Hello, this is GOK from Daily Shinjuku.
Today, I’m introducing Yotsuya Rebaya, a cozy yakitori restaurant located in Shinjuku’s Yotsuya area. Known for using no chemical seasonings and relying on quality ingredients and grilling techniques, this spot offers great value without compromising taste. I enjoyed their “Yakitori Course” with a satisfying ochazuke to end the meal.
1. Yotsuya Rebaya – A Yakitori Restaurant Focused on Quality Ingredients and Technique
Situated along Sanei-dori in Yotsuya, Yotsuya Rebaya specializes in yakitori crafted without chemical seasonings. The atmosphere is lively, with cheerful staff greetings whenever the door opens. For this visit, I made a reservation for the “Yakitori Course (with meal).”
2. Cozy Interior and Varied Menu
The restaurant seats 35 in total, with a mix of counter and table seating. When I visited on a weekday evening around 7 PM, it was already full, mainly with office workers winding down after work.
The menu includes various course options such as the Yakitori Course (2,750 yen), 90-minute course (3,850 yen), and Nabe Course (3,300 yen), along with à la carte items like Edamame with Olive Oil, Meat Miso Peppers, White Liver, and Potato Salad. Beverage options range from sake and sours to bottled wine.
3. The Yakitori Course (with Meal)
The course I ordered included:
- 7 skewers of the day’s recommendations
- Fresh vegetables
- Daily special dish
- A featured one-plate dish
- Meal
It began with a draft beer (also available: craft beers from Yo-Ho Brewing and Yamaguchi) and fresh vegetables (cucumber and tomato) as a palate refresher.
The “silver skin” (thinly sliced gizzard skin with ponzu) provided a refreshing chew, followed by thick Tochio aburaage topped with ginger and scallions.
The skewers included:
- Liver (salt) – rich and melt-in-your-mouth with no odor
- Seseri (neck meat, salt) – juicy and flavorful
- Munamoto (breast meat near the wing, salt) – tender and highly recommended
- Skin (tare) – crispy with light seasoning
- Yagen (cartilage, salt) – crunchy and addictive
- Hatsu (heart, salt) – tender yet satisfying
- Aida (between liver and heart, salt) – crispy outside, juicy inside, my personal favorite
The featured dish was tori ajillo – chicken, mushrooms, shishito peppers, and cherry tomatoes in garlic oil, surprisingly well-matched with the course.
The last skewer was tsukune (chicken meatball) in a sweet-savory sauce, light enough to enjoy even near the end.
4. Finishing with “Torihada Ochazuke”
The course concluded with Torihada Ochazuke, made with chicken broth, shredded chicken breast, and salted kelp, served with yuzu pepper. The umami-rich broth and tender chicken provided a warm, gentle finish to the meal.
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