The Counter
Takashi Imai cooked at Ginza's Birdland, the counter that taught Tokyo to take yakitori seriously, before opening his own room near Aoyama. The Michelin Guide put it in the Bib Gourmand in 2020, and it has stayed there: a value listing, not a star, which is exactly the point. One cook, one bird, charcoal, and a price that does not pretend to be omakase. A whole chicken is broken down at the counter each day and grilled to order through the evening.
The skewer to wait for is the isobe — rare breast wrapped in nori — and the tsukune, the minced-chicken meatball glazed with the house tare. There is no menu to argue with: you take the course and Imai decides the order. The better yakitori counters in town charge twice this and do not cook the breast any cleaner.
The Kitchen
Imai runs a whole-bird kitchen, which means the parts most counters skip get cooked here: liver, the small oyster against the backbone, the trim that becomes the tsukune. The course opens with a chicken-liver pâté on a baguette, moves through a seasonal salad and the chef's run of skewers, and finishes with grilled vegetables of the day. Expect around ¥12,000 a head, with a set course from roughly ¥8,800; drinks lift it from there. The sake list is built for chicken — light junmai that stays out of the way of the char rather than fighting it. Nothing is prepped to sit; the bird is portioned for the night and grilled as you order.
The Room
A thirty-seat counter, mostly facing the grill, on the ground floor of the Rosa Bianca building off Gaien-Nishi-dori. The mood is stylish but unfussy — smart-casual, no jackets, a hum of conversation rather than hush. You sit close to the charcoal and the smoke, which is the appeal: this is a counter you watch, not a dining room you sink into. Lighting is low and warm, the seats are tight, and the seat at the grill is the one to ask for.
Best for Solo Dining
Book the counter for a solo dinner. The grill is the show, each skewer lands the moment it is ready, and a single diner at the bar gets the same view and the same pace as any couple. Imai and his team will talk you through why this cut, this degree of char, if you want it, and leave you to the food if you don't. Go early in the seating, order a light junmai, and let the course run. For more, see best for solo dining and the full Tokyo dining guide.
Not For
Not for a group that wants to linger or a vegetarian — seatings are timed, the counter turns, and the menu is a chicken broken down nose to tail. Skip it if you came to Tokyo for a tasting-menu spectacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yakitori Imai worth it?
For yakitori, yes. Takashi Imai trained at Ginza's Birdland before opening his own counter, and the Michelin Guide has listed it in the Bib Gourmand for value since 2020. A whole bird is broken down daily and grilled to order over charcoal. If you want a multi-course tasting-menu spectacle, this is not that — it is one cook, one bird, done properly.
What should I order at Yakitori Imai?
You order the course; the kitchen decides the skewers. Look out for the isobe — rare breast wrapped in nori — and the tsukune, the minced-chicken meatball glazed with the house tare. The set also runs through liver, the chef's selection of skewers, a seasonal salad and grilled vegetables. Pair it with a light junmai sake rather than anything that fights the char.
How much does Yakitori Imai cost?
Budget around ¥12,000 a head for dinner. There is a set course from roughly ¥8,800, and drinks push the total up from there. It is a Bib Gourmand listing precisely because the cooking outruns the price — this is serious yakitori without omakase-counter prices, which is part of why the counter is hard to book.
Where is Yakitori Imai and how do I book?
It is at Rosa Bianca 1F, 3-42-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, a few minutes off Gaien-Nishi-dori between Omotesando and Harajuku stations — Aoyama, not Roppongi. The thirty-seat counter books up; reserve a few weeks ahead, and note seatings are timed. Solo diners do well here, since the seat at the grill is the seat to want.
Also in Tokyo
Compare it against Torishiki in Meguro, the city's other benchmark yakitori counter, or browse the full Tokyo dining guide. For the occasion, see best for a birthday and best for closing a deal.