Yakitori on lively Odori in Hokkaido! 20 popular spots in the area

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Jiki Minami 2jo Ten is a well regarded restaurant where you can enjoy great yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) made with shamo (gamefowl) sourced from contracted farmers in Hokkaido.

The interior is said to be a calm, modern space. The restaurant is about a 3-minute walk from the Chuo Kuyakusho Mae stop on the Sapporo Streetcar, and about a 10-minute walk from Odori Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) here is cooked over carefully selected charcoal and finished with skilled technique. The menu listed Gitaro Shamo (brand chicken from Nagano Prefecture), a branded chicken from Nagano Prefecture.

They offer a wide range of courses with All you can drink, so it is the kind of place where you will want to take your time and enjoy it with drinks.

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The shamo tsukune (gamefowl meatball skewers) also seem to be popular, and there are two options: salt, or a tare version that comes with egg yolk.

In addition to vegetable skewers, they also offer a range of ingredients such as pork and duck. They also seem to have a full menu of Hot Pot, Rice bowls, and soba.

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BIRD WATCHING is a French-style yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) restaurant where you can enjoy the food with one hand, without using a knife and fork.

In addition to table seating, the restaurant also has a standing-drink counter, giving it a casual feel that makes it easy to stop by. The restaurant is a 3-minute walk from the Sapporo Municipal Subway station and about a 6-minute walk from Odori Station.

They say the key to these French-style yakitori is the house-made sauces. The classic "Dosan tori momo kushi" uses a cumin tomato sauce, while the "Dosan buta Chuck Eye Roll kushi" comes with a sauce made from grated vegetables.

The Ezo Venison from Shiranuka, which gives a real Hokkaido feel, is made into tsukune (chicken meatball-style skewers).

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If it’s French style yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), you’ll want to try pairing it with wine.

They focus on natural wine and offer not only imported bottles but also wines made in Hokkaido. They are also particular about their house roasted coffee and serve homemade coffee whiskey.

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YAKITORI, WINE, Japanese sake, Q, about a 3-minute walk from Odori Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, is a yakitori restaurant located behind the Sapporo Clock Tower. Just as the name suggests, this place offers tasting sets that let you enjoy pairings with a wide variety of drinks.

The interior creates a chill-out mood, giving the space an out-of-the-ordinary feel.

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They use Nakasatsunai Wakadori (branded chicken from Hokkaido), known for its moist and tender texture. It is said to be lower in fat, with a sweetness and richness that stand out overall.

To let diners fully enjoy the natural taste of the ingredients, they serve yakitori made with simple, classic cooking methods.

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Dishes made with Nera no tamago (eggs from a rare black chicken breed) are popular here. The tsukune skewer is served in a tsukimi style, coated with Nera no tamago. You can also add a bite-sized portion of rice as an option.

The sasami (chicken tenderloin) was topped with yama-wasabi (Japanese horseradish).

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Yakitori＆wine Barsamico is a stylish hideaway bar with an interior created by a designer active around the world and a sculpture collective. Look up at the ceiling and you will see wine barrels, adding to the creative atmosphere.

The restaurant is a 1-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about an 8-minute walk from Odori Station.

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They offer various yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) (assorted varieties available), and you can choose sauce or salt to suit your taste. They grill them over charcoal so they come out juicy.

The shop’s most popular item is the “shiro reba (white liver),” and rare cuts such as “tsunagi (a rare connective cut)” are also among the options. You can order one skewer of each, or a 6-skewer assortment in Omakase style.

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They also offer vegetable skewers, including brightly colored tomatoes. The course meal is said to include three kinds of On-the-Day recommended skewers.

On the alcohol menu, they have Hokkaido limited beers as well as keg sparkling wine and bottled wine.

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Kushi Shunsai Hashimoto, located a 3-minute walk from Hosui-Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway and about a 10-minute walk from Odori Station, is a restaurant where you can enjoy a wide variety of yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) cooked over charcoal and Kansai-style oden (Japanese hot pot dishes).

In addition to counter seats where you can enjoy your meal at a relaxed pace, the restaurant also has table seating with views of Sapporo’s night skyline.

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The yakitori made with carefully selected ingredients uses chicken from Hokkaido, seasoned with salt or finished with a secret tare sauce that has been added to over many years.

They say only the sunagimo (gizzard) uses Hakata Jidori, a branded chicken known for its relatively large size and good bite.

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This is the Jiyo-buta Kushi, made with brand pork raised in Kamifurano, Hokkaido. It is said to be healthy yet strongly sweet and full of rich flavor.

Along with the yakitori and pork skewers, you will want to order the Kansai-style oden (Japanese stew). Instead of a soy sauce based flavor, it uses broth made from kombu kelp, and while many places only serve oden in winter, it seems to be available here year round.

