Singapore's izakaya range from cheap charcoal-skewer counters in food halls to sake-focused dens, hidden bars and cocktail-led modern izakaya in the CBD, Chinatown and Orchard. Expect yakitori from about $3.80-$6 a stick and small plates from $8-$20, while chef's sets and whisky flights at places like Barrel Story of Hibiki push a night out past $100 per person. The densest clusters are around Amoy Street, Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar and Raffles Place, with more around Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Chinatown and Orchard. Many izakaya open only for dinner and some close on Sundays, so book for groups and check hours before going.
Last verified: October 2026. Hours and prices can change — we re-check our guides regularly, but do confirm before a special trip.
The list
ShuKuu Izakaya Sake-focused izakaya · $$
A long-running CBD izakaya on Stanley Street known for its sake list, grilled skewers and classic drinking snacks such as ika shiokara and marinated liver.
- Cuisine: Sake-focused izakaya
- Price: $$ · From around $5.50 per skewer; starters from $6; sashimi from $8
- Must-try: Gyu ponzu, Ika shiokara, Reba shoyuzuke, Sake of the week
- Where: 8 Stanley Street, Singapore 068727
- Area: Telok Ayer
- Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer
Satori Yakitori izakaya · $$
An Amoy Street yakitori bar from the team behind Sapoto, serving more than 50 charcoal-grilled skewers including rarer cuts, with sake, shochu and highballs.
- Cuisine: Yakitori izakaya
- Price: $$ · From around $3.80 per skewer; chef's yakitori set available
- Must-try: Chef's yakitori set, Beef tongue, Truffle chawanmushi, Highball
- Where: 89 Amoy Street, Singapore 069908
- Area: Amoy Street
- Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer
- Hours: Mon-Sat 3pm-11pm (closed Sun)
- Halal: No
Barrel Story of Hibiki Modern izakaya and whisky bar · $$$$
Opened in December 2025 as the first Hibiki whisky concept restaurant outside Japan, run by House of Suntory: a modern izakaya on Cecil Street with wood-fire cooking, one of Asia's largest Suntory whisky collections, a terrace and a private whisky room in a former bank vault.
- Cuisine: Modern izakaya and whisky bar
- Price: $$$$ · From around $68 for the signature dinner set; Story of Hibiki whisky flight $38; omakase dinner $128++
- Must-try: Story of Hibiki whisky flight, Caviar chicken rice, Aburi wagyu donabe, Hibiki highball
- Where: 19 Cecil Street, Singapore 049704
- Area: Raffles Place
- Nearest MRT: Raffles Place
- Halal: No
Daikoku Japanese Izakaya Yakitori izakaya · $$
A yakitori-focused izakaya at Maxwell KADA, opened in December 2024, whose grill is run by a Japanese couple who previously operated a yakitori shop in Sendai for nearly 20 years. It also serves maki, carpaccio and sake.
- Cuisine: Yakitori izakaya
- Price: $$ · From around $3.80 per skewer; crown yakitori $5; dragon maki $14.80
- Must-try: Crown yakitori, Thigh with leek, Mentaiko fries, Ikura chawanmushi
- Where: 5 Kadayanallur Street, #01-03, Maxwell KADA, Singapore 069183
- Area: Tanjong Pagar
- Nearest MRT: Maxwell
- Hours: Mon-Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm (closed Sun)
- Halal: No
Kokoro Izakaya Food-hall izakaya · $
Opened at Lau Pa Sat in 2026, Kokoro serves cheap Japanese set meals at lunch and becomes a binchotan skewer bar with oden and drinks at night.
- Cuisine: Food-hall izakaya
- Price: $ · From around $3.90 per skewer; weekday lunch sets from $9.90; Sun-Thu sake night deal $29.90
- Must-try: Tebasaki (chicken wing), Hotate scallop skewer, Black garlic tonkotsu chashu ramen
- Where: 18 Raffles Quay, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market (MR20), Singapore 048582
- Area: Raffles Place
- Nearest MRT: Downtown
- Hours: Daily 11am-11pm
- Halal: No
Nomiya Izakaya & Sake Bar Modern izakaya · $$$
A small Chinatown izakaya and sake bar on Trengganu Street, opened in 2021, known for creative small plates that mix Japanese and local touches, such as an ikura negitoro pie tee.
- Cuisine: Modern izakaya
- Price: $$$ · From around $129 for a signature izakaya set for two; ikura negitoro pie tee $17 for two pieces
- Must-try: Ikura negitoro pie tee, Foie gras chawanmushi, Gold dust charcoal chicken
- Where: 11 Trengganu Street, Singapore 058465
- Area: Chinatown
- Nearest MRT: Chinatown
Neon Pigeon Modern izakaya · $$$
A modern, cocktail-led izakaya that relaunched in a Carpenter Street shophouse after leaving Keong Saik Road, serving Japanese-inspired sharing plates, a raw bar and skewers under street-art murals.
