If you want to eat yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) in Sendai, Miyagi, here are 13 popular picks

Photograph:tabelog.com

Yodareya Sendai Kokubuncho Ten, a restaurant named "Yasai Maki Kushi to Kyushu Ryori × Zenseki Koshitsu," is a popular izakaya serving creative Japanese food centered on yakitori, yasai-maki-kushi (vegetable wrapped skewers), and Kyushu cuisine. Its hideaway-like interior with a strong Japanese feel is part of the appeal.

Since every seat is in a Private room, you can relax and enjoy both your meal and conversation without worrying about the people around you.

They offer a wide variety of skewered dishes that are just right as casual snacks to go with drinks. The photo shows the "Hakata meibutsu (Hakata specialty) torikawa kushi (chicken skin skewer)," which is also popular in reviews.

It is known for its crispy and juicy texture, and because it is carefully grilled, the flavor is said to be tightly packed in.

Many of the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) here are served not on skewers but in a style you eat with chopsticks, and some reviews said they liked being able to try different cuts a little at a time with others.

They also said you can fully enjoy yakitori with a great charcoal aroma, including the "negima" with chicken thigh and sweet grilled green onion, and "sunagimo" with an addictively crunchy texture.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) uses fresh chicken delivered every morning by a specialty poultry supplier, and each skewer is carefully hand-threaded part by part.

By slowly grilling them over Tosa-binchozumi (high-grade binchotan charcoal from Tosa), they lock in the chicken's flavor as they cook. There is also a wide variety of cuts available.

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As soon as the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) is done, it is served right away, so you can enjoy it piping hot.

For the basic seasoning, you can choose either salt or tare sauce, and they also serve house-made hakko shio lemon (fermented salted lemon), nanban miso (spicy miso), and yuzu kosho (yuzu pepper paste). One of the highlights is being able to enjoy the yakitori freely while changing up the flavors.

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Tori to Yasai to Sake Tomoyan is a popular izakaya in a great location, just a 1-minute walk from Kita-Yonbancho Station in Sendai City, where you can enjoy tasty chicken and vegetable dishes along with local sake from around Japan.

The interior has a warm wooden feel and offers a relaxed atmosphere where you can unwind without feeling stiff or formal. It is perfect when you want to enjoy a calm meal.

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The restaurant offers a lineup of jidori (local chicken) dishes made with Miyazaki-produced Kuroiwa Jidori and Iwate-produced Iwai Dori, and its yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) is also popular.

They say you can enjoy luxurious yakitori grilled over Kishu Binchotan (high-grade Japanese charcoal), including the toro liver with its rich, soft texture and the creamy hatsu (chicken heart).

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You will also want to order the a la carte dishes supervised by a yasai sommelier (vegetable sommelier) when you visit. They use pesticide-free vegetables from their own farm as well as seasonal vegetables from around Japan.

The photo shows the “Tamanegi Torotoro Aburi,” grilled over carefully selected binchotan (high-grade white charcoal). It may look simple, but it is said to bring out the natural sweetness of the ingredient.

Photograph:花京院すずきさん

"Tori Sumibi Jizake Matsumoto" is a popular restaurant where you can enjoy yakitori made with Special Domestic branded chicken, grilled to perfection.

It is a 5-minute walk from Kotodai-Koen Station, and the interior has a stylish bar-like atmosphere. There are counter and table seats available.

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The yakitori at this restaurant uses high freshness Junwadori (premium Japanese chicken) and Hinai Jidori (Hinai free-range chicken), among other branded chickens.

After each skewer is carefully prepared by hand, it is grilled over high heat bincho-tan (white charcoal) to seal in the meat juices. The finished skewers are then served one by one so you can enjoy them fresh off the grill.

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They offer a wide range of yakitori cuts, including tebaski (chicken wings) with a juicy texture and rich depth of flavor, and dakimi (chicken breast wrapped around another ingredient), made with moist and tender breast meat.

The recommended menu item kashiwa (chicken thigh) uses Date-dori (brand chicken from Date). Date-dori is known for its pleasant bite and well-balanced umami.

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About a 5-minute walk from Kotodai-Koen Station, Toriya Suzunao is a restaurant where you can enjoy carefully prepared charcoal grilled chicken made by skilled chefs.

