Fodor's Expert Review Uosan Sakaba

This classic izakaya epitomizes the casual yet lively nights out of a down-to-earth district like Fukagawa. Opened in the 1950s, the four floors here include counter-only seats on the first and second floors that are ideal for watching and chatting with the chefs, and then tables for larger groups on the third and fourth floors. Wherever you sit, the focus is mostly on seafood, with the fresh cuts of sashimi (of whatever fish is sourced that day), especially good when paired with one of the sakes on the menu. The only challenge is ordering if your Japanese isn’t up to scratch, as the menu is handwritten in Japanese on the walls. However, this being Fukagawa, the friendly staff will find a way to get you well fed, even if that means pointing at other diners' dishes. Or you could ask for what they recommend (osusume wa nan desu ka?) and go with the flow.