Yamaka Sakaba — Restaurant in Tokyo

Background Yamaka Sakaba is a casual izakaya in a bustling area known for its culinary and vibrant street life. Popular with tourists and locals, it offers an accessible spot for a quick bite or drink while exploring Tokyo’s old-town charm.

Ambience The restaurant is strategically situated at a busy junction, making it an excellent venue for people-watching. However, the setting feels functional rather than unique. With an unassuming decor typical of neighbourhood izakayas, it lacks the distinctive atmosphere that sets some Tokyo dining experiences apart.

Service Service here is efficient and attentive. Staff are quick to take orders and deliver food. However, the interaction leans toward practicality rather than warmth.

Food/Drink The menu offers standard izakaya fare with an emphasis on drinks, making it more of a stop for light meals rather than a dining destination. While the food is decent, lacking the nuanced flavours or presentation often expected in Tokyo’s culinary scene. The drinks menu is diverse, offering the usual staples of beer and sake.

Overall A decent choice for a quick and casual experience rather than a gastronomic highlight. It serves its purpose as a convenient pit stop in a...

We have eaten here on 2 occasions now; once for lunch and once for dinner. The food is fantastic- so many interesting umami dishes that go great with beer. Some of our favorites were the skate fins, tempura mushroom, and fried squid tentacles.

Admittedly we were here with a toddler (not ideal for a bar, I know) but on the second trip our server Kengo made us feel quite welcome anyway, he was very kind and friendly.

Our toddler relished the beef heart sashimi and the sea bream, along with some fried potatoes. The food is very fresh and you can’t go wrong with anything you choose. They have an English menu with photos as well.

The only thing I would change is serving different appetizers to foreign visitors- Japanese get mentaiko but foreigners get edamame. Everyone should get the same or get a choice.

Overall I still recommend this place, as evidenced by my choice to come here twice instead of trying any other restaurants on Hoppy dori, and I will come here again...

PLEASE READ FOREIGNERS: if you’re a foreigner, don’t bother coming here. Don’t be distracted by the nice location and the buzz. You will be treated differently than those who speak Japanese. Upfront, there’s a table charge which they are transparent about. They will say the table charge is for edamame, but those who speak Japanese will also get a free cod roe as an app… also the English menu has different pricing than the Japanese menu….. the food is nothing too special, the tuna scraps were great but the food was overall way too salty. Not worth coming here, esp for the way you’re treated and for the extremely mediocre and overpriced food, recommend giving your patronage to the neighboring...