The interior has a calm, modern feel with wood toned decor. On the 1st floor, there is counter seating where you can enjoy the lively atmosphere of the grill, and on the 2nd floor, there is Sunken kotatsu seating.

Photograph:山形のふかせ

One nice thing about the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) here is that you can order from just one skewer. They grill each one with expert skill backed by many years of experience at the grill.

They use Kishu binchotan (high-grade white charcoal from Kishu) for grilling, and its strong infrared heat keeps the flavor locked inside while making the meat juicy. With each bite, more flavor spreads across your palate.

Photograph:てっぷさん

In addition to yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), they offer a wide range of a la carte dishes, which you will want to enjoy with local drinks from Miyagi Prefecture.

The photo shows the "motsu nikomi (stewed offal)," a perfect easy snack to go with drinks. This tender offal stew with a miso-based flavor is said to be so tasty that your drinks just keep flowing.

Photograph:てっぷさん

Toritaka Hanare is a restaurant where you can enjoy a wide variety of sumibiyaki yakitori (charcoal grilled chicken skewers) grilled over binchotan (high-grade Japanese charcoal). The interior is said to have a calm atmosphere reminiscent of Kyoto streets.

The restaurant offers counter seats where you can watch the skewers being grilled right in front of you, as well as table seating with a distinctly Japanese feel.

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Every yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) skewer prepared in-house is carefully grilled and said to be excellent. Along with a wide menu covering many different cuts, they also offer assortment menus featuring recommended skewers.

They also carry a wide selection of Japanese sake that pairs well with yakitori, with a focus on local sake from the Tohoku region such as Miyagi and Fukushima.

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The restaurant also offers a full range of vegetable dishes that pair well with its chicken dishes. It uses carefully selected ingredients that reflect the four seasons.

Starting with vegetable skewers such as garlic sprouts and nagaimo (Japanese yam), the assortment of fresh vegetables served as otoshi (small appetizer) and the meat miso are also popular.

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Yoshu to Yakitori Hitori HINOTORI, about a 7-minute walk from Kotodai-Koen Station in Sendai, is a popular spot for chicken dishes and has several sister restaurants across Miyagi Prefecture.

The hideaway-like interior has a polished, upscale feel, with carefully designed counter seats and fully private rooms for groups of 3 to 8 people.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) uses jidori (free-range chicken) from the Tohoku region, including chicken from Miyagi Prefecture, and the grilling and flavor are said to be top class.

Orders are placed in sets of 2 skewers, but an Omakase course is also available. They also offer Western spirits that pair well with yakitori.

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Many people say the tsukune (chicken meatball) is delicious, and the "Nama Tsukune" seems to be served with a rich egg yolk with a smooth texture.

After eating the tsukune, you can add a small amount of rice to the remaining sauce and enjoy a mini tamago kake gohan (egg over rice).

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The charcoal grilled yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) comes in a wide variety of cuts, with both A la carte and assortment menus available, along with course menus.

They use Kishu Bincho-zumi (Kishu binchotan charcoal) from Wakayama Prefecture for the charcoal and moshio (seaweed salt) from Hyogo Prefecture to bring out the flavor of the meat, and the restaurant is well regarded for the care it puts into every ingredient that goes into its yakitori.

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The Iwate Prefecture raised Nanbu-dori (chicken), known for its good feed and rearing environment, is said to have fine textured meat and plenty of rich flavor.

They offer many chicken dishes besides yakitori, and the low temperature cooked meat is said to be addictively delicious. The photo shows the "Shittori Muneniku no Carpaccio".

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Miyagi no Sakedokoro Torikichi, conveniently located within a 10-minute walk of several stations including Hirose-dori Station and Kotodai Koen Station, is an izakaya where you can enjoy dishes unique to Miyagi and a wide selection of local sake, with charcoal grilled yakitori (chicken skewers) being especially popular.

The restaurant has a warm atmosphere rooted in the local area, and reviews also say it is easy to drop by casually.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), which are skewered in-house, are carefully grilled one skewer at a time by skilled chefs over binchotan (high-grade charcoal), giving them a crisp, fragrant, and juicy finish.

The chicken liver is a particularly special item, and they say it is the first thing you should try when you visit.

