Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
12-seat counter, reservation-only, worth it.

A 12-seat counter yakitori restaurant in Akasaka with Tabelog Silver awards in both 2025 and 2026 and a score of 4.44. Dinner runs JPY 20,000–29,999 per person; reservation-only via the OMAKASE website. One of the most consistently recognised yakitori counters in Tokyo for a counter dinner or special occasion.
Dinner at Makitori Shinkobe runs JPY 20,000–29,999 per person, and for that you get a 12-seat counter yakitori experience in Akasaka that has earned Tabelog Silver in both 2025 and 2026, a score of 4.44, and consecutive selection in the Tabelog Yakitori EAST Top 100 for 2024 and 2025. Book it for a date night, a celebratory dinner, or a solo splurge. This is a counter-only, reservation-only room — there are no walk-ins, no private rooms, and no flexibility on format. If you want one of the most decorated yakitori counters in Tokyo at a price that sits below many tasting-menu peers, Makitori Shinkobe is worth the effort to secure a seat.
Opened in November 2023 in a ground-floor space at 3-9-2 Akasaka, Minato Ward, Makitori Shinkobe is the Akasaka comeback of chef Toyoki Hikida, whose charcoal-grilled yakitori earned a following before this iteration launched. The room holds just 12 seats, all at the counter, which means every guest has a direct sightline to the grill. That visual is part of the appeal: watching the precision of skewer-by-skewer service over binchōtan charcoal is as deliberate a show as you'll find in this price tier. There are no tables, no private rooms, and no shared space — the counter is the experience, and it works leading when you treat it that way.
At JPY 20,000–29,999 per head, this sits at the mid-to-upper range for Tokyo yakitori but well below what you'd pay for a comparable omakase at a kaiseki or sushi counter of similar Tabelog standing. For a special occasion, that pricing makes Makitori Shinkobe one of the more accessible ways to sit at a serious Tokyo counter without crossing into the JPY 40,000+ territory of venues like RyuGin. The trade-off is format: if omakase yakitori over a counter isn't the experience you want, this is not the place to compromise on.
The Akasaka location is practical for an evening out. Akasaka-mitsuke Station (Tokyo Metro) is a 2-minute walk from Exit 10, and Akasaka Station is roughly 9 minutes on foot. The area has enough bars and late-night options nearby that an early seating at Makitori Shinkobe pairs naturally with drinks afterward , a useful consideration given that the restaurant operates dinner-only (no lunch service) with hours that are not fixed, so confirm before you go. Akasaka is also well-connected to central Tokyo, making it a reasonable anchor for an evening itinerary that might start or end elsewhere. Explore more options in our full Tokyo restaurants guide, Tokyo bars guide, and Tokyo hotels guide.
Within Tokyo's yakitori scene, Makitori Shinkobe sits in a peer group that includes BIRD LAND, Yakitori Omino, and Asagaya BIRD LAND. What sets Makitori Shinkobe apart in this group is its consistent Tabelog recognition across multiple award cycles in a relatively short time since opening , Silver in back-to-back years from a restaurant that only launched in late 2023 is a signal worth taking seriously. For yakitori fans looking beyond Tokyo, Ichimatsu in Osaka and Torisaki in Kyoto offer regional comparisons in the same category.
One practical note that affects planning: the restaurant's closed days are not fixed. Hours and closure schedules change, and the venue's own guidance is to confirm directly before visiting. Factor this into any trip where the booking anchors your evening, particularly if you're travelling from outside Tokyo. For broader Japan trip context, see our guides for HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa.
Reservations are required and can only be made through the OMAKASE website , there is no phone reservation option and no walk-in availability. The 12-seat counter fills on the strength of Tabelog recognition, so book as far ahead as the OMAKASE platform allows. For a date or celebratory dinner, treat this the same as any serious Tokyo omakase counter: secure the reservation before you finalise the rest of your itinerary. Closed days are irregular, so verify the specific date directly with the restaurant or through the booking platform before confirming travel plans.
Reservations: Required; OMAKASE website only, no phone or walk-in. Budget: JPY 20,000–29,999 per person (dinner only; no lunch service). Seats: 12, counter only. Getting there: 2-minute walk from Akasaka-mitsuke Station Exit 10 (Tokyo Metro); 9-minute walk from Akasaka Station Exit 1. Payment: Credit cards accepted; QR code payments (d Barai) accepted; electronic money not accepted. Smoking: Non-smoking throughout. Private rooms: Not available. Parking: Not available. Hours: Dinner only; closed days are not fixed , confirm before visiting.
Tokyo's yakitori counter scene runs from neighbourhood grills under ¥5,000 per head to multi-award counters in the ¥20,000–30,000 range. Makitori Shinkobe occupies the upper tier of that range with credentials that place it among the most-recognised yakitori destinations in eastern Japan. For diners comparing options at a similar price point, 124. KAGURAZAKA and Aramaki are worth considering alongside it. See also our Tokyo experiences guide and Tokyo wineries guide for planning the wider evening.
