The 10 Best Izakaya in Asakusa in Which to Enjoy a Glass of Sake Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jun 05 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

The 10 Best Izakaya in Asakusa in Which to Enjoy a Glass of Sake

Asakusa is a huge tourist spot of ancient origin and has traditional buildings lining its streets. It is also known as a culinary destination with famous haunts having long established themselves in the area. This means that visitors can experience traditional Japan while enjoy the highest quality in Japanese cuisine. This article introduces you to the 10 best izakaya (Japanese pubs) in Asakusa in which to enjoy some sake (a kind of Japanese alcohol). Make sure to get the most out of your stay while in Japan!

See full listings of Izakaya and Sake restaurants found in and around Asakusa.

1. Kushiemon

Kushiemon is famous for its kushiage (deep-fried skewers) that will have you coming back again and again. It is located 2 minutes away on foot from Asakusabashi Station. The atmospheric lighting gives the interior, infused with the essence of Japan, a relaxed feel. Kushiemon offers 10 house sauces - such as tartar, mustard, and green tea and salt - to accompany its wide variety of skewer options, like shrimp, eel, chicken tenderloin, and beef loin. There are also a number of famous sake brands on offer, such as Dassai and Hiroki, that go great with kushiage!

Kushiemon

Open: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 4,800 JPY
Access: One minute on foot from exit A5 of Asakusabashi station on the Toei Asakusa line.
Address: B1F, Tanaka Bldg., 1-23-3 Yanagibashi, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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2. LA MAISON DU ISSHO Vin

At LA MAISON DU ISSHO Vin, patrons can enjoy sake poured from an issho (a traditional style of sake bottle that can store 1.8 liters). Light filters through a window dug into the high atrium-style ceiling, giving the restaurant a feeling of openness. The supremely stylish atmosphere that combines both the traditional and modern makes this space popular with a variety of customers. The perfectly crunchy [Pan-grilled Hinaji Chicken Skin] (200 JPY) and the [Skewered Oyster Wrapped in Beef Belly] (800 JPY), a classic combination in France served on a skewer, come highly recommended. You can also enjoy some sake with your meal from the curated list of alcoholic beverages from across Japan.

LA MAISON DU ISSHO Vin

Open: 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from exit No.3 of [Tawaramachi Station] on Ginza Line. Turn right at the first block from Kaminarimon Icchome Intersection, go straight for 15 meters along Shokutsu-gai Street then it's on your right side
Address: 1-2F, ON Bldg., 1-9-5, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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3. Otafuku

Otafuku has been serving oden (ingredients stewed in a soy sauce-based stock) for 104 years now. The entrance has a traditional Japanese appearance, and upon entering, you will be greeted by a warm atmosphere reminiscent of a bygone time and the aroma of the oden stock. There are both counter and table seating options available, with space for your pot to be placed in front of you at the table, ensuring that you can consume bubbling hot oden. The oden classics of daikon (Japanese radish), pounded fish cake, and konjac are here, as well as new creations leveraging the best in seasonal ingredients. Sake takes on a special taste when match with oden!

Otafuku

Open: [Weekdays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
[Saturday] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:00 pm), Dinner 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:00 pm), Dinner 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: No holidays until the 5th of May (excluding the beginning and end of the year period)
Average price: [Dinner] 4,500 JPY
Address: 3F, Nakaden Bldg., 1-2-6, Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo

4. Enshuya

The fish-based dishes on offer at Enshuya are made by the most professional culinary connoisseurs and recipients of the Prime Minister's Award. This popular spot was established 53 years ago and offers traditional Japanese cushioned seating as well as Western-style table seating and 7 rooms of various sizes. You can find around 30 different course meal options, such as the [Wild-caught Ise Shrimp and Cherry Anthias Feast with Drinks] (5,500 JPY), as well as more than 150 different a la carte items made from the freshest seafood, such as sashimi and tempura. This means that there is something for all budgets! There are also a number of different types of sake that go great with seafood, so you may just find your new favorite here.

Enshuuya

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm / Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm Please enquire via email for reservations outside these hours. Lunch reservations for groups or parties are also available. 7 large and small private rooms available. Maximum capacity: 60 guests per floor, 120 guests total.
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 700 JPY
Access: Head along Kokusai-dori Street towards Kuramae from Tawaramachi Station for around 1 minute, then turn right at the corner where the first business hotel is situated
Address: 2-2-7, Kotobuki, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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5. Torijin

Torijin specializes in chicken-based dishes and is in a perfect location, directly connected to Asakusa Station. The delicious chicken, stocked daily, are carefully skewered and slowly grilled using charcoal made from trees chopped down by the owner. The fatty [Chicken Neck Meat] (250 JPY), eaten with a house salt blend, as well as the fresh [Chicken Heart] (200 JPY) with a chewy texture that will leave you wanting more, come especially recommended. There are as many as 10 different varieties of sake, mainly sourced from the owner's home prefecture of Nagano, that are changed in and out with the seasons.

