Yaekatsu
Yaekatsu is one of Shinsekai's more popular kushikatsu restaurants, with a ground-floor counter bar that doubles as a decent drinking spot. The counter seats about 20 people in a U-shape around the deep fryers, where chefs bread and fry skewers in full view. Kushikatsu skewers cost 120-300 JPY each, with popular choices including beef, shrimp, asparagus, cheese, and lotus root. Draft beer is 400 JPY and sake 350 JPY. Set meals start at 1,500 JPY and include a selection of skewers, rice, and miso soup. The bar works as both a sit-down restaurant and a casual drinking spot where you can order just beer and a few skewers without committing to a full meal. The double-dipping prohibition on the communal sauce is enforced with signs in multiple languages. The crowd is tourists and locals in roughly equal proportion. Staff are accustomed to non-Japanese customers and have an English menu. The pace is fast: most people eat and drink for 30-45 minutes and move on.
Where to stay near Yaekatsu
Hotels and rentals within walking distance.
What to Expect
A counter-style kushikatsu restaurant where you watch chefs fry skewers while you drink cold beer. Fast, cheap, and the signature Shinsekai experience.
Busy, steamy, and delicious. Fast-paced counter dining at its best.
None. The soundtrack is sizzling oil and conversation.
None. Come hungry.
Foodies, first-time Shinsekai visitors, budget eaters and drinkers
Cash and credit cards accepted
Price Range
Skewers 120-300 JPY, draft beer 400 JPY, sake 350 JPY, set meals 1,500-2,500 JPY
Skewers ~$0.80-2/~0.70-1.80 EUR, beer ~$2.60/~2.40 EUR
Hours
11:00-22:00 daily
Insider Tip
The cheese and shrimp skewers are the customer favorites. Order a few at a time rather than all at once; they taste best fresh from the fryer. Don't double-dip in the sauce; scoop some onto your plate instead.
Full Review
Yaekatsu sits on one of Shinsekai's main streets, competing for attention with Daruma and a dozen other kushikatsu restaurants. The exterior is covered in signs and a cartoon mascot, standard for the neighborhood. Inside, the counter wraps around a bank of deep fryers where chefs work in a steady rhythm.
I took a counter seat and ordered the Jan Jan Set (1,760 JPY), which included eight skewers, rice, and miso soup. The skewers arrived two at a time, each freshly fried: beef with a satisfying crunch, shrimp curled tight in its batter, lotus root with its distinctive pattern visible through the golden coating. The batter was light and not greasy, which is the mark of proper kushikatsu.
A draft beer (400 JPY) was the natural companion. Cold Asahi against hot, crispy fried food is a combination that needs no improvement. I ordered three additional individual skewers (cheese, asparagus, and egg) at 150-200 JPY each, bringing the total to a modest sum.
The communal sauce, a thin Worcestershire-style liquid, sits in troughs along the counter. Signs in Japanese, English, Korean, and Chinese warn against double-dipping. Small cabbage leaves are provided for scooping additional sauce if your skewer needs more.
The bill for the set meal, three extra skewers, and two beers came to 3,110 JPY. Filling, delicious, and cheap. As a combined eating and drinking experience, Yaekatsu represents Shinsekai at its most characteristic.
The Neighborhood
Yaekatsu is on a main street near Tsutenkaku Tower, surrounded by competing kushikatsu restaurants, standing bars, and game parlors.
Getting There
Osaka Metro to Dobutsuen-mae Station, Exit 1, walk 4 minutes east into Shinsekai. The restaurant is on the main street near the tower.
Address
3-4-13 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka
Other Venues in Shinsekai
Bar TARO
Small neighborhood bar at the foot of Tsutenkaku Tower, marked by a red sign and LED spotlights. Known for its katsu sandwiches and garlic toast served alongside a full drink menu.
Magic Cafe & Bar Shinsekai
Intimate 80s-themed bar featuring close-up magic performances by rotating magicians. Entry is 2,000 yen per person plus drinks, and staff speak English.
Area 3439
Karaoke bar two minutes from Tsutenkaku with affordable drinks and home-style food. Regulars and first-timers mix easily in the laid-back space.
Nokoreshima
Dimly lit bar hosting rotating events including live music sets, storytelling nights, and small art exhibitions. The calm atmosphere sets it apart from the neon-lit streets outside.
Nonkiya
Old-school standing bar in Janjan Yokocho serving oden and dote-yaki alongside cheap beer and sake. Opens early and stays busy through the evening with local regulars.
Asahi Bar Shinsekai
Standing draft beer bar at the foot of Tsutenkaku Tower pouring super-cold Asahi from 350 JPY. No seats, no food, just cheap beer in a retro setting.