Twelve Skewers at a Shinjuku Alley Izakaya: An Evening at Tokyo Robata-tō Oden Coronagirī Shinjukuten

In Tokyo's Shinjuku, just one block off the main street toward Nishi-Shinjuku, neon signs suddenly crowd together. Robata-tō Oden Coronagirī Shinjukuten is an izakaya in such an al…

Tokyo · Robata Oden Coronagirai Shinjuku-ten

In Tokyo's Shinjuku, just one block off the main street toward Nishi-Shinjuku, neon signs suddenly crowd together. Robata-tō Oden Coronagirī Shinjukuten is an izakaya in such an alley. We arrived just after seven in the evening and already more than half the seats were taken. We had to stand and wait about ten minutes for a table of four. After spending so long traveling through Southeast Asia and returning to Japan for the first time in a while, the first thing you notice is the sound. Unlike the chaotic din of Bangkok or Hanoi restaurants, here even when packed with people, the noise stays low. The clinking of glasses and the sizzle of oil dripping over charcoal could be heard distinctly.

Starting with a Fresh Beer

The moment we sat down, we ordered Asahi Super Dry draft beer. The octagonal logo printed on the glass was half-hidden by foam. Only after that first sip did the day feel truly over. A Shinjuku summer evening is humid. The temperature contrast of that first glass, drunk beneath the air conditioning, actually stayed in my memory longer than the food itself.

Asahi Super Dry draft beer with a thick head of foam in a branded glass, wooden chopsticks and menu on a wooden table
First pour. The foam was thick enough to fill about a third of the glass.

The part that catches newcomers to a Japanese izakaya off guard is the otoshi—appetizers you didn't order that arrive automatically and get added to your bill like a table charge. You can see in the photo that small dishes keep piling up in the corner of the table, and yes, all of it gets charged. Prices vary by restaurant, so it's best to check your bill when it arrives.

Order Skewers Two or Three at a Time, in Variety

This restaurant does both robata-yaki and oden, so the menu splits into two sections. We started with the yakitori. The first plate that arrived held an assorted selection on a black rectangular dish. From left to right: negima with scallions, deep purple-tinged heart, and chicken breast with the skin crisped to golden brown. A single lemon wedge sat in the center of the plate.

Black rectangular plate with negima, heart, and white chicken skewers with a lemon wedge, and one spent skewer on a white plate beside it
First plate. Looking at the empty skewer already on the white plate next to it, our hands moved faster than the camera.

The heart wasn't over-salted. It has a distinctive chew when you bite into it, with almost no gamey flavor. The chicken breast was seared skin-side only so the surface is mottled brown while the inside stays moist. They give you lemon to squeeze on it, but I'd recommend eating the first two skewers plain. You need to understand the baseline salt seasoning first to appreciate what the lemon changes.

Close-up of charcoal-grilled chicken skewer on a black plate, with a hand holding a beer glass and chopstick rest on the right
Up close, the char marks on the skin are even. You can see where they kept rotating it over the charcoal.

Don't Skip the Vegetable Skewers

When all four of us placed our second round of orders, the table got crowded. A white plate with two liver skewers, a black plate on the left with heart and skin again, and in the center a brown plate with four vegetable skewers: shishito peppers, ginkgo nuts, quail eggs, and shiitake mushrooms.

Four plates arranged on a wooden table, with shishito peppers, ginkgo nuts, quail eggs, and shiitake mushrooms on the brown plate in front
The moment our second round arrived all at once. The brown plate in front holds the vegetable skewers.

Most first-timers don't order the ginkgo nut skewers, but they were what impressed me most here. The yellow nuts are slightly chewy on the outside but have a powdery, crumbly texture inside. The subtle bitterness pairs beautifully with beer. The shishito is a lottery—supposedly one in ten is spicy, and sure enough, the last one on our plate had some serious heat. The shiitake was grilled whole with just the stem removed, so the juice stays trapped inside and when you bite down, scalding liquid spurts out. Be careful; I got a drop on my shirt.

The black bottle with the yellow label on the table is a soy-based condiment. A few drops on the vegetable skewers and the mushroom aroma just bloomed. The seasoning is fine without it, but I'd recommend leaving the ginkgo plain.

The same table setting photographed from a bit farther back, with spring rolls on paper on the right and a half-full beer glass
The same spread, shot from a bit back. That fried item on the paper to the right is a spring roll. Slipping one between skewers gives your mouth a break.

Location and Useful Practical Information

It's within walking distance of Shinjuku Station, but Shinjuku Station has over 200 exits. The time spent wandering inside the station can easily exceed the walking time. It's faster to get above ground first, then open a map. The coordinates below mark the actual spot where these photos were taken.

Two beers and about twelve skewers, plus one spring roll. Four of us sat there for two hours and never felt rushed. It's surprisingly rare to find a place right in the heart of Shinjuku where you can stretch out this comfortably.

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