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This restaurant serves Muroran yakitori, a local specialty from Muroran in Hokkaido that, despite the common name yakitori, uses pork.

In addition to counter seats, the restaurant has Private rooms and Semi-private rooms, making it easy to use for all kinds of occasions, from solo drinks to Banquets. It is a 2-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway and about an 8-minute walk from Odori Station.

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Muroran yakitori (grilled pork skewers) is a local specialty from Muroran City, Hokkaido, made by skewering pork and onion alternately instead of chicken, then eating it with a slightly sweet sauce and Western mustard.

At this restaurant, they reportedly keep adding to and reusing a house made sauce blended from more than 20 ingredients.

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The pork cuts come in many varieties, including shiro (intestine), liver, tongue, and Heart, and you can also enjoy tsukune (chicken meatball) served with egg yolk. One of the restaurant's specialties is a surprising grilled skewer of quail egg that you eat shell and all.

They also seem to change the selection of Japanese sake labels depending on the season, which pair nicely with the yakitori.

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Kani to Yakitori Enishi, located a 3-minute walk from Hosui Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway and about a 9-minute walk from Odori Station, is a restaurant where you can enjoy both kani (crab) from the sea and yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) from the land, just as the name suggests.

There are 16 seats in total, with raised seating areas where you can take off your shoes and relax.

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Starting with the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), the kushiyaki (grilled skewers) finished over binchotan (high-grade charcoal) are carefully skewered by skilled artisans.

In addition to the standard Shiretoko-dori Seinikku (Shiretoko chicken meat), they offer a range of different cuts, and they reportedly adjust the grilling with great care for each type. The Shiretoko-buta Kaori Kushi (fragrant Shiretoko pork skewer) is also one to consider.

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Seeing yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and crab dishes on the same table feels incredibly luxurious.

They offer three kinds of crab: hon-taraba (red king crab), zuwai (snow crab), and kegani (horsehair crab), all fresh enough to eat as sashimi. You grill the meat yourself over a shichirin (charcoal brazier) to your preferred doneness, and each piece is packed with flavor inside the shell.

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Aburiya Senryo is a hidden izakaya tucked away in a back alley, and the staff are said to greet you with lively energy when you walk in.

Since it opens before noon, daytime drinking is welcome. It is a 2-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about a 7-minute walk from Odori Station.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) are said to be carefully finished one by one, with just the right level of doneness. You can order each kind from two skewers, and they are also available as an assortment.

They also offer a sasami (chicken tender) assortment, which gives a relatively healthy impression. It seems yakitori is also included in the course meals.

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The menu lists a wide variety of kushiyaki (grilled skewers), topped in many different ways with cheese, pickled plum, mayonnaise, and more.

Other well liked dishes include a la carte items made with horse meat and lamb, so along with the yakitori, you can expect a full and satisfying lunch or dinner time.

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Izakaya Donku is a casual taishu izakaya (Japanese pub) that is easy to drop by, and during lunchtime it operates as a set meal restaurant.

It has a retro feel, and liquor crates are used as chairs. It is a 2-minute walk from the Sapporo Streetcar Nishi 8-chome stop and a 7-minute walk from Odori Station.

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The skewer menu is extensive, with standard chicken cuts like thigh and Heart, along with sasami (chicken tenderloin) that you can choose the seasoning for and tsukune (chicken meatballs).

For pork, you can choose from six different cuts, and there are also more than 10 kinds of kushikatsu (deep fried skewers). The gari-buta (pickled ginger wrapped in pork) and red pickled ginger kushikatsu are said to be especially popular.

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One chicken dish you should definitely order is the "tori-nikomi (slow simmered chicken stew)," carefully cooked in a miso-based soup. There is also a ramen version, making it the perfect way to finish your meal after enjoying some yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

As for drinks, they stock Special labels from around Japan, and once one runs out, they switch to a new label.

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Toriyaki Kurumaya Sapporo Ten is an unusual type of yakitori restaurant with two large counter seating areas. It also has Sunken kotatsu seating.

The restaurant is on the basement first floor of Restaurant Plaza Sapporo, a 1-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway and about a 7-minute walk from Odori Station.

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Yakitori grilled over binchotan (high-grade white charcoal) and finished by skilled chefs with just the right heat. Everything is served by the skewer, and you can also order assortments such as the "three-chicken assortment."

Some customers also take home souvenirs like an 8- to 16-skewer yakitori assortment or the "Sumibiyaki Toriyaki Bento (charcoal grilled chicken bento)."

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The most popular item is the “tokusei tsukune (special chicken meatball),” served with egg yolk and eaten with the restaurant’s secret sauce.

