Extremely Discriminatory Experience – Not Foreigner Friendly We traveled through the rain specifically to eat at this yakitori restaurant, only to be refused service without any valid reason. We clearly signaled that we were two people, and there was a table for two available right in front of us. The waiter looked at us, paused, and simply said “no”, despite multiple empty tables. We were confused but left without arguing. What made this unacceptable was that immediately after we walked out, two different Japanese groups were seated at the same tables, and they did not have reservations either. This was not about being full — this was blatant discrimination. There was no provocation, no misunderstanding, and no explanation given. The message was very clear: foreigners are not welcome here. I would not recommend this place to any international visitors. If you value basic respect and equal treatment, please avoid this restaurant.

Yakitori Tora is one of the best yakitoriya that I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. It's hard to know where to start with this restaurant. Service is phenomenal, the owner Ken-san and Tomoko-san are more than hospitable and friendly, welcoming locals and foreigners alike. The food itself was enough to make us return multiple times during our visit to Tokyo. Ken-san's culinary expertise is quietly very impressive. Changing the menu slightly each night to keep the experience interesting, making it a type of omakase at an affordable price. Everything we tried at Yakitori Tora was incredibly delicious being cooked on a genuine charcoal grill. Even vegetable skewers are packed with flavour. Our only regret is that we wish we could have eaten there a few more times before we left Japan. We are very fond of Toshima and Sugamo now feels like a second home. Thank you so much, We will come again next time we visit Japan!

+3

We were told the restaurant was “full”, despite there being an empty seat directly in front of us and customer visibly preparing to leave. In many other restaurants, staff would at least politely ask if you’re willing to wait. The restaurant closes at 12:00 AM, and it was only close to 8:00 PM, so waiting clearly should not have been an issue. Instead, we were immediately turned away. What made this unacceptable was that two Japanese customers after to us were then seated in that exact spot we had been told was unavailable. This was not a misunderstanding, it was clear and unfair treatment. No explanation, no courtesy, and no apology were offered. The experience left us feeling deliberately excluded. Because of this, I would not recommend this restaurant. Equal treatment and basic honesty should be the minimum standard for any establishment.

The overall dining experience at this restaurant started off quite well. The dishes were of good quality, the environment was pleasant, and the waitress who served us was friendly and attentive. I was initially very satisfied and had a positive impression. However, everything was ruined during the payment process. I paid using NFC tap payment, and the POS machine successfully printed the receipt, clearly indicating that the transaction was complete. Despite this, a male staff member suddenly lost his temper, shouted at me loudly in front of other customers, and even told me not to come back next time. On top of that, he insisted that I must insert my card to pay, completely ignoring the fact that the transaction had already gone through. It was clear that the issue was not on my side — the staff member’s lack of understanding of how the POS system works led to this misunderstanding. Instead of calmly verifying the situation, he chose to treat the customer with aggression and disrespect. This kind of behavior is completely unacceptable for any business that values customer service. I left extremely disappointed, and it is unfortunate that such poor handling overshadowed what could have been a pleasant dining experience.

The crew was lovely: they spoke English and made sure our experience was ideal. As soon as we stepped in, they made us feel as if we had been there many times before and were regulars : it immediately felt very familiar and comfortable. The food was simple but delicious and my picky eater of a daughter even ate all of her food! Overall, the only regret we have is to only have discovered it too late as we're leaving soon!