Eat · Shinjuku (east)
Omoide Yokochō
Tiny counter bars by the station: go at 17:00–18:30 for a seat; groups of 3+ rarely fit together; not for large bags.
- Known for yakitori and small bars
- Counter bars of 6–10 seats
- Some bars charge a seat fee
- No room for big bags
- Walk-in window: 17:00–18:30
- Queue risk: 18:30–21:00
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Avoid moving large bags on trains 07
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
- Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
- Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.
- Kanto ↗Suica/PASMO is the default IC card; ICOCA also works.
- Kanto ↗Tokyo stands on the left side of escalators.
- Tokyo ↗Avoid moving large bags on trains 07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30; rush-hour cars are packed.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Easiest walk-in
17:00–18:30
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Per person
¥2,000–3,500 (≈ US$14–25)2026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Unlike in the US, no tip is expected here.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Very hard: tare is meat-based. Ask for shio-grilled vegetables (shiitake, ginkgo, green pepper) where offered. · say: “肉と魚は食べられません (niku to sakana wa taberaremasen)”
- NoNo pork / halal · Chicken skewers are fine for no-pork; nothing here is halal-certified, and grills are shared. · say: “豚肉は食べられません (butaniku wa taberaremasen)”
- Not on fileGluten-free · Choose salt over tare, which contains soy sauce with wheat. · say: “小麦アレルギーです (komugi arerugī desu)”
Paying
- Look for a price list on the wall or menu before you sit; if there is none, ask 'ikura desu ka?' for the seat charge and a skewer.
- Many small restaurants are still cash only; the sign at the till shows the cards they take.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in; seat counts of 6–10 per bar.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
The pin marks the centre of Shinjuku (east): this place has no exact point on file.
More places in Shinjuku (east)
Eat in Shinjuku (east)
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| This one, please | これをください | kore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ | ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？ | kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？ | toire wa doko desu ka |
| Good morning | おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu |
| Good evening | こんばんは | konbanwa |
| Yes / No | はい / いいえ | hai / iie |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Otōshi / seat charge: about ¥300–600 (≈ US$3–5) per person (2026 estimate) — Normal; ask before sitting if you only want one drink.
- Minimum order: Some stalls expect one drink and one food item each — Order both on arrival.
- Tell the staff about allergies in writing; soy sauce contains wheat and dashi contains fish almost everywhere.
Paying and tipping
Unlike in the US, no tip is expected here.
- Look for a price list on the wall or menu before you sit; if there is none, ask 'ikura desu ka?' for the seat charge and a skewer.
- Tipping: Not done; staff will chase you to return the change.
- Many small restaurants are still cash only; the sign at the till shows the cards they take.
At the table
- Eat at the stall or a bench, not on the move; carry rubbish to the next convenience-store bin.
- Restaurants with a ticket machine by the door want you to buy the ticket before you sit.
- Queues are part of the meal: join the end and wait; staff will seat you by group size.
Paying, diet and allergies
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Very hard: tare is meat-based. Ask for shio-grilled vegetables (shiitake, ginkgo, green pepper) where offered.
Show: 肉と魚は食べられません (niku to sakana wa taberaremasen)
- No pork / halalno
Chicken skewers are fine for no-pork; nothing here is halal-certified, and grills are shared.
Show: 豚肉は食べられません (butaniku wa taberaremasen)
- Gluten-freenot on file
Choose salt over tare, which contains soy sauce with wheat.
Show: 小麦アレルギーです (komugi arerugī desu)
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Seating
- Counter seats
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: poor · Smoky, crowded and a drinking street after dark: not a kids' place at night
- Access
- step-free: no · Narrow alleys of tiny stalls with steps up and high stools; shared toilets
Hygiene
- Stalls are tiny and cook over open charcoal: smoky, and some still allow smoking indoors under Japan's small-bar exemption.
- Toilets are shared, down the alley; bring tissues and hand gel.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in; seat counts of 6–10 per bar.
- Capabilities
- food
- Diet
- vegetarian: limited · gluten free: unknown · halal: unknown
- Getting there
- Shinjuku west exit · ~3 min walk
Cons
- Cramped; some bars charge a seat fee.
- Smoky in places.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| 焼き鳥 yakitori | Chicken skewers grilled over charcoal: thigh (momo), skin (kawa), meatballs (tsukune), gizzard (sunagimo). | Say shio (salt) or tare (sweet sauce); order two or three skewers at a time. |
| もつ煮 motsu-ni | Offal stewed in miso or soy; a Shinjuku standing-bar classic. | One bowl to share; ask 'motsu-ni aru?' if it is not on the wall. |
| 生ビール nama bīru | Draught beer. | 'Nama, hitotsu' — one draught. |
| ハイボール haibōru | Whisky and soda, the standard bar drink. | Cheaper than beer in most stalls. |
| お通し otōshi | Small starter that arrives unasked. | It is the seat charge; eat it. |
Price check
- locals pay
- About ¥2,000–3,500 (≈ US$14–25) per person for a few skewers and two drinks (2026 estimate).
- tourist price
- Stalls with English menus by the entrance run higher, about ¥4,000–6,000 (≈ US$30–45) for the same round.
- rule
- Look for a price list on the wall or menu before you sit; if there is none, ask 'ikura desu ka?' for the seat charge and a skewer.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Otōshi / seat charge | about ¥300–600 (≈ US$3–5) per person (2026 estimate) | Normal; ask before sitting if you only want one drink. |
| Minimum order | Some stalls expect one drink and one food item each | Order both on arrival. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is there a cover charge?
Some bars add a seat fee or a small starter; check the sign on the door or ask before sitting.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Can a group of five sit together?
Rarely. Split into pairs, or pick a bigger izakaya nearby.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
If it is closed or full
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Used as a seated rest node in Tokyo in 4 days.
Sources
- officialOmoide Yokocho
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.