Toritama

Love this place.
This is my go to yakitori place. This has another branch too.
The atmosphere, taste, service all the great. You need to make a reservation.

One of the best Yakitori in Tokyo!
This place is off the beaten path, traditional and welcoming, frequented mostly by locals. which also means that the atmosphere will become louder and smokier as the hours go by.
Come fairly early if you want to enjoy some of the most sought-​after cuts, some of which are quite unique and can be challenging for the non-​initiated (Chochin is an acquired taste).
Lastly, I recommend that with all this amazing meat you also order some of the seasonal vegetables (in September the raw Kyoto eggplant was spectacular).

Pretty non-​descript storefront, hidden under a bridge overpass with the only clue to its existence being a light-​up sign that reads «酉» (TORI) from the outside. The heavy sliding doors that read almost uncomfortably close to the yakitori bar counter, to the point of borderline discomfort for patrons inside, somewhat imbues an air of exclusivity, or an illusion of mystique, as if a wonderful yet mysterious world that has yet to be explored lies in wait — and behind those doors exists a mysterious and wonderful world indeed.
The Japanese like to incorporate the phrase «…wa otoko no roman» (は男のロマン) to describe something that may appear relatively simple on the outside but by comparison has a level of depth and detail that can be explored and perfected (sometimes to the point of disdain or disgust from others) and Toritama definitely appeals to those who believe yakitori fall into the aforementioned category.
The trend nowadays for Yakitori restaurants seem to be overwhelmingly shifting towards harder to find consumable parts (希少部位 kishoubu-​i) than the «major organs» such as the heart, liver, gizzard, etc. or the more meatier parts like tsukune/​momo (thigh) and tebasaki (wings)
That being said, most people that idly stumble here thinking they’re going to walk out with their belly full of chicken for a reasonable street food price will most likely leave disappointed; menu items run anywhere from 200 – 400 for a single skewer, which makes the three set options (priced from 1800−3500/person, ranging from 7 – 12 skewers per set) the best bang for your buck, especially if you’re not all too familiar with the «every man’s dream» that is Yakitori.
Myself and a fellow diner ordered the Tama (玉) Set which included the following:
ガツ (gatsu — pig intestine)
みさき (misaki — rooster tail)
きんちゃく (kinchaku — fatty offal)
すなぎも (sunagimo — gizzard)
はなのつぼみ (hana no tsubomi — liver… ish)
さえずり (saezuri — aesophagus)
正肉 (shouniku — thigh)
おび (obi — soft part of the thigh)
ちょうちん (chouchin — underdeveloped eggs attached to fallopian tube)
しし唐 (shishito peppers)
Had Toritama not been the last stop of the night, I could easily see myself spending over 5000 yen trying all the different varieties here — there’s also a good variety of nihonshu/​shouchu/​wine available at request as well as soft drinks for those that are alcohol impaired.
The main store at Shirokanedai has a tendency to close its doors either once the restaurant reaches maximum occupancy, or at 10PM, so try to get their sparingly quickly; if you find yourself «locked out» you can also go to their annex just a corner and a short trot away from the main storefront.