Kotarō

Diners have mentioned enjoying shrimp, monkfish liver with ponzu and deep-fried greeneye in reviews of Kotarō. It’s the sort of izakaya meal where seafood snacks go naturally with a drink. The menu lists fresh oysters from Ofunato in Iwate and Aioi in Hyogo, as well as scallop-and-salmon-roe yukhoe and spicy “yodare” raw scallops with condiments. You could compare oysters or choose a dish featuring scallop adductor muscle, building a meal around seafood.

Alongside the seafood, the yakiton—grilled pork offal—includes pork cheek, skirt, tongue and liver for 150 yen each; tsukune meatballs and premium shiro (pork intestine) are 180 yen. Start with a few skewers that catch your eye, then add a snack or another dish. Drinks include beer and sake, as well as jasmine shochu highballs and Hoppy. Sour drinks served in bottles come with the option to add more shochu before finishing the contents, a handy arrangement if you’d like another round of the same drink.

For a final savoury course, consider Kotara ramen, listed on the menu. One diner described its fish stock as pronounced, making it an appealing follow-up to the seafood dishes. Dinner reservations are recommended, and you can also reserve a table without specifying a set meal. Payment is cash only, so come prepared.