Best Izakaya Singapore for Unplanned Second Rounds

There are some meals you plan carefully, and then there are the better ones. The ones that begin with, “Just one drink,” and somehow become skewers, sake, fried things, one more shared plate, and a final round nobody wants to admit they ordered.

I’ve tried all three places on this list over time, usually in that dangerous window after work when everyone is hungry but pretending they’re only mildly peckish. I created this list because not every izakaya in Singapore serves the same purpose. Some are made for sake exploration. Some are for noisy, easy grazing. Some are for slowing down with better ingredients and a more polished kind of comfort.

These are my picks for the best izakaya Singapore has to offer when the night quietly turns into a second round.

1.Shukuu Izakaya & Sake Bar

Area: Telok Ayer / CBD
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer or Tanjong Pagar, under 5 minutes’ walk
Price: $–$$, around S$40–80 per person depending on sake and small plates

Shukuu Izakaya & Sake Bar feels like the kind of place where the first drink is never the last. It is a friendly traditional izakaya in the CBD, serving traditional izakaya cuisine with enough warmth to soften the edges of a long workday. I remember walking into places like this thinking I only wanted one sake, then catching the smell of grilled items from the kitchen and immediately making room for food.

The menu leans into all the izakaya favourites: gyoza, miso soup, tori karaage, kani gratin, and grilled fish such as gindara misoyaki. The kani gratin is especially persuasive: creamy, briny, and warm, with that soft baked richness that clings to the spoon. Paired with dry sake, it becomes less a dish than an excuse to slow down.

Best for: CBD diners, sake beginners, work drinks, and groups who want good food without formality.
Must try dishes: Kani gratin, tori karaage, gyoza, grilled fish, and sake pairings.
Avoid if: You want a silent room or formal omakase pacing.
Insider tip: Start with sake first, then let the staff guide salty, creamy, and smoky dishes around it.

2. The Public Izakaya by Hachi

Area: Tanjong Pagar / 100AM
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar, around 3–5 minutes’ walk
Price: $–$$, around S$35–70 per person depending on drinks and dishes

The Public Izakaya by Hachi is the most salaryman-coded stop on this list: casual, noisy in the right way, and built for people who meant to go home after one beer. Inspired by Tokyo’s after-work districts, this public izakaya works because it does not ask diners to overthink. It is an izakaya in Singapore where the table becomes crowded gradually: first drinks, then skewers, then something fried, then one more plate because someone is still hungry.

The menu covers traditional izakaya cuisine in a grazing-friendly way. Think yakitori, grilled chicken, grilled skewers, buta kakuni, jaga mentaiko, gyoza, sashimi, and hot dishes that arrive when they are ready. The skewers bring that sweet-salty glaze and faint smoke; the fried items give you crunch; the oden and small plates stretch the night into a proper meal. It has the spirit of a tapas bar, only with sake, shochu, and beer doing the social heavy lifting.

Best for: After work drinks, casual groups, office catch-ups, and diners who like ordering slowly.
Must try dishes: Yakitori, buta kakuni, jaga mentaiko, gyoza, oden, and sashimi.
Avoid if: You want fine dining, hushed service, or a tightly curated menu.
Insider tip: Pace the meal. Begin with drinks and grilled skewers, then add fried dishes or cold seafood as the conversation loosens.

3. Ishinomaki Grill & Sake

Area: Orchard / Palais Renaissance
Nearest MRT: Orchard, around 8–10 minutes’ walk
Price: $$, around S$50–100+ per person depending on sake, sashimi, and grilled items

Ishinomaki Grill & Sake is the polished, quieter cousin in Singapore’s izakaya scene. It still belongs in a best izakaya Singapore list, but it does not chase chaos. Instead, it gives you fresh seafood, fresh seasonal produce, careful grilling, and a dining room where each plate feels considered. This is the Japanese restaurant I would choose when the second round needs to feel elegant rather than accidental.

The cooking moves across raw, grilled, simmered, fried, and steamed Japanese food. A sashimi moriawase arrives cool and clean, the fish glossy under the light. A bara chirashi offers rice, seafood, and colour in one bowl. The robatayaki grill brings smoke without aggression, letting scallops, fish, chicken, pork, and vegetables keep their shape and sweetness. When the chefs handle seasonal produce well, the result feels calm rather than showy.

