Nanbantei
Highlights
About Nanbantei
Nanbantei is Singapore's first yakitori restaurant (1983), and after 40+ years, remains the standard every other yakitori is measured against. Regular diners — many visiting for decades — consistently call it the best, comparable to Japan's finest.
The secret: quality ingredients, Japanese-imported charcoal, decades of craft. Sea salt only. Tsukune is the signature: hand-formed, cracking open with savoury flavour. Chicken wings are the other must-order — perfectly simple.
Counter seats are the best — front-row to the grill. The weekday Yakitori Bento (S$15.50++) is one of the best-value Japanese lunches in Orchard.
Second outlet at Chinatown Point (2016). Same management as Shinjuku at Cuppage Plaza. After 40 years, the flame is still burning.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Yakitori Skewers
| Chicken Wing (tebasaki) | From S$4.90++ |
| Tsukune — THE signature | From S$5.50++ |
| Pork Belly | From S$5.90++ |
| Beef Rib Eye | From S$8.90++ |
| Assorted Vegetables | From S$3.90++ |
| 8-Stick Course (mixed) | ~S$45++ |
Sets & Mains
| Weekday Lunch Yakitori Bento | S$15.50++ |
| Hamachi Sashimi | S$25++ |
| Wagyu Roast Beef Don | S$30++ |
| Various Bento Sets | From S$12++ |
All prices subject to service charge and GST. Extensive menu. Counter seating recommended.
Practical Info
+65 6733 5666
- Mon–Thu: 11:45am–2:30pm, 6pm–10pm
- Fri–Sat: 11:45am–2:30pm, 6pm–10:30pm
- Sun: 11:45am–2:30pm, 5:30pm–10pm
- Open 7 days a week
Dietary Info
Photos
Location
Far East Plaza: 14 Scotts Road, #05-132, Singapore 228213
📍 Open in Google MapsYour Dining Journey at Nanbantei
Finding the Fifth Floor
Navigate to the 5th floor. Grab a counter seat facing the grill. Japanese charcoal already glowing white-hot. The aroma decides for you before you order.
The First Skewers
Tsukune first — 40+ years of signature. Charred outside, impossibly juicy inside. Then chicken wings, pork belly. Fire, salt, skill.
Building the Spread
Expand: beef rib eye, vegetables, the 8-stick course. Each stick arrives hot, naturally paced. Add gyoza, mentaiko cabbage, beer. The quintessential after-work izakaya experience, sustained for four decades.
Leaving with the Smoke
You'll leave smelling of charcoal — a badge of honour. The bill: under S$80 for two. That's Nanbantei's gift: extraordinary Japanese food doesn't need a fortune. Just fire, salt, and 40 years of practice.
Editor's Note
Nanbantei is the anchor of Japanese dining in Orchard — 40+ years, world-class yakitori, S$15.50++ bento. Counter seats are essential. Far East Plaza isn't glamorous, 5th floor hard to find. Compared to newcomers (Kemuri, Skewers), Nanbantei offers decades of proven consistency. The standard every other yakitori is judged against.