For more unusual skewers, they offer combinations like sasami (chicken tenderloin) & natto (fermented soybeans) and mochi (rice cake), cheese, and bacon. To finish the meal, they recommend oden, simmered in a broth based on Rishiri kombu kelp.

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Yakitori Ribre is a place where you can enjoy authentic yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) in a Japanese modern setting. The overall interior is chic, and it is said to work well for many occasions, including casual dinner outings.

The restaurant is about a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about an 11-minute walk from Odori Station.

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This restaurant is particular about fresh ingredients from Hokkaido, and they carefully time each one to serve it at its best.

In addition to the standard chicken thigh, they grill skewers with ingredients like pork belly and seafood. Five kinds, including shiro reba (white liver), were listed as their specialties.

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The seasoning lineup for tsukune (chicken meatballs) is especially impressive, with a full 8 varieties including tsukimi (egg yolk), mentaiko (pollock roe), and cheese. It makes you want to come back a few times and try them all. For more unusual options, natto (fermented soybeans) and curry are also on the list.

There is also a wide selection of alcoholic drinks to pair with the food, and an All you can drink plan is available.

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YAKITORI SENRYO Honten is a restaurant serving yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) carefully prepared with heart by skilled craftsmen.

In addition to counter seating that is easy to use even when dining alone, the restaurant also has table seating. It is located a 3-minute walk from Hosui Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about a 9-minute walk from Odori Station.

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For the wide variety of yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), order them as a set of 2 skewers. They also serve both chicken and pork skewers, including “tori-sei” and “buta-sei.”

Skewers also come with (Each) course where Hot Pot dishes take center stage. Enjoy them with a wide range of alcoholic drinks.

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The à la carte style kushiyaki (grilled skewers) also deserve attention. They have skewers of bright red sausages like the ones that used to come in childhood boxed lunches, as well as equally vivid red tomato skewers.

Even though it is not served on a skewer, the "Date-dori (brand chicken) no Hiaburi Kuroyaki" is also recommended, grilled to a nice brown and plated on a dish.

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Yakitori Maru serves great yakitori made with brand-name chicken and jidori (free-range chicken) in a refined space for adults.

The restaurant has an eight-seat counter where you can watch the cooking up close and enjoy the full live feel. It is a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about an 8-minute walk from Odori Station.

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Miyazaki Prefecture jidori (local chicken) is raised for a longer than usual period and grown with minimal stress. It is fed Special low-protein and low-calorie feed to bring out even better flavor. All of the organ meats are also said to come from Miyazaki Prefecture jidori.

Of course, the Hokkaido brand chicken is not to be missed either.

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They offer a lineup of alcoholic drinks that pair well with yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), and the wine selection focuses on natural and organic varieties. They also source Japanese sake from all over Japan.

If you go with the Omakase style course, it comes with a total of 10 dishes and a free flow, in other words an All you can drink plan.

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Toritomo is a yakitori restaurant that buys whole chickens, so it also serves rare cuts you do not often see at other places.

It has a spacious U-shaped counter and Private room seating. The restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Bus Center-Mae Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway and a 5-minute walk from Odori Station.

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The restaurant breaks down jidori (free-range chicken) delivered directly from the producer, then grills it over binchotan (high-grade white charcoal) until the outside turns crisp. The inside stays juicy.

Along with standard cuts like chicken wings, you can also try rare parts called kokoronokori and kinkan. You might even learn some new yakitori cuts.

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They stock more than 100 carefully selected wines, mainly from France, and the white wines in particular are said to bring out the texture and fat of the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) even more. The shelves seem to be lined with rows of wine bottles.

They also carefully source a selection of Japanese sake.

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Hitori de Koremon is an izakaya (Japanese pub) that is popular for its hideaway-like atmosphere, where you can take your time and enjoy yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and drinks.

Just like the name suggests, it is great not only for solo diners but also for casual drinking gatherings. The restaurant is about a 1-minute walk from Hosui-Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about a 9-minute walk from Odori Station.

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The assorted varieties of skewers, considered the standout items at the restaurant, are all hand-skewered and prepared fresh every day.

They offer classic cuts like seseri (neck meat) and Heart, along with Omakase skewer assortments available in pine, bamboo, and plum sets by number of skewers.
For something beyond chicken, the venison skewer also comes recommended.

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The most popular skewer item is the "Jikasei Tegone Tsukune (house made hand kneaded chicken meatball)," which has a reputation for being juicy, filling, and delicious because it is grilled directly from its raw state without being steamed first.

You can order tsukune with a range of seasonings such as ume shiso (pickled plum and perilla), yuzu koshō (yuzu chili paste), mentaiko mayo, and cheese. There is also a tsukimi type served with egg yolk.

