Exquisite charcoal-grilled yakitori cuisine at a hideaway in Nishi-Azabu

Between Roppongi and Hiroo lies the Nishi-Azabu area, where upscale restaurants line the streets. Stepping off the main avenue into a back alley, you are greeted by a faint light.
“Mahoroba” — a word meaning “a wonderful place” or “a place where people gather” — has been loved as a hideaway-style charcoal-grilled yakitori (skewered grilled chicken) restaurant known to those in the know, and even tonight fans from across the country come rushing in.
In recent years, its popularity has not been limited to Japan; it has attracted attention on overseas gourmet information sites as well, becoming a “mahoroba” in both name and reality.

At Mahoroba, course meals making generous use of Kyo-Beni Jidori (a Kyoto-bred premium chicken brand), rarely handled within Tokyo, are popular.
Along with the delicious yakitori that an artisan with over 20 years of experience carefully grills, the drinks you'll want to pair with it—such as shochu, sake, and carefully selected wines—are also filled with attention to detail.

Kyo-Beni Jidori has a fine texture and a pleasant bite. The thigh and wing tip are well-marbled with fat, and the breast is tender. We want you to fully experience, course by course, the rich, deep flavor of the chicken itself.

【Mahoroba Tannou Course】　¥7,700 tax incl. *includes table charge
Starting with an appetizer and green salad, then a monaka (crispy wafer) of chicken liver pate shaped like a chicken, an assortment of jidori chicken sashimi, 7 grilled items including seasonal vegetable skewers, and a finishing dish with soup.

With the assorted jidori chicken sashimi, the gap between the bite of fresh meat—never once frozen—and the seared texture of the surface is irresistible.
The finishing dish is TKG (tamago-kake gohan, raw-egg-over-rice) using domestic rice cooked with chicken broth. We want you to immerse yourself in the lingering aftertaste through the depth of flavor and texture.

At Mahoroba, in addition to course meals, there is also an abundant a la carte selection.
The Jidori Chicken Thigh Topped with Sea Urchin (¥1,780) lavishly tops the chicken with sea urchin from Hokkaido, and the toasty aromas of charcoal and nori (seaweed) bring out each other's deliciousness in an exquisite balance.
There are also items that pair perfectly with drinks, such as the Chicken Liver Pate Monaka (¥550) and the Chicken Skin with Ponzu (citrus-soy sauce) (¥990).

The pride-of-the-house skewers, using Suigo Akadori (a Chiba-bred chicken brand), can be ordered even one at a time.
Slowly cooked over charcoal to lock in the ingredients' umami, each skewer—coated with the restaurant's continuously replenished secret sauce or just the right amount of salt—is exquisite. The crisp texture the moment you bite into it, and the aroma of charcoal that passes through your nose.
After comparing flavors with the 5-skewer set (¥2,150) or 7-skewer set (¥2,880), you might also like to add your favorite.

Located close to Roppongi Hills and the Romanian Embassy, Mahoroba could be called nothing short of an urban oasis.
Stepping off Gaien-Nishi-dori into a back alley, a small light comes into view.
In this spot just a little away from the hustle and bustle, a grill artisan who attentively faces the charcoal fire, together with the friendly proprietor, prepares the finest chicken gourmet experience.

The main seating consists of 6 counter seats and box seats. Private rooms are for course meals only, in a space where privacy is preserved.
How about spending time at a leisurely pace, enveloped in the kind of attentive hospitality that delights the eye—such as the Japanese-style hanging scrolls and folded-crane chopstick rests scattered around the interior?