YakiBaBar
What Makes YakiBaBar Special
About YakiBaBar
YakiBaBar is an independent izakaya-style restaurant and bar located on Serangoon Garden Way, in the heart of one of Singapore's most characterful residential neighbourhoods. The concept is rooted in Japanese yakitori culture — the art of grilling skewers of chicken, pork, beef, seafood, and vegetables over charcoal, served alongside cold beer, premium sake, and other Japanese tipples. The owner, Tay Lian Soon, was inspired by his personal love of yakitori cuisine and saw an opportunity to bring authentic izakaya-style dining to the Serangoon Gardens area, which at the time had limited options for this style of Japanese food. What makes YakiBaBar distinctive is its commitment to quality: all ingredients are fresh and premium, with no artificial preservatives or MSG used in any dish.
The menu revolves around yakitori skewers but extends well beyond them. The skewer selection includes chicken thigh (negima), chicken tail, tsukune (handmade chicken meatball), bacon-wrapped enoki mushroom, garlic miso pork belly, foie gras, lamb, asparagus, and seasonal specials. Prices start from around S$2.50 per skewer, making them perfect for sharing and grazing. Beyond skewers, there is karaage chicken, tofu oden, spicy miso eggplant, cold soba noodles, and various appetizers that reflect the breadth of izakaya dining. The premium sake selection is a highlight — carefully chosen to pair with the smoky, savoury flavours of charcoal-grilled food. The bar counter is designed for late-night visits: a place to sit, sip, and graze through a selection of skewers at your own pace.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Yakitori Skewers
| Negima — Chicken thigh with spring onion ⭐ | ~S$3 |
| Chicken Tail — Rich, fatty, intense flavour | ~S$3 |
| Tsukune — Handmade chicken meatball | ~S$3.50 |
| Foie Gras — Premium, indulgent | ~S$8 |
| Garlic Miso Pork Belly ⭐ Must-Try | ~S$4 |
| Bacon Enoki Maki — Bacon-wrapped enoki mushroom | ~S$3 |
| Aspara Maki — Asparagus wrapped in pork | ~S$3.50 |
Izakaya Dishes
| Karaage Chicken — Japanese fried chicken | ~S$12 |
| Salad with Truffle Onion Dressing ⭐ | ~S$10 |
| Spicy Miso Eggplant | ~S$10 |
| Cold Soba Noodles | ~S$12 |
Drinks
| Premium Sake — Curated selection by the glass or bottle | from ~S$10 |
| Japanese Beer — Draft and bottle options | from ~S$8 |
| Highball — Whisky soda, refreshing | ~S$10 |
Budget Guide
Practical Information
Dietary Information
Not halal-certified. Menu includes pork-based skewers and serves alcohol (sake, beer, whisky). Chicken and vegetable skewers available for those avoiding pork. No artificial preservatives or MSG in any dish.
Photos
Photos loaded from Google Places. Click to enlarge.
Location
Located on Serangoon Garden Way in the heart of Serangoon Gardens estate. From Serangoon MRT, take a bus or short taxi ride (~8 min). Public car park available in the area.
Your Dining Journey
Enter the Izakaya
YakiBaBar's interior is minimalist in the true izakaya tradition — warm wood, soft lighting, and a prominent bar counter that anchors the space. It feels intimate without being cramped, casual without being sloppy. The bar counter is the best seat in the house for solo diners and couples: watch the grill master work while nursing a glass of premium sake.
The Skewers Arrive — Smoky Perfection
The yakitori arrives in small batches — typically 2-3 skewers at a time, each freshly off the charcoal grill. The negima (chicken thigh with spring onion) is the benchmark: dark meat that is juicy and slightly charred at the edges, the fat rendered perfectly, and that unmistakable smoky aroma from the charcoal. The chicken tail is for the adventurous — rich, fatty, and intensely flavoured. The garlic miso pork belly is the crowd favourite: sweet, savoury, and with a miso glaze that caramelises beautifully over the heat.
Sake Pairing — The Perfect Match
Order a glass of junmai sake — light, clean, slightly sweet — and take a sip between bites of smoky yakitori. The contrast is electric: the cool, delicate sake cleanses the palate between the rich, charred skewers. If you want something bolder, try a daiginjo — more fragrant and fruity, which pairs beautifully with the foie gras. The staff are knowledgeable and happy to recommend pairings based on your skewer choices.
Linger and Graze
The beauty of izakaya dining is the pace. There is no rush to order everything at once — you graze through the menu, ordering a few skewers, then a salad, then more skewers, then a glass of sake. YakiBaBar is designed for this rhythm. The truffle onion salad is a refreshing palate break. The cold soba noodles are a light, clean counterpoint to the rich grilled items. End with a highball — whisky soda, tall and cold — and you will understand why this format of dining has endured in Japan for centuries.
YakiBaBar is the kind of neighbourhood gem that every area needs but few have: a genuine izakaya with quality yakitori, premium sake, and an atmosphere that encourages you to stay longer than you planned. The skewers are properly grilled — charcoal, not gas — and the no-MSG, no-preservatives commitment is meaningful. The garlic miso pork belly and foie gras are standouts. The sake selection is thoughtfully curated. What makes YakiBaBar special in the Serangoon context is that it fills a niche nobody else occupies: there are plenty of ramen shops and sushi joints in the area, but a dedicated yakitori izakaya with this level of quality is genuinely rare. It is the perfect after-work spot, date-night option, or late-supper destination. Sit at the bar counter for the full experience. Order generously — the skewers are affordable enough to try many varieties. And let the sake do its work.