Torijin

Open: [Tuesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: Asakusa Chikagai, 1-1-12, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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6. Okinawaken

Okinawaken is in a great location, just a minute's walk from Asakusa Station. You will feel as if you have traveled to Okinawa when you step into this restaurant as the sounds of the sanshin (a traditional Okinawan instrument) and traditional Okinawan music fill your ears. Most of the ingredients used at Okinawaken come directly from Okinawa itself, and there are a number of Okinawan staples for you to enjoy, such as the [Okinawan Braised Pork Belly] (900 JPY), stewed for 4 hours, and also the [Soki Soba] (900 JPY), topped with pork cartilage. While the restaurant does stock sake, it also has traditional Okinawan drinks such as awamori and habu (a kind of snake) sake.

Okinawaken

Open: [Tuesday - Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 5:00 am (L.O. 4:00 am)
[Sunday] 12:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Monday *Subject to change

7. Kaminarimon Kisuke

In Kaminarimon Kisuke, patrons can enjoy grilled chicken skewers and oden in a traditional Japanese house built 50 years ago. This izakaya is located in a quiet corner of the lively Asakusa and overflows with an atmosphere reminiscent of old Japan. On the first floor, there is Western-style table seating, and on the second floor, you'll find traditional Japanese seating areas covered with tatami. Kaminarimon Kisuke stocks a wide range of sake from across Japan that can be enjoyed with dishes such as the refined [Kyoto-style Oden Assortment] (1,700 JPY), made using a Hokkaido seaweed-based broth, and the [Chef's Choice Platter with 8 Cuts of Oyama Chicken] (1,600 JPY), which is made with a famous brand of chicken from Iwate Prefecture.

Kaminarimon Kisuke

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am -2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:00 am - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: 4,000 JPY
Address: 2-3-12, Kaminari-mon, Taito-ku, Tokyo

8. Akimitsu

At Akimitsu, customers can enjoy a quick drink and some tempura while standing at a table. The cozy interior is designed with preserved and treated Japanese cypress wood. Patrons can choose to use the standing counters on the ground floor or can avail of the wide tatami mat area upstairs and sit at low tables. The tempura on offer at Akimitsu costs 150 JPY per piece and hasn't changed in taste since long ago. The [Tempura Platter] (from 2,000 JPY) combines a selection of seasonal vegetable and seafood tempura. The sake selection is vast, with varieties ranging from the rich-tasting junmai (sake with no added alcohol and sugar, no milling requirement) to the junmai daiginjo (sake with no added alcohol that's milled to 50%), which goes down particularly smoothly.

Akimitsu

Open: [Weekdays, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm)
[Weekdays, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:30 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm) *The last day of any consectuive holiday period will follow this schedule.
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,200 JPY
Address: 1-29-11, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo

9. Matsuribayashi

Matsuribayashi is a teppanyaki (grilled on an iron griddle) restaurant located close to Senso-ji Temple and is very popular with tourists from overseas. It offers classic Japanese tastes in dishes such as okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake) and monjayaki (similar to okonomiyaki). One must-eat is the [Special Mentaiko Monja] (1,380 JPY), which combines a whole Hokkaido mentaiko (cod roe) with mochi (rice cake) and cheese, and is a must-eat. The [Premium Wagyu Kalbi] (1,380 JPY) and the [Premium Skirt Steak] (980 JPY) are just some of the high-quality options on offer that give patrons the chance to enjoy a proper BBQ experience. If you choose to pay a 3,000 JPY fee on top of your food order, you can enjoy all-you-can-drink beer, sake, and shochu (another kind of Japanese alcohol) from a menu with more than 70 options.

Matsuribayashi

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, Dinner 6:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 11:30 am - 11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm)
Closed: 2nd Tuesday of every month
Average price: 2,000 JPY
Address: 1F, Kanayama Bldg., 1-8-4, Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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10. Sizzle

Sizzle allows visitors to enjoy sake specifically selected to accompany meat dishes. The interior of the izakaya is designed stylishly, with bricks and wooden walls and tables. On the ground floor, patrons can sit at counter seats, while upstairs features tables and sofas. One popular option is the [Sizzle Selection] (from 1,280 JPY), which features a hefty amount of premium quality kalbi, skirt steak, and salty beef tongue, all sourced from within Japan. The dry variety of [Cowboy Yamahai] (800 JPY), a brand of sake, is great for washing down the oils from the meat and can be served either cold or mixed with soda.

Sizzle

Open: [Monday - Wednesday, Saturday] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
[Friday] Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] 11:30 am - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Thursday (open if it falls on a national holiday)
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 2-23-9, Nishi Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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That is it for this list of the best places to get a glass of sake in Asakusa. While enjoying your drink, you can also get your fill of oden, skewers, grilled chicken, and other popular delights, so be sure to pop into a few places on this list if you are visiting Asakusa!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.