The format is omakase, meaning the kitchen decides the sequence and selection , you don't order à la carte. The focus is charcoal-grilled yakitori and chicken dishes, with chef Toyoki Hikida directing the progression. Come with no strong aversions to poultry preparations and let the counter run its course. At JPY 20,000–29,999 per head, this is a full-commitment format, not a drop-in for a few skewers.
No dress code is published, but at JPY 20,000–29,999 per head with a Tabelog Silver rating in Akasaka, smart casual is the safe call. Think what you'd wear to a high-end sushi counter: nothing that signals you haven't thought about the occasion. Avoid heavy perfume , a 12-seat counter with a live grill is a close environment, and consideration for other diners matters.
Yes , the counter-only format actively suits solo diners. All 12 seats face the grill, so a solo guest has the same sightline and experience as anyone at the counter. At JPY 20,000–29,999, it's a meaningful solo spend, but for a planned solo splurge in Tokyo this is one of the better counter formats to do it in. No private rooms means no awkward placement; the counter is the room.
Within yakitori specifically, BIRD LAND and Yakitori Omino are the closest peer comparisons in Tokyo. Asagaya BIRD LAND is worth considering if you want a slightly different neighbourhood context. If you're open to broadening the format at a similar price tier, Crony and HOMMAGE both operate in the same spend range with French-influenced tasting menus. The choice comes down to whether the yakitori counter format is specifically what you want.
Yes, with the right expectations. The counter seats 12 and there are no private rooms, so if your occasion requires privacy or a group of more than a handful, this isn't the right fit. But for a celebratory dinner for two, or a solo milestone meal, the combination of Tabelog Silver recognition, an intimate counter with a direct grill view, and a JPY 20,000–29,999 price point that feels considered rather than excessive makes it a strong call. Book through the OMAKASE website well in advance for any specific date.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makitori Shinkobe | Yakitori | {"Year":"2026","Award Source":"Tabelog","Award Type":"The Tabelog Award","Award Group":"silver","Award Group Rank":"73","Restaurant Name":"Maki Tori Shin Kobe","Score":"4.44","Budget":"Dinner: JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999; Lunch: -","Budget Dinner":"JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999","Budget Lunch":"-","Price":"JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999","Average Price":"JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999","Average Price (Based on reviews)":"JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999 JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999 View spending breakdown","Featured Item":"N/A","Full Address (with ZIP)":"東京都港区赤坂3-9-2 No.R赤坂見附 1F, 1070052, Japan","Address":"東京都港区赤坂3-9-2 No.R赤坂見附 1F","Postal Code":"1070052","City":"Akasaka Minato Tokyo","State":"Tokyo","Country":"Japan","Phone":"+81","Phone Raw":"+81-不明の為情報お待ちしております","Website":"","Description":"Check out Maki Tori Shin Kobe (Akasaka Mitsuke/Yakitori (Grilled chicken skewers)、Chicken dishes) on Tabelog! A popular restaurant known for its charcoal-grilled yakitori is making a comeback in Akasaka. Experience their refined grilling techniques! [No Smoking] Discover Japanese restaurants featuring detailed information such as menus and maps, along with user-posted reviews, ratings, and photos!","Categories":"Yakitori (Grilled chicken skewers), Chicken dishes","Awards & Recognitions":"The Tabelog Award 2026 Silver winner The Tabelog Award 2026 Silver winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Silver winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Silver winner Selected for Tabelog yakitori EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog yakitori EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Yakitori EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2024 Selected for Tabelog Yakitori EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2024 受賞・選出歴 閉じる The Tabelog Award 受賞歴 2026年Silver受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2026 Silver 受賞店 2025年Silver受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2025 Silver 受賞店 百名店 選出歴 焼き鳥 百名店 2025 選出店 食べログ 焼き鳥 EAST 百名店 2025 選出店 焼き鳥 百名店 2024 選出店 食べログ 焼き鳥 EAST 百名店 2024 選出店","Reservation availability":"Reservation only Reservations can only be made through the OMAKASE website","Business hours":"Closed on Not fixed Hours and closed days may change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.","Payment methods":"Credit card accepted Electronic money not accepted QR code payments accepted (d Barai)","Private rooms":"Unavailable","Non-smoking/smoking":"Non smoking","Number of seats":"12 seats ( counter only)","Private use":"Unavailable","Parking":"Unavailable","Space/facilities":"N/A","Drink":"N/A","Food":"N/A","Service":"N/A","Family friendly":"N/A","Service charge & fee":"N/A","Dress code":"N/A","Maximum party size":"N/A","Location":"N/A","Occasion":"N/A","Remarks":"N/A","The opening day":"2023.11.11","Receipt (Qualified simple invoice)":"N/A","Latitude":"35.67728121337785","Longitude":"139.73620310950287","Primary Image URL":"","Image URL Count":"20","Image URLs":"","Restaurant ID":"13291292","Source URL":"","Raw Details