Bird Land

Yakitori stalls (“yaki” means “to grill”; “tori” is chicken) tend to be smoky dives under train tracks. But Bird Land, in the Ginza district—home to Gucci, Chanel and Prada flagships—has elevated the genre. Guests sip wine from Riedel glasses around a U-shaped bar, while cooks skewer and grill various cuts of chicken and innards over binchotan, a kind of smokeless charcoal.

We loved: Spicy, crispy kawa (chicken skin) drizzled with citrus.

Insider tip: If ordering à la carte, opt for a few non-chicken dishes, too, such as grilled mushrooms and ginnan (gingko nuts).