Guitto!

Standing along a street in Nihonzutsumi, Taito Ward, Guitto! is an izakaya built around skewered fare and affordable drinking dishes. Its lights flicker on at 17:00 in the evening, welcoming patrons to settle in for an easy drink across ground-floor counter seats or up the rear staircase to second-floor tables.

Among the dishes on offer, the moist, delicately seared liver steak (rebateki) earns especially high praise. Fresh chicken liver is dressed in sesame oil and a generous mound of scallions, prompting refills of draft beer and sake. Skewered classics cooked over the grill include juicy negima (chicken and scallion), lean sasami tenderloin, and rich bonjiri (tail meat), alongside broader meat selections like beef tataki and thinly sliced sashimi-style liver.

Beyond grilled skewers, the kitchen turns out an assortment of small plates tailored for drinks, including lightly breaded, crisp kushiage skewers and slowly braised motsu tripe stew. Crispy bites of quail egg, prawn, or beef cutlet pair easily with pickled-ginger gari sours and house-cured nukazuke pickles, keeping the meal brisk and lively.

The atmosphere feels approachable whether pulling up a stool solo at the counter or gathering with 2 companions for a casual toast. Peak hours can draw crowds, making an advance reservation a sensible precaution before heading over.