Toritake (鳥竹)
Located literally right next to Shibuya Station, Toritake is a portal to the old-school era of restaurants in Japan. Surrounded by modern eateries and high-rises, Toritake is a lowkey gem that doesn’t need to boast about anything out front.
From the outside, you will notice that it certainly looks a bit older and it does not have any particularly outstanding aesthetic. And yet, even without an attractive face or promoters beckoning customers to try it, Toritake always has long lines out the door during dinnertime.
The restaurant’s core focus is to provide high-quality meals that taste like traditional home cooking, removing all of the unnecessary flashiness. On the ground level, you can see chefs in the window diligently preparing orders for the customers, and a simple menu on the wall outlines what the eatery offers. While traditional meals such as unagi with rice are offered, Toritake’s specialty is skewers, or yakitori.
The ground level seats customers in a “normal” restaurant setting with “normal” tables and chairs. However, we were taken downstairs to another room, where a cozy little area is lined with tatami mats on the floor, with traditional wooden tables spread throughout. You are instructed to take off your shoes while eating on this floor and store them either on the step or the adjacent cubbies.
The tables are relatively close to other customers. While this creates an intimate space, it should be noted if you don’t particularly like sitting next to strangers. This wasn’t really a problem for us at all though, as other customers never paid us any attention and were too busy talking within their own groups.
The yakitori menu offers an assortment of skewers, ranging from traditional beef and chicken to roasted vegetables and more. I opted for the chicken meatball and chicken gizzard, while my girlfriend chose the grilled shiitake mushroom and quail eggs. We also ordered cocktails and beers. The medium-sized beer is giant here, so you’ll have plenty to drink while eating and talking.
The staff on the bottom floors receive orders from the kitchen above through an elevator, something that you might see in other, older Japanese restaurants. The chicken meatball is deliciously coated with a soy sauce glaze, and the meat melts in your mouth when biting down on it. On the other hand, the chicken gizzard is a bit more chewy and has rougher edges. Imagine a somewhat rubbery piece of firm chicken and you’re basically there in terms of texture. The taste is somewhat like intestines, and while this isn’t my favorite iteration of chicken gizzard that I’ve tried, it isn’t terrible.
The shiitake mushroom is tender and layered with the same soy sauce glaze on top. It has a nice smokiness to it that brings out the aromatic qualities of the mushroom without overpowering anything. The quail eggs also come with the soy sauce glaze and are simple in presentation. Quail eggs essentially taste like hardboiled chicken eggs, so nothing wild here.
While dining, we observed many customers casually talking, leaning back, and laughing with friends or coworkers. There is no air of rigidity here, and some local customers even describe it as an almost “lazy” atmosphere where you can come and unwind after a long day of work.
When finished with the meal, the staff remembered exactly which shoes my girlfriend and I wore out of the many pairs on the floor, which if you ask me, is exceptional customer service. Although I did not get to see the upstairs floor and the layout there, I highly recommend the tatami room if you can get it. Toritake is a spot that is frequented by Shibuya and Tokyo locals and it has remained a favorite for many customers over the years. It is a true gem that stands the test of time with quality food and warm customer service.