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The "Ishinomaki oden" made with ingredients from Miyagi is a popular menu item prepared with saba (mackerel) broth.

It has a deep, rich taste without any distinctive flavor, and it pairs well with drinks. You can enjoy local-style oden with regional ingredients such as eggs from Takedori Farm and Sendai-fu (local fried wheat gluten).

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Motsu Kura Kokubuncho Ten, about a 5-minute walk from Kotodai-Koen Station and Hirose-dori Station, is a popular yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and motsuyaki (grilled offal) spot that has been loved in Kokubuncho, Sendai, for more than 20 years.

The interior is said to have a retro feel that suits enjoying yakitori. It has counter seats and koagari (raised tatami seating).

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For its yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), the restaurant brings in fresh meat every day, carefully cuts it up, and skewers it the same day.

They adjust the heat depending on the cut of meat and serve each one at its best. Every cut is said to be thick and juicy, with meat juices spilling out in every bite.

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Before the yakitori is ready, many people seem to order motsu nikomi (stewed offal), which is easy to enjoy with a drink.

The tender motsu is cooked in a rich miso-based flavor that goes great with alcohol. It also comes packed with vegetables such as daikon radish, carrots, and burdock root.

Photograph:てっぷさん

Sumibiyaki Tori Yondaime Hashimotoya, about a 5-minute walk from Kita-Yobanchō Station in Sendai, is a yakitori restaurant where you can enjoy skewers made with jidori (free-range chicken), along with a range of small plates that pair well with drinks.

It is said to have a compact, modern feel. It also has Semi-private room seating, so it is a good choice when you want to relax and take your time.

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They offer yakitori made with meigara-dori (branded chicken), mainly from the Tohoku region, grilled over Tosa binchotan (high-grade Japanese charcoal from Kochi).

The meigara-dori they source daily is grilled with expert heat control, and they season it with premium pink salt.

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At lunchtime, they offer a full lineup of set meal menus centered on chicken dishes.

The photo shows the "Shoyu (soy sauce) Kara-age set meal." It comes with about four large pieces of Kara-age, and the crisp coating and juicy meat seem hard to resist.

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MOJA Nagamachi Ten, a 2-minute walk from JR Nagamachi Station, is popular for its tasty yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), cooked to just the right doneness over binchotan (high-grade charcoal). It has many sister restaurants across Miyagi Prefecture.

From the counter seats in the lively dining room, you can watch the grill area and enjoy your meal with a real sense of excitement. Table seating is also available.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), hand-skewered using Domestic chicken, are all carefully grilled over binchotan (high-grade white charcoal).

By slowly grilling them at high heat, the meat’s good flavor stays locked inside. People say the grilling is spot on and the result is delicious.

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Beyond the standard yakitori (grilled chicken skewer) menu, you will also want to enjoy the original skewers that show off the restaurant's creative side.

The restaurant's top recommended tsukune (chicken meatball skewer) comes in 7 varieties in total. They offer tsukune skewers with unusual flavors such as "teri-mayo tsukune" and "yangnyeom tsukune."

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Yakitori Dining Itadaki Kokko-chan Marble Road Ten is on the second floor of a building just a short walk from Aoba-dori Ichibancho Station, and it is popular for its yakitori made with Domestic chicken.

The interior has a chic, grown-up feel. The restaurant offers box seats inspired by birdcages and spacious table seating, so guests can relax and take their time.

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The yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) grilled over binchotan (high-grade Japanese charcoal) is said to be delicious. They use a mild salt made from deep ocean water from Rausu in Shiretoko, Hokkaido.

They offer a wide range of skewers, including the light, tender, and healthy torimune (chicken breast), as well as tsukune (chicken meatball skewers) made with a golden ratio of chicken and pork.

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Since this restaurant started in Hokkaido, it offers a wide range of à la carte dishes made with ingredients from Hokkaido.

Among them, the signature items are "shio zangi (salt-seasoned Hokkaido-style fried chicken)" and "shoyu zangi (soy sauce-seasoned Hokkaido-style fried chicken)," made with fresh Domestic chicken and a secret broth using kombu kelp, scallops, and more. They have a crisp coating and juicy bite, and many people keep coming back for them.