JSON":"{\"Restaurant name\":\"Maki Tori Shin Kobe\",\"Awards & Recognitions\":\"The Tabelog Award 2026 Silver winner The Tabelog Award 2026 Silver winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Silver winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Silver winner Selected for Tabelog yakitori EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog yakitori EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Yakitori EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2024 Selected for Tabelog Yakitori EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2024 受賞・選出歴 閉じる The Tabelog Award 受賞歴 2026年Silver受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2026 Silver 受賞店 2025年Silver受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2025 Silver 受賞店 百名店 選出歴 焼き鳥 百名店 2025 選出店 食べログ 焼き鳥 EAST 百名店 2025 選出店 焼き鳥 百名店 2024 選出店 食べログ 焼き鳥 EAST 百名店 2024 選出店\",\"Categories\":\"Yakitori (Grilled chicken skewers), Chicken dishes\",\"Phone number (for reservation and inquiry)\":\"None\",\"Reservation availability\":\"Reservation only Reservations can only be made through the OMAKASE website\",\"Address\":\"東京都港区赤坂3-9-2 No.R赤坂見附 1F Show larger map Find nearby restaurants Transportation 2 minutes walk from Exit 10 of Akasaka-mitsuke Station on the Tokyo Metro 9 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station Exit 1 113 meters from Akasaka Mitsuke.\",\"Business hours\":\"Closed on Not fixed Hours and closed days may change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.\",\"Average price\":\"JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999\",\"Average price (Based on reviews)\":\"JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999 JPY 20,000 - JPY 29,999 View spending breakdown\",\"Payment methods\":\"Credit card accepted Electronic money not accepted QR code payments accepted (d Barai)\",\"Number of seats\":\"12 seats ( counter only)\",\"Private rooms\":\"Unavailable\",\"Private use\":\"Unavailable\",\"Non-smoking/smoking\":\"Non smoking\",\"Parking\":\"Unavailable\",\"Occasion\":\"None\",\"Website\":\"",\"The opening day\":\"2023.11.11\"}","Matched Location ID":"37b38d00-786f-4cfc-8f12-004474892927","Match Status":"matched","Match Method":"award_page_url_exact","Match Confidence":"high","Matched On URL":"","Matched DB Name":"Makitori Shinkobe","Matched DB Address":"Japan, 〒107-0052 Tokyo, Minato City, Akasaka, 3-chōme−9−2 No.R赤坂見附 1F","Needs Review":"no","Review Reason":"","Fallback Score":"","Fallback Name Sim":"","Fallback Addr Sim":"","Fallback Loc Sim":"","Fallback City Sim":"","Fallback Country Sim":"","Fallback Phone Match":"","Fallback Domain Match":"","Fallback Explanation":""}; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #21 (2025); Tabelog Silver Award 2025 Score: 4.39 Cuisine: Yakitori/Poultry / Tokyo Address: Tokyo Minato Ward Akasaka392 No.RAkasaka見附 1F Tabelog:; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #70 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Recommended (2023) | Easy | — |
| Harutaka | Sushi | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Effervescence | French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki, Japanese | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| HOMMAGE | Innovtive French, French | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Crony | Innovative, French | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Makitori Shinkobe and alternatives.
Makitori Shinkobe is a counter-only yakitori format, so the chef drives the progression — this is not a venue where you order à la carte from a menu. At JPY 20,000–29,999 per person for dinner, you should expect a set course built around charcoal-grilled chicken skewers from chef Toyoki Hikida. Come with no agenda beyond eating what is served; that is the format here.
No dress code is listed for Makitori Shinkobe, but the price point (JPY 20,000–29,999 dinner) and the intimate 12-seat counter setting in Akasaka place it firmly in the category of venues where you would dress as you would for a serious business dinner. Overly casual clothing would feel out of place; a jacket for men is a safe call.
Yes — the 12-seat counter-only format is actually built for solo diners. A single seat at a counter like this puts you directly in front of the grill and the chef's work, which is the whole point. Booking solo here is easier than securing a table for a group, and the omakase progression works just as well for one.
For comparable yakitori in the ¥20,000-plus range, Tokyo has a handful of Tabelog-recognised counters in the same tier. If you cannot secure a booking at Makitori Shinkobe via the OMAKASE website, check availability at other Tabelog yakitori EAST Top 100 counters in central Tokyo — the list gives you a reliable shortlist of comparable venues. For a different cuisine at a similar price and counter format, RyuGin and L'Effervescence operate at higher price points but represent the same style of serious, reservation-only dining in the city.
It works for a specific kind of occasion: an intimate, food-focused dinner for two where the meal itself is the event. The 12-seat counter, no private rooms, and no walk-in availability mean it is not suited to group celebrations or milestone dinners where atmosphere and flexibility matter more than the food. For a two-person occasion where Tabelog Silver-level yakitori is the point, it is a strong choice.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.