Discovering a genuine Japanese izakaya in the heart of Singapore’s bustling malls is aa unique experience. These unpretentious spots offer more than just food—they provide a warm, inviting atmosphere where the aroma of charcoal-grilled skewers mingles with the lively chatter of friends and colleagues unwinding over sake and craft beers.
Over the years, I’ve explored many such izakayas, particularly around Cuppage Plaza, which has become a vibrant hub for authentic Japanese bar dining in the city.
I’ve eaten my way through grilled chicken skewers, gyoza, and far too many bowls of grilled scallops, and these ten places are the ones I keep returning to for all the izakaya favourites.
This guide leans heavily on Cuppage Plaza because that’s where the soul of mall izakaya dining lives, with friendly traditional izakaya vibes and menus focused on traditional izakaya cuisine. But I’ve branched out to Fortune Centre, 100AM, International Plaza, and Esplanade Mall too, so you’ve got options across the city. Honest pros and cons throughout. Let’s eat.
For a broader look at Cuppage Plaza’s Japanese restaurants beyond izakayas, you can find out more here before choosing where to start.
The Japanese Izakaya Worth Finding Above and Below the Escalators
1. Kazu Sumiyaki Restaurant (Cuppage Plaza) – Japanese Izakaya Singapore with Charcoal-Grilled Classics
Getting There: Somerset, about 5 minutes on foot
Price: Around $50 per person
Opening Hours: Dinner service only, check restaurant contact for details
This is the one I send people to first when they want to understand what charcoal grilling actually means in Japanese cuisine. Kazu has been quietly working its binchotan grill for decades, and the moment you slide open the door, the smell of rendering fat and smoke wraps around you. It feels like stepping into an old Tokyo back-alley grill room rather than a mall on Koek Road.
The Foie Gras Skewer ($7) is the dish to build your meal around. Mine arrived glistening, charred at the edges, with a molten center that melted the instant it hit my tongue. The smoke cuts beautifully through the richness. I’ll be honest though: order more than one and it starts to feel overwhelming. Some of the pricier menu items don’t always justify their cost, so I stick to the grilled classics and the Hotate Kai scallop.
Go For: A slow, serious charcoal dinner with sake and counter seats.
Skip If: You want a cheap, quick meal or roomy, quiet seating.
Quiet Tip: Request the counter. Watching the chefs turn grilled skewers over the coals genuinely makes the food taste better.
2. Izakaya Nijumaru (Cuppage Plaza) – Friendly Traditional Izakaya with Comfort Food
Getting There: Somerset, about 5 minutes on foot
Price: Around $30–40 per person
Opening Hours: Lunch and dinner, check contact for details
If Kazu is the serious grill master, Nijumaru is the warm grandparent of Cuppage Plaza. Running since 1987, it has rustic wooden furnishings and the comforting clutter of a restaurant that hasn’t changed much in decades. I dropped by once at 2:30pm, well after lunch, and the dining room was still buzzing with regulars. That tells you everything.
This is comfort food, not refined plating, with all the izakaya favourites like buta kakuni (braised pork belly) and miso soup. The Nikujaga, a braised beef-and-potato stew, is what I order when I want to feel looked after. It’s homely and a little sweet, the potatoes soft enough to fall apart. The bento sets and skewers round things out nicely. It isn’t flawless, and the kitchen can be uneven, but the soul more than makes up for it.
Go For: Solo diners and small groups craving everyday traditional izakaya cuisine.
Skip If: You expect sleek interiors or precise, modern plating.
Quiet Tip: Come for the nostalgia. Order the Nikujaga and a beer and let the evening slow down around you.
3. Shinjuku Restaurant (Cuppage Plaza) – Extensive Menu Items of Japanese Cuisine Classics
Getting There: Somerset, about 5 minutes on foot
Price: Around $20 to $40 per person
Opening Hours: Lunch and dinner, check contact for details
Shinjuku sits right on the first floor, which makes it the easiest entry point for anyone new to Cuppage Plaza. With 40 years of heritage behind it, this is a broad, reliable Japanese restaurant rather than a tiny secretive room. Sashimi, grilled meat, sake, shochu, whisky—the menu covers a lot of ground without feeling scattered.
I usually go for the Seasonal Assorted Sashimi when I want something clean and fresh, but the Mentaiko Cabbage is the sleeper hit, salty and savory in the best way. Lunch sets are genuinely good value here. The trade-off is intimacy. Because it’s so established and easy to find, it lacks the hidden-gem thrill of the smaller izakayas upstairs.
Go For: A classic, accessible first stop with lunch sets and sashimi.
Skip If: You want something small, secretive, or counter-led.
Quiet Tip: Visit for the daily lunch sets (11:45am–2:30pm). They’re the smartest way to taste the kitchen without overspending.
4. Izakaya Naniwa (Cuppage Plaza) – Traditional Izakaya Cuisine and Sake Bar Experience
Getting There: Somerset, about 5 minutes on foot
Price: Around $30 to $50 per person
Opening Hours: Dinner only, check contact for details
Now we get into the genuinely hidden territory. Naniwa is a Kyoto-style izakaya tucked into a corner of Cuppage Plaza, and it’s adults-only because ordering alcohol is part of the deal. It’s a long-whispered favorite among Japanese expats, and the first time I found it, I felt like I’d been let in on a secret.
The room is intimate, counter-led, and built around sake and shochu. This isn’t a place for a quick bite. It’s a place to settle in, sip something good, and let the small plates come at their own rhythm. Reservations go through WhatsApp, and given how few seats there are, I’d never risk just turning up.
