Toriyoshi Nakameguro Main Branch (鳥よし 中目黒本店)

Opened in 1995 on a quiet backstreet near Nakameguro Station, Toriyoshi is one of the neighborhood’s most iconic yakitori institutions. Skewers are grilled to order over charcoal and served alongside sake, shochu and wine at a lively counter and table seating for twenty-one. The shop is first-come, first-served only, cash only, and seats fill quickly most evenings, so arriving early is the best strategy. Toriyoshi has since grown into a small group of Tokyo grillhouses, with sister locations in Ginza, Akasaka and Nishi-azabu.