Nasu House: A Late-Night Yakitori Sanctuary in Jing’an

Located on Jiaozhou Lu in Jing’an, Nasu House is a cozy Japanese yakitori restaurant specialized in charcoal-grilled chicken. It’s the kind of unpretentious, easygoing spot that every neighborhood needs — a place where you can settle in without overthinking it.

Chicken and more on sticks, grilled eel, chicken broth ramen, soba, and mercifully frosty beers — all for about ¥160 per person.

Click here to book and get a beer or soft drink on the house!

About Nasu House

Nasu House is a Japanese yakitori restaurant in Jing'an Shanghai.

Since opening at the end of April, Nasu House has claimed its niche: a solid evening and late-night eatery, open until 2am on Friday and Saturday. It’s just a block from the bustling nightlife nexus of Wuding and Yanping Lu, so if you’re partying nearby, take note!

The three-floor setup includes a bar counter on the first, communal seating on the second, and private rooms upstairs for groups of two to ten.

The brains behind the operation is Mei, a Sichuan-born F&B veteran with 16 years in the business, previously running Japanese restaurants and bars in Gubei before bringing her relaxed brand of izakaya fare to downtown Jing’an.

Let’s Talk Chicken

The star here is the yakitori, skewered in-house from whole birds broken down daily — no part wasted. The carcasses? Those simmer for three hours to form the base of a deeply savory chicken ramen. (More on that below.)

For the ambitious, there’s the option to pre-order an entire chicken (¥398, a day in advance), which includes skewers of breast, thigh, wings, and the more adventurous bits: cockscomb, tail, milt, and neck. The rare cuts are also available à la carte for the cautiously curious.

Now, a play-by-play of sticks.

The chicken thigh (¥16) is plump and juicy, and a no-brainer. It’s and optionally dressed with tangy plum sauce and perilla (¥18).

Then there’s the tsukune (¥18), a fat chicken meatball brushed with sweet-savory glaze and served with a raw egg yolk for dipping. The texture is satisfying, fluffy and punctuated with crunchy bits of cartilage.

The kitchen is accommodating, too: you can request chicken skin (¥12) extra crispy or liver (¥15) cooked medium instead of the traditional medium-rare. Though I’d argue the latter is the way to go. The wings (¥12), butterflied for maximum crunch, are another easy win.

Venturing into the “rare” section of the menu, I’d recommend the “chicken lantern” aka chōchin (¥21), which means “lantern” in Japanese and is a euphemism for the chicken ovaries and fallopian tube. The ovaries burst with a creamy richness reminiscent of soft-boiled egg yolk, while the tube offers a springy chew not unlike dark meat. It’s a delicacy worth trying.

Yakitori & More

The usual suspects of vegetable skewers like okra, leek, or mentaiko-mayo topped courgette, all ¥10, are also available.

Beyond chicken, there’s the thick-cut pork belly (¥28), crisped and caramelized, almost like roasted pork. Loved this one.

If you’re a fan of eel, the roasted eel (¥108 half, ¥198 whole) does justice. It’s glossy, fatty, and lacquered in a sweet-savory sauce. The skin is both crispy and chewy, while the flesh flaky and light. A bowl of rice with this and I’m golden.

It’s not as refined as specialist eel restaurants, but it does a good job at delivering satisfaction.

The Norwegian mackerel (¥42) is an alternative, delivering a punch of umami.

Then, there’s the torched Australian wagyu (¥198), which will definitely jack up your average check, but it’s worthwhile if you’re feeling a bit indulgent. The beef is lightly seared, almost like a tataki, paired with a bright citrus-soy-mirin sauce. It’s a luxurious detour from the skewers, suitable for sharing.

To cut through the richness, the cold soba (¥40) provides a welcome intermission between bites of greasy skewers. A hearty serving of chilled noodles are served with a cup of icy broth, a quail egg and wasabi to boost the broth’s flavor and mouthfeel.

Finally, circling back to that chicken ramen (¥42).

The broth is made daily, simmering chicken carcasses for three hours and seasoned with just soy sauce. It’s a soulful noodle soup that comes with tender chicken breast, egg, kelp, and bean sprouts.

In Summary

Nasu House may not reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. It’s the kind of place you’re glad exists when you’re in the mood for straightforward, satisfying food — especially after midnight, when options dwindle and cravings demand something more substantial than street noodles.