Delicious yakitori skewers grilled on charcoal in the middle of Kyoto at Chabuya
Chabuya is a yakitori (grilled chicken skewer) restaurant that has a nostalgic feel to it, like the yakitori places of the Showa period of the ‘60s. The music here fits the theme perfectly, and you won’t have to listen to anything new here. Just grab a pint and enjoy the smell of the chicken being slowly grilled on charcoal; the experience starts from the moment you see the red lanterns of the izakaya-bar calling you to enter the establishment.
So then, what makes this yakitori place stand out from the rest, besides, of course, the traditional, retro atmosphere? The answer to this question has to be the amount of care they put into the way the chicken is grilled. Everything is done by hand: the yakitori-chef will carefully see that each skewer is grilled to perfection, and has that perfect amount of burnt surface, but not too much. It’s all in the hands of the yakitori-chef – and at Chabuya the hands are very skilled indeed.
1Recommended
Yakitori
/ 150 yen and up
The fragrant smell of chicken skewers being grilled on charcoal fills the air as the traditional enka ballad blares from the speakers; this is the perfect time to enjoy a pint of beer or, even better, at least in my mind, a whisky highball, as you wait for your own skewers to be brought to you. They have both rather commonplace chicken parts like breast, but also more exotic ones, like gizzard.
2Recommended
Grilled vegetables
/ 150 yen and up
If you, however, are someone who prefers his or her whisky highball with something a bit healthier and less animal-based, don’t worry: there’s something for you too. The grilled vegetables at Chabuya are grilled with the same grill as the chicken, meaning that they get the same delicious taste from the charcoal as do the chicken skewers. You can get white leek, eggplant, or shiitake mushroom skewers.
3Let's Try!
Fried chicken
/ 500 yen
The delicious fried chicken is not your usual karaage, but it uses a part of the chicken known as nankotsu, meaning cartilage. This gives a nice crunch to the chicken, and maybe not for everyone, it’s something that everyone here at Sharing Kyoto loves. There is just something about the crunchiness that makes it the perfect thing to have with a whisky highball!
4Let's Try!
Chicken ramen
/ 380 yen
When you finish your night of drinking in Japan, it’s traditional to finish with a bowl of ramen. There are many styles of ramen you can get in Japan, but one of them is chicken ramen, which here at Chabuya tastes rather good. And you get a lot of ramen for your money. So, if you’re still up to it, the best way of finishing your meal at Chabuya is to order a bowl of chicken ramen as a “dessert” of a kind.
How to Order
They may not speak that much English at Chabuya, but their menu is in English and Chinese, so ordering should be easy.
Just note that as Chabuya is very popular, making a reservation is recommended.
2.9
food3.3
service3.0
atmosphere2.5
Price
Overseas Tourist-Friendly
Sampo
3.2
food3.5
service3.0
atmosphere3.0
The yakitori here is definitely better than at many other places, and it surely gets a lot of its great taste from the way its grilled on a charcoal grill. And the best part of the experience is that you get to see how the chicken is being grilled while you sip on your whisky highball. Just remember to make a reservation before you go, as this yakitori place is almost always full.
Writer Details
Yumemi
2.7
food3.0
service3.0
atmosphere2.0
This restaurant is surrounded by town houses, so it’s a bit hard to find, but it’s always busy with many patrons.
The secret of this restaurant is the way they grill their chicken skewers on charcoal. Because of this, they’re fragrant and delicious! You can also see how they grill the chicken!
They have many snacks to have with beer too, like ramen and fried karaage chicken.
The place is open until 1 am so it’s a nice spot to visit even if it’s a bit late!
No reviews yet. Become the first one to submit a review!
Chabuya
/ チャブヤ
| Category | Yakitori |
|---|---|
| Phone | +81 75-344-0313 |
| Address | 223-25 Sendocho, Nishikiyamachi Shijo-dori Kudaru, Simogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Directions | 3-minute walk from Hankyu Karasuma Station. |
| Open Hours | 5 pm-1 am (Last orders at 12 midnight) |
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Closed | Thursdays |
| Notes | Reservations recommended. |
| Price range |
|
| Credit cards | VISA, MASTER, JCB, AMEX, Diners / Accepted |
| Good for | Solo, With Friends |
| Overseas Tourist-Friendly |
They may not speak much English, but the staff is friendly and their menu is in English.
|
| Menu | English, Chinese, and Japanese. |
| Lanuages spoken | Some very simple English |
| Number of seats | 34 |
| Private dining rooms | Yes |
| Non smoking / smoking | Smoking |
Access
