Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
OAD-ranked yakitori. Book well ahead.
Yakitori Shinohara is a consistent, OAD-recognised yakitori counter in Nishiazabu, Tokyo, that earns its reputation through execution rather than novelty. Ranked #341 in Japan for 2024 and 2025, it is a solid call for solo diners and pairs who want serious charcoal-grilled yakitori in a focused, counter-led setting. Booking is easy, and the 5:30 pm opening suits an early evening slot.
If you have been to Yakitori Shinohara once, the question on a return visit is whether the experience holds up when the novelty has worn off. It does. Chef Andore Shinohara runs a focused yakitori operation in Nishiazabu that has earned consecutive Opinionated About Dining recognition since 2023, ranking #341 in Japan in both 2024 and 2025. For a format that can feel interchangeable across Tokyo, that consistency matters. Book it for a weeknight dinner session and you will understand why it keeps reappearing on serious dining lists.
Yakitori Shinohara sits on the ground floor of Nishiazabu Shino Building in Minato City, a residential-leaning pocket of Nishiazabu where the dining scene tends toward quality over spectacle. The format is yakitori: skewered chicken cooked over charcoal, a discipline that rewards precision and punishes shortcuts. What earns Shinohara its OAD recognition is not novelty but execution. Yakitori at this level is about heat control, sourcing, and timing, and the repeat appearances on the OAD Japan list suggest the kitchen is consistent rather than occasionally inspired.
The service question is worth examining directly, because at a serious yakitori-ya the chef and counter interaction are inseparable from the meal. In a format where the cook is typically visible and the pacing is set skewer by skewer, the service style either builds a genuine rhythm with the diner or it does not. A Google rating of 4.2 across 142 reviews suggests Shinohara delivers a reliable experience without polarising anyone, which in this format usually means the counter dynamic is comfortable rather than theatrical. For explorers who want depth and engagement, that is a reasonable baseline, though it places Shinohara in the solid-practitioner tier rather than the destination-performance tier.
Practically, the venue opens at 5:30 pm Monday, Wednesday through Sunday, closing at 11 pm, and is closed Tuesdays. That Tuesday closure is worth building your Tokyo itinerary around, particularly if you are combining dinner here with other Nishiazabu options. The evening-only format means this is a dinner venue by design, and the 5:30 opening gives you an early-sitting option if you prefer a quieter room before the night fills in. Booking is rated Easy, so advance planning of two to three days should be sufficient, though OAD-listed venues in Tokyo can tighten up on short notice around weekends. A mid-week booking, Wednesday or Thursday, gives you the most flexibility and the most relaxed atmosphere.
Price range data is not available in the record, which makes direct price comparisons difficult. Yakitori at this recognised tier in Tokyo typically falls in the ¥¥¥ range per person for a full omakase-style progression, but confirm current pricing when booking. What the OAD ranking does confirm is that Shinohara is operating at a level worth the spend in its format category.
For context within the yakitori category in Tokyo, BIRD LAND and Asagaya BIRD LAND are the reference points most serious diners reach for first. Yakitori Omino and 124. KAGURAZAKA round out the options worth considering if you are building a dedicated yakitori itinerary. If you are travelling the broader yakitori circuit in Japan, Torisaki in Kyoto and Torisho Ishii in Osaka are the natural comparisons outside Tokyo.
Shinohara is a good choice for solo diners and pairs. The counter-led format suits single diners particularly well. Groups should verify capacity before booking, as yakitori-ya in this tier tend to run small rooms. For broader Tokyo dining context, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, and if you are planning accommodation around the Nishiazabu area, our Tokyo hotels guide and our Tokyo bars guide cover the surrounding options. If you are extending your Japan trip beyond Tokyo, HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa are all Pearl-tracked venues worth adding to your itinerary. For experiences and wineries in the city, see also our Tokyo experiences guide and our Tokyo wineries guide.
Yes. The yakitori-ya format, with its counter seating and skewer-by-skewer pacing, is one of the most solo-friendly formats in Tokyo dining. You get full engagement with the kitchen without the awkwardness of a table set for two. Solo diners should book directly and confirm a counter seat.
Counter seating is the core format at a venue like this. In traditional yakitori-ya, the counter is the primary experience, not an overflow option. Seat count is not confirmed in the current data, so call ahead or confirm when booking if you have a specific seating preference.
Capacity data is not available, but yakitori-ya at this recognition level in Tokyo tend to run compact rooms, often 10 to 20 seats. Groups of four or more should contact the venue directly before assuming availability. For larger groups, a more flexible format may be a better fit.
Dinner only. The venue opens at 5:30 pm and does not offer lunch service. If an early session appeals, the 5:30 opening time lets you get in before the room fills. Wednesday and Thursday evenings tend to be the most relaxed mid-week options.
Booking is rated Easy, so two to three days is usually enough for a weeknight table. For a Friday or Saturday, aim for five to seven days out. The OAD ranking means the venue has a following among serious diners and food-focused travellers, so last-minute weekend availability can be tighter than the Easy rating implies.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakitori Shinohara | Easy | — | |
| Harutaka | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| RyuGin | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| L'Effervescence | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| HOMMAGE | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Florilège | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Tokyo for this tier.
Yes, and it's arguably the format the restaurant suits best. Yakitori counters are built around the solo or two-top experience — you watch the skewers come off the grill in sequence, course by course, without the coordination overhead of a group. Shinohara's OAD ranking signals a focused, chef-led format that rewards full attention, which solo diners are well-positioned to give.
Counter seating is the norm at this level of yakitori in Tokyo, and Shinohara's ground-floor setup in the Nishiazabu Shino Building is consistent with that format. Sitting at the counter puts you directly in front of the grill, which is where you want to be. If a private table is what you're after, this is probably not the right call.
Groups of four or more will find yakitori counter dining a tighter fit here than at a larger izakaya or a private-room restaurant. The ground-floor space in Nishiazabu suggests a compact room. For larger group dinners in Tokyo, RyuGin or L'Effervescence offer private dining infrastructure that Shinohara almost certainly does not.
Dinner is your only option. Shinohara opens at 5:30 pm daily (closed Tuesdays), with no lunch service listed. Plan accordingly if you're building a full-day Tokyo itinerary around this booking.
Book as early as possible — at minimum three to four weeks out for a weekday, longer for weekends. A restaurant ranked #341 on Opinionated About Dining's Japan list two years running draws a knowledgeable dining crowd, and small yakitori rooms in Nishiazabu fill without much warning. Tuesday is the one day it doesn't run, so don't build your trip around a Tuesday visit.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
