Going to an izakaya in Shinjuku is an important experience for any Tokyo traveller.
Not only do you have a chance to try food and drink you won’t find elsewhere, but it also gives you an insight into modern culture!
The word izakaya is often translated as a “Japanese pub”, but an izakaya can come in all different shapes and sizes, serving all different kinds of food and drink.
As Shinjuku is in the heart of Tokyo where there isn’t much space, many izakaya make careful use of their space.
This can mean anything from having a small izakaya with only five seats, to luxurious spots with private rooms to help give you your own space in the busy metropolis.
Here, we will take a look at five izakaya in Shinjuku where the main focus is seafood.
Whether it’s fresh sashimi from the local fish market, or regional seafood cuisine, it’s time to try out something new and wash it down with a refreshing glass of sake.
マヅメ 西新宿店 / Madume Nishi-Shinjuku
For a more casual setting to experience a typical izakaya atmosphere, "マヅメ 西新宿店 / Madume Nishi-Shinjuku" is a great option.
"マヅメ 西新宿店 / Madume Nishi-Shinjuku"’s specialty is its incredibly fresh fish dishes, which they are able to provide from their in-house fish tank.
In addition, there is a daily changing menu for the catch of the day, which is a great way to experience the seafood flavours of the season caught fresh off the coasts of Japan.
To make the choice easy for you, there are set course options with dishes like sashimi, fried fish, meat, and vegetables, many of which can be combined with a two or three-hour all-you-can-drink option.
As for the drinks, one of the unique characteristics of "マヅメ 西新宿店 / Madume Nishi-Shinjuku" is its “don-yasu” drinks.
This is a menu of seven set drinks that you can choose from, that get cheaper with each order!
The first glass is ¥429, the second ¥319, then every drink onwards is only ¥209.
Outside of the don-yasu menu, there are also plenty of reasonably-priced drinks such as beer, highball cocktails, and sake, including a variety of simple tea-based cocktails.
"マヅメ 西新宿店 / Madume Nishi-Shinjuku" has a simple aesthetic reminiscent of a traditional izakaya, with menu items written on the walls and simple cushioned seats.
But despite its humble appearance, this is sure to be a meal to remember.
Izakaya in Shinjuku 3-Chome
Shinjuku is broken up into different “chome” (pronounced cho-meh), meaning district, and 3-Chome is known for being a lively downtown area with some great cosy izakaya options.
So even just stepping into this area for these next three spots, you know you’re in for a treat.
ぞんぶん 新宿三丁目店 / Zonbun Shinjuku 3-Chome
"ぞんぶん 新宿三丁目店 / Zonbun Shinjuku 3-Chome" takes pride in its farm-to-table philosophy, procuring its fish from Tokyo’s famous Toyosu fish market, its meat and vegetables from direct partnerships with farms, and its sake from regional craft brewers.
This ensures high quality and fresh flavours all-round.
One of the iconic flavours at "ぞんぶん 新宿三丁目店 / Zonbun Shinjuku 3-Chome" is in their kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) fish dishes.
The fish is brought in fresh from Toyosu every morning, and served up in a variety of different ways, ranging from home-style cooking to luxurious platters.
This is the perfect opportunity to try kinmedai in traditional dishes that are hard to find elsewhere, such as Namero (chopped with miso), Kamayaki (grilled gill), or even shabu-shabu.
To accompany the variety of dishes at "ぞんぶん 新宿三丁目店 / Zonbun Shinjuku 3-Chome", there is also a good selection of drinks, including around 15 hand-picked sake from around Japan that are changed out every season.
The flavours complement the seasonal dishes, and there is even a specialty hire-shu, which is a warm sake with fish fins, if you’re feeling adventurous.
丸港水産 新宿店 / Maruko Suisan Shinjuku
"丸港水産 新宿店 / Maruko Suisan Shinjuku" is our next spot in the 3-chome area.
"丸港水産 新宿店 / Maruko Suisan Shinjuku" focuses on making its fresh fish dishes inexpensive and accessible, so offer a “one coin lunch” option, with set meals from as little as ¥500.
These reasonable prices also follow through into their dinner menus, with a-la-carte menu items starting from ¥380.
Their fish is brought in daily from Japan’s northern region of Hokkaido, which is known for its excellent fish.
The cool temperatures of the north mean slightly different fish options and slightly different flavours, with some of the specialties being scallops, turban shell escargot, and oysters.
To go with the various fish dishes, "丸港水産 新宿店 / Maruko Suisan Shinjuku" also has a good selection of drinks, with various nihonshu from around Japan.
There is even a “Happy Hour” from opening until 7pm every day, where select drinks are available for under ¥300.
There are also course menu and all-you-can-drink options.
This casual yet energetic izakaya is a great option to experience down-to-earth izakaya culture at inexpensive prices.
魚や一丁 新宿三光町店 / Uoya Iccho Shinjuku Sankocho
Our last spot for the day is "魚や一丁 新宿三光町店 / Uoya Iccho Shinjuku Sankocho", a lively izakaya with a selection of different seating and group dining options.
"魚や一丁 新宿三光町店 / Uoya Iccho Shinjuku Sankocho" has its roots in Hokkaido’s Sapporo city, so makes use of Hokkaido flavours and techniques, while acquiring its fish fresh from the famous Toyosu fish market every day.
Their fresh fish is used in an array of dishes like sashimi and fried fish, but also in their delicious lunch kaisendon (sashimi selection on a bowl of rice), which is a good way to get a quick fish fix.
If you’re there for a bit longer, however, or want to get the true izakaya experience, there is also a varied drinks menu with set of nihonshu options that are carefully selected to complement their fish-focussed menu.
To make the most of their extensive menu, you can choose from one of their pre-set courses, all-you-can-drink options, or even book a private room for groups of up to 20.
Explore Shinjuku’s Izakaya Scene Further
These izakaya in Shinjuku are a great way to get a taste of Tokyo’s food and drink culture, but there is so much more to explore.
Shinjuku is abuzz with interesting bars, eateries, and nightlife, so get on your walking shoes and see what you can find!
Written by Cassandra Lord
After studying Japanese at university, I moved to Japan in 2018 to experience Japanese culture first-hand.
It wasn’t long until I developed an interest in Japanese cooking, and now I’m always experimenting in the kitchen, cooking anything from okonomiyaki to goya chanpuru.
That all started in Tokyo, so the city will always have a place in my heart, but now that I live in a more rural area, I have fallen in love with small towns and regional cuisine and culture.
I want to continue exploring and experiencing Japan as much as I can.