Mizuki

Verdict: Book It — Gifu's Most Decorated Yakitori Counter Is Worth the Trip

The common misconception about Yakitori Mizuki is that it's a casual chicken-skewer spot you can walk into on a whim. It isn't. This is a Tabelog Bronze Award winner with a 3.97 score, selected for the Tabelog Yakitori Top 100 every year from 2018 through 2025 — a consistency record that places it among the most reliably excellent yakitori restaurants in the Chubu region. If you're planning a dinner in Gifu and yakitori is even adjacent to your interests, Mizuki should be your first call.

What to Expect on Your First Visit

Mizuki occupies the second floor of a building in Kandamachi, Gifu City's central dining corridor. The room seats 33 across three distinct configurations: an 11-seat counter that faces the grill, 10 tatami seats for a more traditional floor-level experience, and private rooms accommodating groups of 6 or 10 to 20 people. For a first visit, the counter is the right choice , it puts you closest to the charcoal work and gives you the full spatial context of how the kitchen operates. The room is entirely non-smoking, which is worth noting for anyone who has endured yakitori bars where the smoke isn't just from the binchotan.

The menu is à la carte, not a fixed course. That's a meaningful distinction: you control the pace and the spend, and you can order as little or as much as the evening calls for. The chicken sourced here is Shiga Omi-breed, cooked over Kishu binchotan charcoal , a premium white charcoal that burns at a consistent, clean heat. These are Category 1 details from Tabelog's own description, and they matter because they explain why the price point lands where it does.

Pricing and Booking

The listed average spend is JPY 6,000 to JPY 7,999 per person at dinner, though Tabelog's review-based estimate puts actual spend slightly higher at JPY 8,000 to JPY 9,999. Budget toward the leading of that range if you're ordering drinks , sake, shochu, and wine are all available. For context, that's roughly ¥8,000 to ¥10,000 per head for a full evening, which is competitive for a venue at this award tier. Belle Equipe, Gifu's French option, runs JPY 10,000 to JPY 14,999 at dinner with a narrower cuisine focus, so Mizuki represents better value for drinkers who want to linger.

Reservations are available and strongly advisable. Booking difficulty is rated Easy on Pearl's scale, but that reflects process ease, not seat availability , a counter with 11 seats and a loyal local following can fill faster than its booking system implies. Call ahead on +81-58-264-0715 or reserve via Tabelog. The restaurant is closed Thursdays. Note the confirmed year-end closure: December 30, 2025 through January 5, 2026. Last food orders are at 22:00; drinks close at 22:30.

Reservations: Available by phone (+81-58-264-0715) or Tabelog. Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 17:30–23:00 (L.O. food 22:00, drinks 22:30). Closed Thursday. Budget: JPY 6,000–9,999 per person at dinner depending on drink orders. Payment: Major credit cards accepted (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners); electronic money and QR payments not accepted. Dress: No stated code; smart casual is appropriate. Parking: Not available on-site.

Is Dinner Better Than Lunch Here?

This is dinner-only. There is no lunch service at Mizuki , the hours run from 17:30 nightly, so the question of lunch versus dinner resolves itself. If you're building a Gifu day-trip itinerary and need a midday option, Kobanzushi or Sakana are worth checking. Save Mizuki for the evening when you can pace through the à la carte menu properly.

How It Compares

Against other Gifu options, Mizuki holds a specific position: it's the highest-credentialed yakitori venue in the city by Tabelog standards, but it isn't trying to be a multi-course destination restaurant. If you want French technique and a longer format meal, Belle Equipe is the alternative , at a higher price point and with a different occasion profile. For grilled regional cooking in a more casual register, hiro and Katatsumuri are worth knowing about, though neither carries Mizuki's award depth. Within Japan's broader yakitori category, Mizuki punches at a level you'd more commonly associate with specialist counters in Tokyo or Osaka , venues like those listed in our full Gifu restaurants guide rarely match this consistency record outside major cities.

FAQ

• Is Mizuki good for solo dining? Yes , the 11-seat counter is well-suited to solo visits. You'll order à la carte at a spend of roughly JPY 8,000–10,000 including drinks, and the counter format means you're not paying for a private room you don't need. It's a more focused experience than a table booking.
• What should I order at Mizuki? The menu is à la carte yakitori centered on Shiga Omi chicken cooked over Kishu binchotan charcoal. Specific dishes aren't available in the current data, but the venue's consistent Tabelog Top 100 selection across seven consecutive years signals that the core skewer program is where the quality sits. Order broadly across the menu and let the kitchen guide the sequence.
• What are alternatives to Mizuki in Gifu? For a different cuisine format at a higher price, Belle Equipe (French, JPY 10,000–14,999) is the main splurge alternative. hiro and Katatsumuri are options if Mizuki is fully booked. For sushi, check Kobanzushi. See the full Gifu dining guide for a broader view.
• Can Mizuki accommodate groups? Yes. Private rooms are available for 6 people or for groups of 10 to 20, making Mizuki a workable option for business dinners or larger celebrations. The full venue (33 seats) cannot be reserved for private exclusive use. Call +81-58-264-0715 to confirm private room availability before planning a group booking.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Mizuki? Mizuki serves dinner only , doors open at 17:30. There is no lunch service. This is a pure evening venue, so plan accordingly. The à la carte format means you can arrive at 17:30 for an early, focused meal or come later and stay through last orders at 22:00.

Explore More in Gifu and Beyond

If Mizuki is your anchor for a Gifu visit, pair it with an overnight stay , see the Gifu hotels guide for options. For drinks before or after, the Gifu bars guide covers the central neighbourhood. Travelers building a wider Chubu or Kansai itinerary might also consider high-credential restaurant stops at HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, or akordu in Nara. For those coming from Tokyo, Harutaka represents a comparable commitment to ingredient-driven precision in a counter format. Further afield, Goh in Fukuoka is worth the detour if your Japan trip extends south. If Mizuki has you thinking about how Japanese counter dining compares internationally, Atomix in New York City offers a useful reference point for the format at a very different price tier. The Gifu experiences guide and Gifu wineries guide round out the destination picture for anyone spending more than a single evening in the prefecture.