Tucked in a serene corner of Bangsar is Last Project, a hand roll and yaki bar that is small in size but big in flavour. There are both bar and table options for seating, and those who want some privacy during their meal can opt for the intimate private room at the back of the eatery.

Though known for its innovative hand rolls and small plates, Last Project also dishes out some of the most juicy skewers on the market. Our top picks are the Wagyu with Sichuan powder, Spanish octopus, chicken wing, and special chicken tsukune.

Hidden behind a traditional Japanese noren (fabric divider) is Uo Sho, a humble eatery in Plaza Damas. Specialising in the art of kushiyaki, Uo Sho is known for its skewers that excel in char, flavour, and taste. Its menu includes soulful Japanese classics like its crowd favourite abura soba, but its kushiyaki and robatayaki (grilled food) offerings are the real stars.

Spanning over 40 kinds of skewers, the menu at Uo Sho has something for every palate and occasion, from premium ox tongue and chicken skin with garlic to pork with mentaiko and bacon with quail eggs. Its unique yakitori omakase is perfect for those who want to enjoy a full meal, including starters, small plates, sashimi, a bowl of ramen, and the best kushiyaki of the day.

Bringing together Spanish and Japanese culinary culture is Palillos in the heart of Changkat Bukit Bintang. This cool and sleek eatery serves yakitori-style plates made with Spanish influences. Think grilled Iberico pork collar with shishito peppers and Argentinian Angus beef short rib kushiyaki skewers. Other popular kushiyaki choices include chicken meatball, Spanish Chistorra chorizo, Spanish octopus leg, and prawn with Spanish Serrano ham and truffle oil.

Kushiyaki aside, add a couple of tapas plates to your table, like its patatas bravas served with a mentaiko mayonnaise and salmon ceviche marinated with lemon yuzu dressing. On the drinks front, a plethora of sakes, highballs, and beers are available for you to wash down your bites with.

Perfect for an after-work wind down, this sake bar in Bukit Damansara is ideal for those who want to sample a range of sake while enjoying the delicious charred notes, a trademark of good yakitori. As Kuala Lumpur’s very first sake speciality bar, you don’t want to miss out on a perfectly chilled carafe of Japanese rice wine while you're there too!

Its vast selection of kushiyaki sticks, including chicken gizzard, garlic and butter sirloin, pork belly, bonjiri, and the crowd's favourite chicken skin, leaves nobody out, even those who’d order a rice bowl or bar snacks. Non-kushiyaki favourites include ox tongue maggie noodles, pork belly rice bowl, and chicken karaage.

Located in the heart of the Chow Kit neighbourhood, pork- and alcohol-free Kingu Kongu is mainly known for its superb grilled meats, though its skewers are equally impressive. The interiors of this spot are reminiscent of an actual izakaya in the heart of Tokyo, with wooden walls and retro posters lining the space.

Served with its special sweet and salty kushiyaki sauce, Kingu Kongu’s kushiyaki will prove to be a hit at your table. Our favourites on the menu include the special chicken tsukune (chicken meatball), Black Angus beef teriyaki, smoked duck, and beef tongue shioyaki. If you’re an indecisive diner, take the easy way out and order a plate of its KK Special Yaki Moriawase.

This corner eatery in Taman Tun Dr Ismail’s The Greens at TTDI promises a night of delicious izakaya fare and small plates to share. At night, its dim space is lit by neon lights, adding to its fun and lively atmosphere. The restaurant is also home to the country’s largest selection of premium sake that you can choose from to enjoy alongside your bites. 

While there, you must not miss its baby scallops, chicken wings, chicken gizzard, smoked duck with leek, and, if you’re feeling fancy, Wagyu kushiyaki. We also enjoy its crowd-pleaser garlic fried rice, koebi karaage (fried baby shrimp), and salmon aburi ikura roll.

Staying true to its yakitori is Toritama, nestled away in Publika. Its menu covers every part of the chicken, including its liver, skin, kidney, heart, aorta, neck, calf muscle and thigh. Perhaps the most famous of its offerings is its chouchin, unripe eggs with thigh and liver, which is mild and creamy in flavour. Non-chicken options include beef tongue, A5 Wagyu, pork neck, ginkgo nuts, and more.

There are also rice bowls and sides on the menu that you can choose from to supplement your meal, such as dashimaki tamago (Japanese omelette), baked potato salad, and yaki-onigiri (grilled rice balls). Those who want to leave it up to the chef should opt for its omakase course that comes with 12 skewers, enough to have you leaving the establishment full and satisfied.

Step into Butaya Izakaya in Taman Sri Hartamas, and you’ll be greeted with the heavenly smell of char from the grills. Its entrance is hard to miss, adorned with Japanese lanterns and banners, with its izakaya-style decor extending into its interiors with posters lining the space and wooden planks detailing the yakitori offerings on the walls. Butaya Izakaya is one of those places you can rock up to in flip flops and shorts and still feel at home with its simple izakaya-style comfort food.

Its vast menu includes a range of Japanese favourites, so there is something for everyone. For your skewers, get its pork belly, chicken wing, chicken thigh, and hamachi collar. Aside from its kushiyaki, we particularly enjoy its tonkatsu, pork belly rice bowl, and shoyu ramen.