Kiyoshi

Take a seat at the counter, and the natural first order is the local shitamachi highball, known simply as the 'ball'. Poured in one smooth motion from a chilled bottle of carbonated water over shochu blended with ume extract and finished with a slice of lemon, it delivers gentle fizz and a crisp, refreshing flavour. Alongside beer, the drinks list carries traditional tavern staples such as lemon sours, shiso sours, Co-up Guarana, and Hoppy sets.

The food options line the whiteboards and paper strips along the wall, largely composed of budget-friendly small plates. A dependable regular is the house chili beans, served with crackers and tailored to taste with grated cheese and Tabasco, pairing seamlessly with the highball. The selection spans fresh seafood like rich negitoro and seared bonito tataki, freshly fried mixed cutlets, skewered satsuma-age fishcakes, and salted squid shiokara, giving plenty of room to tailor a spread to your mood.

The dining room is centred around an elongated U-shaped counter, creating an unpretentious atmosphere well suited to dropping in solo. Empty soda bottles and plates are used to tally the bill at the end, so house custom is to keep them arranged on the counter before you rather than lifting them onto the raised ledge. Advance reservations and takeaway are not offered, though code payments including PayPay and Rakuten Pay are accepted.