Go For: Adults wanting a discreet, sake-led Kyoto-style evening.
Skip If: You don’t drink, you’re dining with kids, or you want an easy walk-in.
Quiet Tip: Treat this as a deliberate destination, not a spontaneous mall meal. Book ahead and arrive ready to drink.
5. Skewers Yakitori Izakaya (Cuppage Plaza) – Yakitori and Grilled Chicken Skewers
Getting There: Somerset, about 5 minutes on foot
Price: Around $40–60 per person
Opening Hours: Dinner seatings at 6:00pm and 8:30pm, booking essential
A newer arrival, Skewers is laser-focused on chicken yakitori, with a tagline about “turning chicken into phoenix” that made me smile. It’s a no-frills, cosy room with small tables, counter seating, and that slightly smoky haze that signals a proper grill is working hard nearby.
What I appreciate is the discipline. When a place commits this fully to grilled chicken skewers, the quality usually follows. The catch is the structure: there are two seatings, 6:00pm–8:15pm and 8:30pm–11:00pm, so you can’t linger endlessly. It’s popular enough that booking ahead is essential. I learned that the hard way one Friday and got turned away.
Go For: Yakitori-focused dinners with small groups.
Skip If: You dislike timed seatings or want a long, unstructured meal.
Quiet Tip: Choose the later seating. The room feels more like a relaxed after-work izakaya than an early-bird dinner.
6. Izakaya Hikari (Fortune Centre) – Friendly Traditional Izakaya with Budget-Friendly Menu Items
Getting There: Bencoolen or Bugis, roughly 5–8 minutes depending on exit
Price: Around $40–50
Opening Hours: Lunch and dinner, check contact for details
Branching out from Cuppage, Izakaya Hikari brings the izakaya energy to Bugis. Sitting on Level 3 of Fortune Centre, it’s an authentic, casual spot that won’t drain your wallet. Think chicken karaage, edamame, potato salad, yakitori, and a proper sake bar, all at prices that feel refreshingly fair.
I love coming here precisely because it’s the opposite of an Orchard splurge. The third floor is much quieter than the busy ground-floor food traffic, which makes it a calm, low-key spot for a weeknight dinner. It’s a hidden gem in the truest sense, the kind of place you only find if someone tells you about it.
Go For: Budget-conscious diners, Bugis office workers, and students craving traditional izakaya cuisine.
Skip If: You want a polished, Orchard-style Japanese dining room.
Quiet Tip: Head up to Level 3 rather than getting distracted on the lower floors. The quieter corridor suits a relaxed meal with good vibes.
7. The Public Izakaya by Hachi (100AM Mall) – Extensive Menu and Perfect Spot for Work Drinks
Getting There: Tanjong Pagar, about 3–5 minutes on foot
Price: Around $31–45 per person
Opening Hours: Lunch and dinner, check contact for details
When I’m gathering a group of friends, this is my go-to. Located inside 100AM at Tanjong Pagar, The Public Izakaya has the scale and accessibility that many tiny Cuppage rooms lack. It serves small plates, charcoal-grilled items, sashimi, fried specialties, and plenty of sake-friendly bites.
The pork stew and buta kakuni belly pork are reliably comforting, and the karaage holds up well against a cold draft beer. The homey decor and democratic prices make it easy to settle in. My one gripe, echoed by others, is the backless chairs. They get uncomfortable during longer catch-ups, and service can be a touch inconsistent. Still, for a casual group dinner or work drinks, it delivers.
Go For: After-work drinks and group dinners near the office.
Skip If: You need cushioned seating for a long, leisurely meal.
Quiet Tip: Go for the oden and grilled items, and book ahead on weekends. The room fills fast with the post-work crowd.
8. Kemuri (Cuppage Plaza) – Yakitori Omakase and Craft Izakaya Experience
Getting There: Somerset, about 5 minutes on foot
Price: omakase format
Opening Hours: Dinner only, check contact for details
I’m ending back where the heart of this list lives, on the 4th floor of Cuppage Plaza. Kemuri is the elusive yakitori omakase room, marked only by a modest doorbell. With just 18 seats, including 10 at the counter, it feels less like a casual stop and more like a quiet ceremony built around chicken and charcoal.
This is for the patient diner who appreciates craft. The chef-led counter experience is the entire draw, so flexibility and low prices are not what you’re here for. The first time I rang that doorbell, I felt the thrill of entering somewhere deliberately hidden, and the meal lived up to it.
Go For: Serious yakitori lovers who appreciate patience and craft.
Skip If: You want flexibility, low prices, or a broad menu.
Quiet Tip: Request a counter seat if booking allows. With only 10 of them, those are the most meaningful seats in the room.
Final Thoughts: Where to Start Your Japanese Izakaya Singapore Crawl
If there’s one takeaway here, it’s that Singapore’s best izakaya experiences hide inside its most unassuming malls. Cuppage Plaza is the perfect spot to begin, whether you want Kazu’s charcoal theater, Nijumaru’s nostalgia, or Kemuri’s hidden omakase. From there, Izakaya Hikari, Public Izakaya, Fukusuke, and Tomo give you reasons to explore Bugis, Tanjong Pagar, and the Esplanade too.
My advice? Pick one mall, check opening hours and book ahead where it matters, and go in hungry and unhurried. These establishments reward the diners who slow down, sip a little sake or cocktails, and let the smoke and shared plates do their work. Start with Cuppage Plaza this weekend, and let the rest of the list pull you across the city from there.