Kushizaru

Located near Nishi-Sugamo Station, Kushizaru is a neighborhood kushikatsu tavern that pairs crisp deep-fried skewers with a generous variety of side dishes, suitable for everything from a quick solo drink to a casual group gathering. Open from 17:00 in the evening until 0:00 late at night, it is an easy stop whether you want to linger quietly at the counter or share a table with friends.

A practical way to begin is with the Kushiya Set, which bundles a chef's selection of 3 kushikatsu with 1 drink of your choice, letting you test the crispness of the day's fry while quenching your thirst. Diners wanting more skewers can choose from assorted platters such as the Meat Set featuring beef and pork loin, the Mountain Set featuring lotus root and pearl onions, or the balanced omakase 10-skewer platter. Individual skewers are also available to order in increments of 1, with down-to-earth downtown classics such as red wieners, beef cutlet skewers, bakudan egg, and pickled red ginger, making it easy to add extra bites as the mood strikes.

Side dishes between skewers offer plenty of variety. The "Potemaka" salad, combining potato salad and macaroni salad on a single plate, and the soy-sauce-based shitamachi-style simmered offal stew are reliable bites between drinks. Other options span deluxe-yaki filled with squid, pork, and octopus, as well as light plates such as chilled tomatoes and shark cartilage with pickled plum, ensuring plenty of choices beyond deep-fried fare.

Drink choices include the house-original black-tea-flavored highball known as Kushizaruball, the double-sized Tera Deka highball, and classic Hoppy mixed with Kinmiya shochu. With reservations accepted and payments welcomed via credit card or PayPay, it provides an unpretentious, comfortable setting for everyday tavern dining.