- Cuisine: Modern izakaya
- Price: $$$ · From around $5 per skewer; small plates from $20; cocktails from $16
- Must-try: KFC bao, Duck gyoza, Skewers, Enzoni Negroni
- Where: 36 Carpenter Street, #01-01, Singapore 059915
- Area: Clarke Quay
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay
- Hours: Daily 5:30pm-12am
Shako-Ba Izakaya bar · $$
A hidden, daruma-themed izakaya bar near Boat Quay with more than 30 bar bites and over 100 drinks, plus a karaoke room and a separate omakase dining room.
- Cuisine: Izakaya bar
- Price: $$ · From around $8++ for appetisers; Daruma Superbomb shot tower $28++
- Must-try: Minced chicken tsukune, Lobster crispy rice, Salmon treasure box, Daruma Superbomb shot tower
- Where: 12 North Canal Road, #02-01, The Offshore Building, Singapore 048825
- Area: Boat Quay
- Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay
- Hours: Mon-Sat 5pm-12am (closed Sun)
Kaya at The Standard, Singapore Hotel izakaya · $$$
The contemporary izakaya on level two of The Standard hotel on Orange Grove Road, serving raw fish, robatayaki, a snow crab claypot rice (kani meshi nabe) and skewers, with a list of flavoured highballs.
- Cuisine: Hotel izakaya
- Price: $$$ · From around $8++ for small plates; sharing dishes up to $78++; highballs $10++ during happy hour (8pm-10pm)
- Must-try: Kani meshi nabe, Skewered porktaku, Sake kyuri highball
- Where: 12 Orange Grove Road, #02-00, The Standard, Singapore 258353
- Area: Orchard
- Nearest MRT: Orchard Boulevard
- Hours: Dinner daily 6pm-11pm
- Halal: No
Hitoyoshi Izakaya Casual izakaya · $$
An izakaya on the top floor of Jewel Changi Airport run by the homegrown Hitoyoshi Group, serving skewers, sashimi and sake in a setting suited to group gatherings.
- Cuisine: Casual izakaya
- Price: $$
- Must-try: Yakitori skewers, Sashimi, Sake
- Where: 78 Airport Boulevard, #05-205, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666
- Area: Changi Airport
- Nearest MRT: Changi Airport
- Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-12am
At a glance: compare every spot
| Spot | Cuisine | Price | Area | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShuKuu Izakaya | Sake-focused izakaya | $$ | Telok Ayer | — |
| Satori | Yakitori izakaya | $$ | Amoy Street | No |
| Barrel Story of Hibiki | Modern izakaya and whisky bar | $$$$ | Raffles Place | No |
| Daikoku Japanese Izakaya | Yakitori izakaya | $$ | Tanjong Pagar | No |
| Kokoro Izakaya | Food-hall izakaya | $ | Raffles Place | No |
| Nomiya Izakaya & Sake Bar | Modern izakaya | $$$ | Chinatown | — |
| Neon Pigeon | Modern izakaya | $$$ | Clarke Quay | — |
| Shako-Ba | Izakaya bar | $$ | Boat Quay | — |
| Kaya at The Standard, Singapore | Hotel izakaya | $$$ | Orchard | No |
| Hitoyoshi Izakaya | Casual izakaya | $$ | Changi Airport | — |
Your questions answered
What is an izakaya?
An izakaya is a casual Japanese drinking spot where food is ordered in small plates to share alongside sake, beer, shochu or highballs. Typical dishes include yakitori skewers, karaage, sashimi, oden and grilled fish.
How much does a meal at an izakaya in Singapore cost?
Budget izakaya such as Kokoro Izakaya at Lau Pa Sat have skewers from about $3.90 and weekday lunch sets from $9.90. Mid-range spots like Satori or ShuKuu typically work out to $40-$70 per person with drinks, while modern izakaya with premium whisky or set menus can exceed $100.
Where is the best area for izakaya in Singapore?
Amoy Street, Telok Ayer and Tanjong Pagar have the densest concentration, including Satori, ShuKuu and Daikoku at Maxwell KADA. Raffles Place, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Chinatown and Orchard also have well-known izakaya such as Barrel Story of Hibiki, Shako-Ba, Neon Pigeon, Nomiya and Kaya.
Do I need to book an izakaya in Singapore?
Smaller izakaya and counter-seat yakitori bars fill up on Thursday to Saturday nights, so booking is advisable for groups. Many open only for dinner and some close on Sundays, so check hours before going.
Is there halal izakaya food in Singapore?
Most izakaya serve alcohol and pork dishes such as pork belly skewers and are not halal-certified. Muslim diners should check the MUIS halal directory for certified Japanese restaurants.
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