Kushiage Bar Joukigen 居酒屋 串揚げバル じょうきげん

Some of the best places in Tokyo aren't at street level. Kushiage Bar Joukigen is tucked away in a basement space in Shinjuku, the kind of place you could easily walk past if you didn't know what you were looking for. Good to know in advance: on Google, the name appears only in Japanese characters, 居酒屋 串揚げバル じょうきげん, so save the address or the map link before you go. Once you make your way down, you're greeted by the owner, and it immediately feels like you've ended up in the right place. Joukigen is a small izakaya in a Shinjuku basement that specializes in kushiage: ingredients that are breaded, deep-fried on skewers and served as you go. The name roughly means "in good spirits", which is pretty much exactly how you feel when you leave. Fried food is the main focus, but the menu has plenty of other things too. If you'd like to let the kitchen decide, you can choose an omakase option, where the owner picks what's served and the skewers keep coming until you say stop. The place feels more like a local izakaya than a restaurant aimed at tourists, and that's exactly why it's so enjoyable. One thing I really liked was how many vegetables there were among the fried options. It made it fun to work your way through different skewers and compare them. The big highlight was the fried ginger, which I would definitely order again. It didn't taste like anything you can get back home, and that's exactly what I look for in Tokyo. The potato salad was also really good, a simple dish that's well worth ordering alongside the skewers. If you don't quite know where to start in the world of kushiage, omakase is an easy way to try the full range without having to choose yourself. The owner does a lot for the place. He was friendly and helpful and really contributed to the relaxed atmosphere, and you can tell someone cares about guests having a good time. Good to know: smoking is allowed inside. When I was there, though, it was quiet and the room felt well ventilated, so I didn't find the smoke a problem. If you're sensitive to smoke, it's still worth keeping in mind. Joukigen is a genuine, relaxed and really enjoyable place with good, simple food in a basement setting. It's well worth a visit if you're in Shinjuku, craving fried skewers and want to try a range of Japanese flavors. My tip is to order the fried ginger and the potato salad, and to go for omakase if you want to try as much as possible. Save the map link before you go, since the name only appears in Japanese on Google.