wonderful grilled finish. The sauce was also flavorful, truly impressive. I added a shochu highball for my drink. There was a familiar yellow syrup for Tokyo's shochu highball, and it was self-service. Regular customers order shochu and soda and mix it themselves. This might be the classic order here. It was a wonderful place where you can experience a down-to-earth atmosphere in a fashionable Kichijoji.

When it comes to yakitori in Kichijoji, the famous restaurant Iseya is well-known. I always avoided it because it's always crowded and has a strong image of standing drinking on the first floor, but I decided to try going in around 4pm on a Sunday, thinking it might not be as busy at that odd time. When I arrived at the store, there was a line forming outside and a sign on the stairs to the second floor saying "full," so I thought I might have to wait, but I remembered someone's review saying "you can enter the second floor without waiting," so I boldly climbed the stairs. To my surprise, there were more than half of the seats empty, and I was able to enter right away. It seems like they forgot to remove the "full" sign, and after that, more and more customers came in. The second floor of the main store has a cozy tatami room that is comfortable. Despite being renovated, it has a charming design. There were foreign tourists and families, and the atmosphere was more relaxed than I expected, so I was able to relax. I ordered "homemade shumai," "grilled corn," "raw vegetables," and yakitori. There were many items sold out on this day, so there were only 4 types from the mix I ordered at first and chicken wings left, I think? It seems like they sell out quite early. The taste was decent. However, it's nice that they offer it at this price in Kichijoji, and overall, the atmosphere of the restaurant is enjoyable. The visual of the "raw vegetables" is quite appealing. With a limited menu, it may be difficult to use it as a main meal, but it seems suitable for use as a first place to guide friends around Kichijoji.

Two deaf people visited the restaurant. The staff provided excellent service for the deaf customers, and we were happy to see a staff member who could communicate using sign language. The cost performance, taste, atmosphere, and staff were all excellent. We will definitely visit again!

(Adventure in Koenji and a Wild Night 1/4) The other day, we explored (bar-hopped) Kinshicho, and now for this plan!? it's an adventure in Koenji. After several meetings with a senior acquaintance, we selected the candidate shops to visit. And today, of course, I'm going with my senior acquaintance, "Adventure in Koenji!" Work for the day ended in the morning, and we headed to the location from noon. But before that, since we were going in this direction, my senior acquaintance suggested visiting the long-established yakitori restaurant, "Iseya," here in Koenji. So, we first landed in Kichijoji and headed to the main store of "Iseya"! We arrived at the restaurant at 13:20. Maybe? Unlike in the past, the visited shop is very clean. On top of that, it's now part of a condominium. The residents must have the option of bathing in the smoke of yakitori every day, right?! Amazing! It was very hot on the day of the visit, so we chose a cooler spot on the second floor instead of the open space on the first floor. Saving energy. We looked at the menu and ordered the following: [Menu for this time] - Sapporo Lager (large bottle) 600 yen - Hokkaido Corn Tea Highball 400 yen x 2 - Liver 100 yen x 2 - Quail 100 yen x 2 - Tsukune 100 yen x 2 - Cold tofu 300 yen - Homemade shumai 360 yen Cheers to the start of the adventure in Koenji! However, we started from Kichijoji. First, we ordered a large bottle of Akahoshi, which is delicious! And then we ordered the rare drink, Hokkaido Corn Tea Highball. The corn tea has the aroma of roasted tea at the beginning, and when you drink it, the shochu is incredibly strong! It's dangerously strong. And finally, the aroma of roasted tea returns. We had to drink it little by little... [Yakitori] We asked for 5-6 types of yakitori, but they asked, "Is it okay to have 2 of each?" Wait, it's not more than 2, but you get 2 pieces of one yakitori! I see, it's common for a famous shop. And the narrowed-down menu is as follows. Looking back, we should have gone for the 4-piece assortment... [Liver] Well-cooked, I met a well-cooked liver after a long time. However, when you chew it, the umami and flavor of the liver appear. [Quail] Breast meat, with a firm and crunchy texture. When you chew it, you can taste the light flavor of the chicken. Delicious! [Tsukune] The charcoal! Pleasant! A plump chicken dumpling with a slightly strong soy sauce or sauce. You can also feel the alcohol! As expected, the sauce with a strong sweetness is fascinating to me! [Cold tofu] The tofu is firm. Does it have the scent of soybeans? It's delicious tofu♪ Bonito flakes! The shredded radish is good, it's delicious! The abundant green onions as a garnish also have a nice crunchy texture♪ [Homemade shumai] Fluffy and soft! There is a light seasoning, and it's delicious to eat as it is or with just mustard on top! [One recommendation for this time] - Shumai! The homemade shumai is delicious, as expected. [Editor's note] - Visit time Eatery Score: 3.49 - The table we sat at was wobbly, moving depending on the weight applied... - Thank you for the taste of a famous shop. [Rating for this time] Overall: 3.2 Taste: 2.5 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 3.5 Value: 3.5 Drink: 3 Thank you for the delicious food. It was a feast. Next time, let's eat in the hazy place on the first floor! Koenji, here we come!

