Akari

Located inside the Nogata Kaikan building in Nakano Ward's Wakamiya area, Akari offers authentic Korean home cooking in an unpretentious neighborhood setting. A natural place to begin a meal here is with a savory, crisp-edged jeon pancake. Options range from a seafood pancake loaded with ocean flavors to garlic chive and kimchi varieties where the featured ingredients take center stage, making them an easy, shareable starter alongside a cold beer.

For a heartier meal, tabletop samgyeopsal is a popular choice. Cooking thick cuts of pork on the grill while grazing on side dishes such as japchae, kimchi, and seasoned namul brings a lively, interactive dynamic to the table. The menu also features deeply flavored gamjatang pork-bone stew, marinated crab gejang, and sweet-and-spicy cheese dak-galbi, making it well-suited for group dinners gathered around a bubbling hot pot.

Outside of its regular Thursday closing, Akari opens from 17:00 into the late-night hours, and table reservations are accepted. Payment is by cash only, so it is best to prepare ahead of time before settling in for an evening of hot stews and grilled meats.