Yakitori at 新宿西口思い出横丁Shinjuku Memory Lane, Tokyo JAPAN

Chicken Wing Yakitori

Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho 新宿西口思い出横丁 (Shinjuku Memory Lane AKA Yakitori Alley)

新宿西口思い出横丁(Pronounced "Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho" or in translated as "Shinjuku Memory Lane") is an old narrow alley packed with yakitori shops and izakaya bars since the 1940s. Located within the busy Shinjuku city, this alleyway is great to visit at night time at least once to experience the beautiful scene of lighted alleyway with red lanterns, voices of welcoming greetings from their small shops, and delicious smell of the yakitori along the lane.

I visited 3 yakitori shops tonight, and they all taste pretty good; however, I found this "tourist hot spot" a bit pricey for what they offer. (I found izakaya bars located in residential area a lot cheaper with delicious yakitori and friendlier services) Let me share my yakitori journey at Shinjuku Memory Lane with you!

This is the first izakaya shop I visited, and appears to own by a Japanese guy. Unfortunately, I don't speak Japanese so I ended up talking to the Chinese employee who's cooking the yakitori. She doesn't smile much and doesn't want to talk much either. When her Chinese friend came over, they started chatting and laughing. (Her friend works at another shop next door) Anyway, the food actually tastes pretty good and it's around $2 each skewer, and $2.5 for the meat wrapping skewers.  
 

Second shop, it's a Chinese family owned izakaya. The owner immediately asked me to order a bowl of soup (a big pot of soup is sitting in front of the shop), which I am curious to try. The soup tastes alright, just feels like the pot of soup might got old already from sitting out here for the whole night already. (It's around 11pm already) 

Soup with vegetables and pork intestines. 

The price is the same as the first shop, and the skewers are not as tasty comparing to the first shop. 

chicken & leek

Most of the shops are about to close at the alley and it's raining at this time. I just ran into one of the shops. I ended up at the shop of that friend of the Chinese girl who works at the first shop. I decided to order something that sounds more delicious that I always forgot from those two times, chicken wing.

Well, it tastes good and the rest of the skewers taste about the same as the first store. I figured it out... because even their menu is the SAME THING.

Chicken Wing Yakitori

In summary, I think I need to do a bit of research next time before visiting this place. There are certain shops that were more popular than the others for a reason. And their hours are shorter and close earlier too. I found this map and will start with that: 

Map for your 西口思い出横丁Yakiyori Alley (Omoide Yokocho)

http://www.shinjuku-omoide.com/shop/map.html#

Anyway, I will write again when I visit again. Other than a yakitori alley, there is also other types of special alley all around Japan. I am specially interested in the ramen alley in Sapporo. :D

思い出横丁Memory Lane (Omoide Yokocho) Phone:Not Available Hours:  Varies depending on shop Website: http://www.shinjuku-omoide.com/shop/map.html#