Musashino City, Tokyo, Gotenyama. A landmark longstanding yakitori restaurant in Kichijoji. Established in 1928 as a butcher shop. Started as a yakitori and izakaya from 1958. Reopened in a new building in 2008 maintaining the image of the old store. Located near Kichijoji Station on the Chuo and Sobu lines, and Keio Inokashira Line. Along the Kichijoji Street. Known to many as it has been featured in the media. When it comes to Kichijoji specialties, there's "Satou" for menchi, "Kosaza" for monaka and yokan, and "Iseya" of course. The second stop on a Kichijoji tour must be here! I used to live about a 10-minute walk away until junior high, so I remember coming here with my parents on Sundays. Around 3 PM on weekends, there were still empty seats on the second floor. But by the time we left around 5 PM, there was a line of about 20 people inside and outside the store. Lucky timing! Paid after ordering orally. Today's order: Homemade shumai x2, Tuna sashimi, Bonjiri x6, Liver x2, Kashira x2, Tebasaki x2, Negiyaki x2, Draft beer x6, Lemon sour x2, Setouchi lemonade squash, Hokkaido corn tea, Orange juice, Cola. The homemade shumai, a big size of 3 pieces per plate, was a hit with my companion who even ordered an extra plate. Yakitori is 100 yen per skewer, so it adds up but it's decent for a casual izakaya. Drunk nicely, we left the store before 5 PM. After that, we went to a Taiwanese pepper bun, menchi katsu, sushi, and Thai food. It's been a while since I had a drink at Iseya, but it's still the face of Kichijoji! I might drop by the park branch for a day drink next time. #Koyui #PostingStockBigRelease #FaceOfKichijoji #FamousSaltTreatment #CasualIzakaya #StandingBar #ManyTourists #Yakitori #SecondFloorHasTatamiSeats #Takeout #FamousStore #LongEstablished #InokashiraStreet #KichijojiStreet #OpenFromNoon #NextTimeParkBranch

Located along Kichijoji Street, just a few minutes from the south exit of Kichijoji Station in Musashino City, Tokyo, is a well-known yakitori restaurant that was established in 1928, during the Showa era. I had been wanting to visit this popular restaurant for a while after reading reviews from other food bloggers, and finally managed to do so. I arrived at the opening time of 12:00 PM, but there were already several groups of people enjoying drinks, showing the restaurant's popularity. I joined the standing bar area, where regular customers and lone drinkers were scattered around. I ordered the Mixed Yakitori (4 skewers) with sauce for 400 yen, and the Grilled Guts with garlic for 360 yen. The liver was tender and had no unpleasant smell, while the meatball was fluffy and light. The charcoal-grilled skewers with a slightly burnt outer layer and a rich sauce were irresistible. The Grilled Guts had a firm texture and the strong garlic soy sauce was appetizing. The generous amount of green onions added a delightful aroma. I also enjoyed the shochu with hot water for 280 yen, which was served properly with lemon slices on top. I added plum syrup later on to make a plum shochu cocktail. I had a great time at this restaurant and the yakitori was delicious, so I definitely want to visit again in the future!

