Yakitori Imai is tucked away in an alleyway in Gaienmae on a quiet residential side street. It is within a 15-minute walk from the Omotesando crossing.
There are 30 counter seats that run on three sides of a big, open kitchen. Each counter seat is individually illuminated with down lighting.
As a young man, Takashi Imai, the owner chef, could not imagine being in the restaurant business. In his early twenties, Imai frequently switched jobs while pursuing the dream of being a rock musician. In his late twenties he joined a high-end Japanese restaurant. This was followed by a stint with Bird Land in Ginza. It was at Bird Land that he started to immerse himself in the quest for perfect yakitori.
Yakitori Imai opened as a 10-seat counter in Sendagi in downtown Tokyo in 2006 before moving to its current location in 2016. The restaurant uses a variety of premium chickens—e.g. Matsukaze Jidori and Okukuji-Shamo--to create the finest yakitori. All vegetables are organically grown using a natural agriculture method.
The omakase course consists of appetizers and skewers using the best available ingredients as personally selected by Chef Imai. The course begins with a dainty chicken liver pate on a crispy baguette. This is followed by a seasonal vegetable salad, six yakitori skewers, and grilled vegetables of the day. A rare French duck and pigeon meat is served in the higher priced course.
You might want to try the oyakodon (chicken and egg on rice). This dish is characterized by a large slice of chicken and strong seasoning. It is accented by a sprinkling of sansho pepper.
Reservation is a must!
控えめに言って最高のお店でした。おまかせでお願いしましたが、出てくる焼き鳥は全てが高クオリティ。日本酒との相性も極めてよく、最後の親子丼も締めとして最高でした。また行きたいです。 Quote from Google Map Review
Photographers: iroirofurafura
