I went to Taisho (sp?) - the little one that is in this funky strip mall looking place…thought from where my friend took me, there seems to be a lot of these strip mall type places in San Diego. 
Was very good, and I can see why there’s a wait list at the door. We went on a Sunday so it wasn’t as bad. My favorites were definitely the chicken gizzard and the chicken skin. I was bummed they didn’t have chicken tail… don’t know if they ever have that as an offering.
I tried to go there yesterday (Taisho), but it closed early, so I went to a different one instead. Well, at least Taisho has chicken skin. Some don’t offer that. Glad you enjoyed it.
yeah, the skin was great! i even got to try the chicken veins, and that wasn’t bad either. i wish we had as good a selection of yakitori options in boston. i wish we had a lot of the good food places i tried in san diego for that matter. my goodness if i lived there i would be about 30lbs heavier.
One of my favorites is the chicken cartilage I often had in Manhattan New York (not my photo):
I cannot remember if I found chicken cartilage here. I think San Diego’s Yakitori scene is pretty good. Japanese Ramen scene is ok too. The Chinese scene has room to improve. Well, Boston has great lobster, lobster roll, chowder…etc.
That is new to me. Is it something you eat, or more like something you chew, like chicken feet?
You eat it. It is plenty soft to ingest it. Give it a try if you ever go to a Japanese restaurant which offers it.
Chicken heart and gizzard are the best! I don’t think I have tried skin in yakitori, but must be good.
There’s actually a Yakitori Taisho (and the sister restaurant Oh Taisho!) here in nyc that’s been around forever on st mark’s place. (But if you’re ever here go to yakitori totto instead)
Yakitori Taisho in St. Mark’s square actually introduced the izakaya/ yakitori concept to me, years ago. Fell in love after sitting at the counter for 2, 3 hours.
I have a feeling that these are not related (the ones from St. Mark and the ones in San Diego). I like Yokohama at St. Mark a little more. As for the San Diego ones, Yakyudori, Taisho and Hinotez are all related.
Skin is by far the most variable - in my opinion. I don’t mean quality, but rather style. So you should not give up if you don’t like it the first time around. Some places like to have the yakitori chicken skin slightly crispy, but mostly tender. Some other places like to have it very crispy and crunchy. Just think of how different restaurant handle bacon differently.
Here are some examples:
That bottom picture looks sooo good drools. I prefer slightly crispier myself, and Taisho makes it more on the tender side, but it was still nicely seasoned and very tasty.
I was just about to say that I prefer the tender chicken skin. 
I bet you like crispy bacon too, huh?
Hehe, yes! I do like it when it starts to get a little brown and crisp.
We are so opposite. I think you said you live in Boston. I don’t know Boston yakitori scenery. I do know several yakitori restaurant (really izakaya) in St. Mark Manhattan New York (the ones mentioned by Ttrockwood) make very crispy chicken skin. Hopefully, you will find one near you in Boston. I am sure there is… it may just take time to ask around.
The waitstaff at Taisho mentioned there was a yakitori place in NYC where people rave that it’s better than Japan. He didn’t say the name though, so I’m not sure which place he meant. I would love to try it!
Boston’s izakaya and yakitori scene is quite sad. A few places offer it but none specialize it in like they have in SD or NYC. There was apparently one legit place that opened up, but closed up in a year or two. I never got to try it, but some thought the prices were high. There is a real high-end Japanese place called Pabu opened by Michael Mina with a real Japanese chef, but it’s yakitori options are small and quite expensive ($6-7/skewer!). I’m sure it’s high end ingredients, but I prefer the casual place where you can drop in, sit for hours, and smell the charcoal and smokiness waft through the place.
You didn’t get to try the sister restaurant Yakyudori in San Diego. It is sister to Taisho. You may like it. It is not entirely focus on yakitori itself. It also does not recommend you to order drink. Taisho strongly prefers you order drinks. Yakitori also has ramen – not the greatest, but decent.
So what happened is that you have many people order a bowl a ramen and then add maybe just 1-2 order (2-4 skewers) yakitori without beer and alcohol. Easy under $20. You can have an inexpensive meal or an expensive meal.
I’ll have to dry it next time I’m back in that area. I actually don’t drink, but my friend there is a HUGE drinker, so she and her SO meets the drinking requirement for Taisho. 
They can drink enough for 3 easily.
Try Yakyudori then. The yakitori at Yakyudori is about the same quality. Owner often works there too (you will notice there is a funny poster which looks like the owner there 
). Most importantly, you don’t have to order any drink if you don’t want.
Maybe it’s Torishin, they were actually awarded michelin star (which i am not sure if it is valid way to determine/rate nyc restaurants but that’s a diff story)
Or could be yakitori totto which not as “fancy” but also higher end yakitori here. I’ve been there many times (with omni friends and family) and we have always had excellent meals- i love any and all of the grilled veg i have tried, and others have been delighted with the various chicken parts they offer. And the miso grilled rice ball is a must.