Best for: Date nights, Orchard dinners, sake lovers, and diners who want refinement without stiffness.
Must try dishes: Sashimi moriawase, bara chirashi, grilled seafood, robatayaki items, and sake pairings.
Avoid if: You want cheap pitchers, loud crowds, or rowdy pub energy.
Insider tip: Order one raw dish, one grilled dish, and one hot dish. The balance shows why Ishinomaki works as more than a sushi stop.

4. Izakaya Hikari at Fortune Centre

To complement the peppery intensity, we ordered a smaller portion of the famous chilli crab, another iconic seafood dish. Unlike the relatively dry black pepper cra

Area: Bugis / Fortune Centre
Nearest MRT: Bugis or Dhoby Ghaut, around 5–7 minutes’ walk
Price: $, wallet-friendly

Izakaya Hikari is the hidden gem entry: a casual spot in Fortune Centre that understands the comfort side of Japanese food. It does not need mood lighting or dramatic cocktails. Its charm is simpler: warm bowls, grilled skewers, donburi, miso soup, and the feeling that you can eat properly without turning dinner into a production.

The food is straightforward in the best way. Gyoza comes with that soft-crisp bite; donburi gives rice, sauce, and protein in one comforting bowl; miso soup brings the quiet saltiness that settles a meal. It is the sort of place where I remember feeling relieved, not dazzled — relieved that good food could still be casual, affordable, and honest.

Best for: Solo diners, students, casual catch-ups, and first-timers who want an approachable authentic izakaya experience.
Must try dishes: Aburi mentaiko gyoza, unagi donburi, miso soup, grilled skewers, and simple hot dishes.
Avoid if: You want a polished Japanese restaurant with a premium sake bar atmosphere.
Insider tip: Treat it as a comfort stop. Order rice, soup, and something seared or grilled before deciding if the night needs more drinks.

b, the chilli crab comes drenched in a vibrant, tangy red sauce that’s rich yet balanced, with a sweet undertone that makes it addictive. The sauce’s texture was thick and luscious, perfect for soaking up with the accompanying fried rice mixed with fresh crab meat. The rice, fluffy and smoky from the wok hei, was the perfect partner to the sweet and spicy sauce, creating a harmony of flavours that lingered long after the meal.

5. Neon Pigeon

Area: Tanjong Pagar
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar, around 5 minutes’ walk
Price: $$, mid-range

Neon Pigeon stretches the idea of a Japanese izakaya into something louder, darker, and more modern. It is not traditional in the old-school sense, but it absolutely understands second-round energy. There is mood lighting, cocktails, music, and plates designed to make diners say, “Fine, one more.”

The menu moves through modern Japanese food with confidence: KFC bao, Tokyo hummus, foie gras chawanmushi, duck gyoza, kushiyaki, sashimi, noodles, rice, vegetables, and grilled items. The KFC bao is the kind of dish made for sharing — soft bun, crunchy chicken, rich sauce, and just enough mess to make it memorable. Tokyo hummus gives the table something creamy and savoury to scoop between sips, while the cocktails bring sweetness, smoke, citrus, or spice depending on the glass.

Best for: Creative diners, cocktail drinkers, groups, and anyone who wants izakaya energy without strict tradition.
Must try dishes: KFC bao, Tokyo hummus, foie gras chawanmushi, duck gyoza, sashimi, and cocktails.
Avoid if: You want quiet, old-school Japan-style dining or a simple yakitori counter.
Insider tip: Order the boldest small plates first. Neon Pigeon works best when the food keeps pace with the drinks.

For those seeking a more curated Japanese dining experience beyond the casual izakaya vibe, exploring omakase Singapore offers an intimate journey through seasonal seafood and chef-crafted dishes. However, if you find yourself already in Cuppage Plaza and are on the lookout for authentic Japanese dining and izakaya options, this guide will help you: https://asiafoodfanatic.com/cuppage-plaza-hidden-japanese-restaurants/

Raising a Glass to an Unforgettable Izakaya Night

The best izakaya nights rarely announce themselves. They start small, then gather momentum through shared plates, good drinks, and that quiet agreement around the table that nobody is ready to go home yet.

If you want sake-forward CBD energy, I’d start with Shukuu. If you want casual salaryman-style grazing, The Public Izakaya by Hachi is the easy choice. If you want a more refined grill-and-sake linger, Ishinomaki is the one to book.

Go with people you like, order in rounds, and don’t rush the meal. The best second rounds are the ones that feel unplanned.