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Yakitori Kameya is a yakitori restaurant with a white based interior and the warmth of wood.

In addition to counter seating, the Semi-private room with Sunken kotatsu seating has a large monitor, so you can enjoy your meal while watching sports.

The restaurant is a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about a 9-minute walk from Odori Station.

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Yakitori grilled slowly over sumibi (charcoal fire) is very popular here, and the restaurant’s signature item is the “shiro reba (white liver).”

With a rich, melting texture that brings foie gras to mind, even people who do not usually like liver can enjoy it. You can choose either salt or tare sauce for the shiro reba.

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They offer many unusual skewers, and the tsukune (chicken meatball skewer) comes in a wide range of options, including one covered with plenty of cheese as well as ume shiso and natto versions. Meat-stuffed shiitake and green pepper skewers, along with mochi & bacon skewers, are also good choices.

The recommendation is the course menu, and the "Kameya Tanno Course" comes with All you can drink.

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At Yakitori Sakaba Nonbee, a noren curtain featuring a character based on the shimaenaga (long-tailed tit), known as the snow fairy, welcomes you as you head into the restaurant.

The interior is a relaxing space, and they stay open until late at night. The restaurant is a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about an 8-minute walk from Odori Station.

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The popular yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) comes in a lineup of more than 20 varieties in total. They are particular about the quality of the meat, and in addition to the standard "tori seiiniku (chicken meat)," you can also order items like "tori momo half (half chicken thigh)."

You can order yakitori from just 1 skewer, and choose either salt or their sweet-savory house-made tare sauce for each cut.

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The onigiri (rice balls) you will want to finish your meal with are also grilled over charcoal. They are brushed with butter or tori miso (chicken miso).

For alcoholic drinks, they offer a selection of Japanese sake centered on local Hokkaido labels, and for whiskey, they recommend highballs made with freshly prepared extra-strong carbonated water.

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Yakitori Sakaba Shirokuro is a hideaway-style yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) restaurant located a little away from the bustle of Sapporo.

The space is softly lit and has a relaxed feel where you can unwind without feeling formal. The restaurant is about a 4 to 5-minute walk from the Sapporo Streetcar Nishi 8-chome stop, and about a 9-minute walk from Odori Station.

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The restaurant is popular for its authentic yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) cooked over charcoal. The photo shows the Heart cut, and the hatsumoto cut is available in limited quantities.

For the tsukune (chicken meatball skewer), you can choose either tsukimi (egg yolk) or cheese seasoning, while the sasami (chicken tenderloin) comes in three options including mountain wasabi with plum and shiso. You will probably want to order some grilled vegetables as well.

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This was yoichi-buta (Yoichi pork), and meats other than chicken were also on the list of options.

Beer and highballs are generally said to go well with yakitori dishes, but this restaurant seems to recommend natural wine instead. The fat from the yakitori and the wine’s acidity are said to make a great match.

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Sumibi Aigo Dantai EOG is a restaurant lit by eye-catching colored neon. It has a stylish yet homey feel, with chic table seating and counter seating.

The restaurant is a 3-minute walk from Susukino Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, and about an 8-minute walk from Odori Station.

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They are particular about fresh ingredients, and it seems they source their meat fresh rather than frozen. The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), cooked over charcoal with just the right heat, is said to be fragrant and juicy.

As for pork, they use Jiyo-ton (brand pork) raised in Kamifurano, Hokkaido.

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The most popular item, the "nama-tsukune (fresh chicken meatball)," gets a new texture you will not find at other places by mixing in takenoko (bamboo shoots).

For seasoning, they offer options such as tsukimi (raw egg yolk) and green onion salt, and they also use the local condiment sansho oroshi (grated daikon with chili and soy sauce). You can also choose courses named "O," "Ya," and "Ji."

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YAKITORI BANCHO Sapporo Odori Ten is a restaurant where you can enjoy Nagano's local yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) while in Hokkaido.

They offer six self style All you can drink plans called the "Adult Drink Bar." The restaurant is a 3-minute walk from Odori Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway.

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They serve Oidare yakitori (yakitori with garlic soy sauce), a local specialty of Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture. This yakitori is eaten by dipping it into a rich sauce in the familiar no-double-dipping style. The tare sauce is a garlic-forward soy-based sauce, making it a dish that brings kushikatsu to mind.

You can also order assorted skewers in sets of 5, 8, or 12.

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The in-house made "yasai-kushi (vegetable skewers)," marked "Sold Out When Its Gone" on the menu, are also recommended. You can enjoy lettuce and tomato wrapped in meat, as well as eringi (king oyster mushroom) and renkon (lotus root).

As for drinks, they offer local sake from Nagano Prefecture, along with "Iida oden" served with a soy sauce based green onion sauce that pairs well with it.