Yakitori Territory: The best yakitori omakase menus in Singapore

There won’t be any theatrical salting segments in this yakitori theatre along Tras Street. Singaporean chef Nicholas Lee and grill head chef Takeshi Nakayama eschew salt as a seasoning, and instead use soya sauce to season the chicken, imbuing more intense flavours to the meat when grilling. Harnessing the quality of French chicken from Toh Thye San farm and Wakayama oak binchotan, each skewer strikes a fine balance between the crisp and char that local palates crave. The wide repertoire includes yakionigiri (grilled rice ball), six different courses of yakitori, one serve of Miyazaki A5 Wagyu, and finishes with a petit bowl of collagen-rich ramen that is deeply nourishing, thanks to the robust stock made with all the leftover chicken bones. Wine lovers will be spoilt for choice by the reasonably priced Champagne and Burgundy-focused list, which pairs perfectly with the 14-course tasting menu.

Shin Terroir
Address: 80 Tras Street, #01-03, S(079019)

It isn’t every day that one gets to revel in a Michelin-pedigreed yakitori in Singapore, especially one that still requires you to be on a two-month waitlist even in Japan. That said, Torikami is the real deal that is brought to you by Yuta Shiraishi, the chef-owner who honed his skills at Torishiki, Tokyo’s legendary yakitori temple. There is only one yakitori omakase available for every dinner, promising a ballad of 11 skewers featuring meticulously selected fresh chicken, grilled to perfection over premium Kishu binchotan charcoal.

Think charred chicken crowned with Echire butter and seared with charcoal; tender chicken neck topped with fresh wasabi; plump chicken thigh enhanced with a lick of sansho pepper; and utterly tender tsukune meatball with classic egg yolk dip. Complementing the skewers are comforting dishes like freshly cooked donabe and chicken stock ochazuke, alongside seasonal vegetable appetisers.

Torikami
Address: 34/35 Duxton Road, S(089498)

In the depths of Amara Singapore, this sleek and stylish yakitori temple is helmed by chefs Phang Chin Shyong and Desmond Fong. With a combined experience of 10 years, the dynamic duo presents an opulent yet sensibly priced yakitori experience, lining up a parade that includes a fatty tsukune with egg yolk, succulent chicken thigh seared with leeks, and an expertly cleaned series of textural innards. To further luxuriate the experience, expect gold-dusted uni truffle atop pillowy brioche, caviar-crowned chutoro carpaccio, and even flame-kissed king crab legs. For those looking to impress over a business lunch, the restaurant offers an attractively savvy menu for the time-crunched.

Sapōto
Address: 165 Tg Pagar Road, #02-26, 088539 Amara Hotel, S(088539)

In case you missed it: 14 izakayas to visit in Singapore for the best Japanese comfort food

Hailing from Beijing, Yakitori One’s first venture abroad finds home in Suntec City’s metropolitan cradle. Obsessive temperature control, proprietary fine-grained sea salt blend, and house-blended soy sauce are just a few of the reasons behind the mainland success of the yakitori pantheon. Besides plump chicken tsukune and juicy heart aorta skewers, the omakase ventures beyond poultry, boasting Italian cheese, Spanish carabineros, and Japanese nodoguro fish. Even vegetables receive venerable treatment; the eye-catching signature sees thin zucchini strips rolled up and lavished with mentaiko before cooking over hot binchotan. For night owls, the joint opens till two in the morning, where one can either satisfy their late-night supper cravings or stay behind for a hawthorn-fermented highball.

Yakitori One
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard #01-514/515, Outside, Tower 2 Suntec City Mall, S(038983)

Located at the heart of Tanjong Pagar at Fraser Tower, Torisei is a kappo-style restaurant, a style of Japanese cuisine that’s less formal. But if you think that this means the quality of the yakitori here is inferior, think again. Only yakitori omakase menus are available here for lunch and dinner, featuring French vegetarian-fed chickens raised in 100 per cent cage-free farms. Skewers are grilled over binchō charcoal, which imparts a complex char on the meat while letting it retain its pure flavour. Its menus are fresh and seasonal, which means you won’t know what to expect until you get there, but if one thing’s for certain, you are in for a treat.

Torisei
Address: 182 Cecil Street, 01-02–03 Frasers Tower, S(069547), +65 9643 6425

Orchard Plaza is a treasure trove of Japanese delights, and the yakitori omakase restaurants you can find here are no different. At Kai Yakitori, chef Jeffery Chai has prepared omakase menus starring the humble grilled chicken skewer, making it a must-visit in Orchard Plaza. Here, sink your teeth into chicken neck on a skewer, an unusual cut that’s intensely umami and glistening with fat, alongside more common yet flavourful offerings like tsukune (chicken meatball skewers) and tabasaki (Japanese chicken wings glazed in a sweet and savoury sauce). Lest you worry that these aren’t enough to keep you full, a choice of oyako-don (egg and chicken rice bowl) and ramen is ready for you at the end of the omakase menu, guaranteeing a hearty, no-frills dining experience.

Kai Yakitori
Address: 150 Orchard Road, 04-23 Orchard Plaza, S(238841)

Just two floors below Kai Yakitori, Fukuda also serves up a yakitori omakase menu that will leave you both incredibly full and satisfied. Appetisers like marinated salmon and cream cheese tofu will whet your palate for the indulgent yakitori skewers to come, which includes chicken liver, heart, and breast, as well as non-chicken options like scallop, quail eggs, and even zucchini. 

If you’re not in the mood to sit through an omakase meal, however, an à la carte menu is also available, featuring gems like the foie gras ground chicken rice bowl and sides like a chicken fillet and a shark soft bone served with plum sauce. 

Fukada
Address: 150 Orchard Road, 01-39 Orchard Plaza, S(238841), +65 9119 3760

NOW READ

Singapore Sake Festival 2025 returns for its 10th edition this June at Suntec City

The best modern Japanese restaurants in Singapore

Popular Japanese restaurant Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa to open in Singapore