Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan｜Izakaya Kitan

Kitan is excellent, but you’ll need to speak or read Japanese to enjoy it (if you don’t, there are plenty of excellent places nearby for English speakers to enjoy) I rudely arrived on a busy Friday night with no reservation and little hope of getting seated, but Kitan graciously accommodated me. The three things that struck me right away were the pretty decor, the laughter from other customers having fun, and the tempting food and drink menus. I had 本マグロ刺身, ホタルイカ唐揚げ, and 焼きそら豆 along with 3-4 日本酒 (i made friends with the customers next to me) - the food and drink were delicious and soon I was another laughing smiling customer. Despite a full house, the two-man staff did an excellent job keeping drink glasses full and food on every table. The sake list is thoughtful and interesting (I’ve studied sake in Japan), but the sudachi sour, yuzu liquor, and selection of shochu were very tempting. Just to repeat so foreign visitors are aware, there is NO English menu and NO ONE speaks English which is totally fine as this particular restaurant is designed to appeal to locals. If you’d like a nice izakaya nearby that appeals to locals and visitors, check out Hibiki in Century Southern Tower nearby (I’ve been there many times and have recommended it to friends visiting who don’t speak Japanese). But if you do speak Japanese, I heartily recommend Kitan

Amazing food, super fresh sashimi, great drink selection and friendly service. The tuna sashimi is a must try!

Very close to the school. It’s also very delicious and reasonably priced.