Though chicken skewers were traditionally a casual street food, some yakitori restaurants have hoisted themselves among Tokyo’s most difficult-to-book restaurants, with Michelin star establishments serving high-grade chicken morsels omakase style to discerning diners. Yet, many long-standing yakitori spots still embrace the traditional approach, welcoming only walk-ins without any online reservation system. Take-chan in Ginza is one of these places.
With a sliding glass door partially obstructed from view by a potted bamboo plant and beverage crates stacked in front of the store front, this cosy locale doesn't look like the sort of restaurant one could casually walk into uninvited, but that’s far from the case here.
This family-owned restaurant has been in business for over 50 years, offering a warm welcome to loyal regulars and first-time visitors alike. Don't be shy to ask for the English menu if you want to know what to expect in the omakase course (¥4,000), which include skewers of barbecue duck with miso, tsukune chicken meatballs and crispy bits of chicken skin seasoned with soy sauce.
If you’re looking for a smaller meal to wash down with a couple of drinks, you can opt for the half course, which comes with five skewers instead of eight for ¥3,000. If you see anything you don’t like, the chef will happily swap out chicken liver or heart for thigh or breast pieces. Just remember that the old-school approach here also means that the restaurant doesn’t take credit cards, so bring cash.