It was after 6 pm. I thought it would be crowded but since there was a second floor, we were able to get in smoothly even though there was a line. The first floor seemed more popular as there was quite a line there. The first floor has a standing bar space, so it's good for a casual drink. The menu consists mostly of appetizers. The assorted grilled chicken was only 400 yen, which is cheap! Since there were a lot of sashimi options, I decided to try that too. There were also daily recommendations on the whiteboard. Even though it's a grilled chicken restaurant, they have a variety of menu items other than grilled chicken. The average price is around 500 yen, so it's popular and has good cost performance for Kichijoji. The grilled chicken didn't really impress me in terms of size or taste, but the beef tripe stew was light and soy sauce flavored, so it seems to be well-received by many. The sashimi was fresher than expected, with satisfying amounts of tuna, salmon, sweet shrimp, and squid. And the shumai. It was flavorful even without dipping it in soy sauce, with a good meaty texture. It made sense why everyone was ordering it. While they don't have main dishes, the alcohol is not expensive at 300-400 yen, and the appetizers are also cheap. It was a perfect place for a second or third round of drinks.

I arrived at 5:30 and there were still seats available on the second floor. I had a meal that cost over 6,000 dollars, then finally left and started lining up. I recommend the dumplings, beef hot pot, and chicken wings in sauce.

I invited my husband's parents to have a daytime drink and after taking a stroll in Inokashira Park, we came to Iseya. It had been a few years since I last visited, but the food is not only cheap but also delicious. There are many cheap places that are not tasty, but I can see why everyone is lining up here! If this place was near my home, I would come here every week! When I visit Tokyo again, I will definitely come back. Thank you very much. Yakitori skewer 100 yen, Chicken wing skewer 250 yen.

Kichijoji "Iseya Main Store". Finally, with the end of the corona pandemic, I set out on a long-awaited visit to Iseya. Iseya is a long-established grilled skewers restaurant in Kichijoji, with three stores: the Koen-guchi store, the Kitaguchi store, and the Main Store, but I was drawn to the Main Store. The Main Store was rebuilt in 2008 and is beautiful. The older building may have more charm. The store opens at 12:00, and with it being Golden Week, I arrived at 11:30 to find about 20 people already in line. I entered at the opening time. When asked if I preferred the first or second floor, I chose the first floor and was led to a table. Smoke billowed from the grill and filled the restaurant. I quickly ordered drinks. I had a grapefruit sour, and my companion had a lemon sour. There was a bottle-like container on the table, which seemed to contain amber-colored plum extract. With shochu on the menu (250 yen), pouring plum extract into shochu would make it a plum sour, perhaps. This felt like a unique experience. I also ordered carbonated water with lemon (150 yen) and shochu to make my own lemon sour. Cheers. Now, I wonder, should I order liver with sauce, chicken thigh, and tongue with salt. I also ordered simmered giblets and shumai. The grilling takes time, they said. The simmered giblets arrived quickly. It was light with white, fluffy daikon radish, and a soy sauce flavor. As the grilled skewers were taking a while to arrive, I added an order of shumai, which came out piping hot in seconds. It seems like the shumai is constantly being steamed. The meat shumai had moist skin and juicy meat. Finally, the skewers arrived. The liver was not too well-grilled, with a lot of oil. The sauce was made with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin, and had a strong flavor. The oil from the liver mixed with the sauce, creating a rich combination of oil and sauce. The tongue was lightly grilled with a salt flavor, allowing you to enjoy the texture. The chicken thigh was well-cooked, tender and juicy. I added bonjiri and tsukune with sauce. Since I would be waiting for the skewers, I also asked for pickled vegetables. The pickled vegetables included mackerel, boiled octopus, jellyfish, and cucumber. It was a good mix of seafood to nibble on between drinks. I couldn't decide between salt or sauce for the bonjiri, but I felt like the rich fat of the bonjiri would go well with the strong sauce. Thank you for the meal. Recommended dishes are shumai and salted tongue. I avoided staff members who didn't seem very friendly, and had no issues as I placed my order.

I walked about 3 minutes from Kichijoji Station and arrived at the restaurant around 11:30 on a holiday, but there was already a line. It seemed like if I went around 11:45, I would be able to get in for the first seating at 12 o'clock. The restaurant had table seats and standing seats on the first floor, and there were also tatami and table seats on the second floor, so it was quite spacious. The yakitori was priced at 100 yen per skewer, which I thought was good value. The chicken was a bit tough, but the tsukune was incredibly soft and delicious. The dumplings were also delicious, filled with plenty of meat.