It’s tricky to spot an izakaya with the right food, drinks and hospitality in spirit-laden Shinjuku, but Marudori Ruisuke happens to check all three boxes. The veteran Japanese bar, which opened in 2010, stood the test of time while so many others have faltered by carving out a niche with its one signature dish: a whole deep-fried young broiler from Tottori Prefecture. On the farm, the breed is raised for a shorter time than the average chicken; in the kitchen, the bird is marinated for 11 hours in the restaurant’s special sauce, then deep-fried whole at 180°C.

A fixture in the Shinjuku food scene for over 50 years now, Marudori Ruisuke is a well-known izakaya that serves the most scrumptious Japanese chicken dishes on this side of Tokyo. When you’re here, we recommend sitting at the centre counter surrounding the open kitchen for the full-on local experience. Their yakitori selection is made with freshly delivered chicken and grilled with top-notch sauce and salt.

Established in 1907, this veteran shop has been in business for 100 years. Daisen chicken, a brand of chicken in Tottori, is delivered directly to the restaurant every day so the meat is extraordinarily fresh. It goes without saying that their yakitori is good but the specialty here is “Marudori no Motoage”.

The best know item on the menu is the batter-free deep fried chicken. Many come returning you another meal of this wonderfully prepared chicken. The chicken used is of a special variety and the lack of batter allows you to enjoy the true flavor of chicken.