Let’s be honest about what this restaurant is before you go.
The Modern Izakaya isn’t a smoky little backstreet joint in Fukuoka or Tokyo. It’s a casual Japanese dining destination and gastrobar sitting pretty in the CHIJMES courtyard, and once I stopped expecting one thing and started enjoying the other, the whole night made a lot more sense.
So here’s the deal: go for the drinks, the skewers, and the chill atmosphere. Come with the right expectations and you’ll have a genuinely good time.
The Vibe First, Because That's the Whole Point at This Modern Izakaya
You feel it before you order anything. CHIJMES has that old-chapel-meets-nightlife energy, and The Modern Izakaya leans right into it.
There’s neon-blue lighting inside that gives the room a cool, slightly moody glow cosy, a little tranquil, the kind of light that makes everyone look good after their second beer. The indoor section is a glass-house setup, designed for people watching with air-con at the heart of the ambience. And then there’s the alfresco area with warm Edison bulbs strung up, which is honestly where you want to be.
My take? Grab an outdoor table at 30 Victoria Street 01-18. The courtyard buzz is the reason you’re at CHIJMES in the first place, and the alfresco seating soaks it all in. The indoor glass house is your backup for a hot night or if you’d rather stay clean and cool.
It gets loud during drinking hours, think 6pm onward, when the after-work crowd rolls in and the place fills up fast. This is a place for friends, full stop. It’s built for sharing plates and rounds of beer, not a quiet solo dinner. If you want to see how it stacks up against other izakaya bars, this rundown of the best Japanese food options around CHIJMES is worth a look before you commit.
What to Order (and What to Skip) at This Japanese Dining Establishment
Here’s how you do it: order in rounds, share everything, and let the beer set the pace.
Start with the Mixed Platter ($36). This is your safe first move — eight skewers grilled over binchotan charcoal, built for two people to graze on with drinks. Chicken wings, asparagus bacon, beef, quail egg. The beef came through juicy and tender with a proper savoury depth, and that soy-soaked quail egg? Basically a ramen-style soft egg on a stick with a creamy texture. Small thing, big win. I’d order it again without thinking.
The Salmon Aburi Maki ($18) is the table hit. Lightly seared salmon, fish roe, and a dollop of cream cheese centre — it’s rich, it’s a little indulgent, and it disappears fast. Not your minimalist sushi-counter situation. This is modern Japanese cuisine, sauced and casual maki, and it’s exactly what this crowd wants.
Feeling flush? The Aburi Sushi ($40) goes bigger — spicy tuna roll, toro, tai, salmon, seared hotate with miso, ama ebi with uni. The fresh sashimi shines through each nigiri, and the spicy tuna roll brings that crunchy yet creamy thing I always fall for. It’s a splurge, but a good one for a table that wants to feel a bit fancy.
For something more filling without going heavy, the Tempura Maki ($12++) is a smart shout — prawn, sushi, and veg in one balanced bite. And the Bara Chirashi ($25++) shows up with big cubes of sashimi, crabstick, egg, and scallop over fluffy rice. Decent, though I’ll be honest — it could use a touch more marination to give it some contrast. Fine, not fireworks.
Now the misses, because I’m not going to pretend everything landed.
Skip the Hotate Miso Maki ($18++). The spicy miso sauce completely bulldozed the scallop, the roe, everything underneath it. You order scallop maki to taste scallop, and I didn’t. Biggest letdown of the night.
The Chicken Karaage ($12++) was a near-miss too. The chicken itself was tender and juicy, but it looked crispier than it tasted. If you want that shattering crunch, this isn’t it — just decent.
And a general note: a few diners have flagged the seasoning as hit-or-miss and the CHIJMES pricing as steep for what you get, with skewers running $3–$8 each. Fair warning. Stick to the platters and maki on the menu and you’ll dodge most of the wobbly stuff.
The Service at This Modern Izakaya
Mostly warm, occasionally uneven.
When I went, the chefs and staff were attentive and easy to deal with — recommendations came fast, plates arrived at a good clip, nobody made you chase them down for another round. One server even had that whole friendly-banter thing going, which fits the social energy of the place and the Japanese dining culture at its heart.
That said, I’ll flag it straight: there’s at least one report of a solo diner feeling brushed off during a busy stretch. This is a groups venue at heart, and during peak drinking hours, solo visitors might not get the same warmth. If you’re rolling in alone, an off-peak visit is your friend.
Before You Go: Find This Casual Japanese Dining Destination on Victoria Street 01
The Modern Izakaya is at 30 Victoria Street, #01-18 CHIJMES, Singapore 187996. Nearest MRT is City Hall, roughly 228 metres away — basically a two-minute stroll. Bras Basah and Esplanade are close too. Parking exists around CHIJMES, but honestly, take the train at dinner and weekends.
Hours run 12pm to 10:30pm daily, last orders around 10. For a calmer day, aim for weekday lunch or early dinner before the 6pm rush kicks in. Fair heads-up: there’s often a 1-for-1 beer deal from 6pm to 8pm, which is great for your wallet but packs the place out.
On spend — a proper dinner with shared plates lands around S$50–75 per person. Light drinks and skewers can keep it closer to S$30–50, but the moment sake bottles enter the chat (there’s a Junmai Daiginjo at S$108++), the bill climbs quick. Book ahead for dinner, groups, or any Friday — it fills up.
Who The Modern Izakaya Makes Sense For
Come here for:
After-work drinks near City Hall, groups sharing delicious skewers and maki over beer, and CHIJMES visitors who want Japanese food with real bar energy and a chill atmosphere.Think twice if:
You’re a yakitori purist chasing a smoky old-school izakaya, you’re budget-sensitive about central pricing, or you’re dining solo during peak hours.What I would order again:
Mixed Platter, Salmon Aburi Maki, that quail egg skewer, and a cold beer during happy hour.
My final take:
The Modern Izakaya works when you meet it on its own terms. It’s a CHIJMES establishment with good skewers, fun maki, and a courtyard ambience that’s genuinely hard to beat for a Friday night out. It’s not the most consistent kitchen in town, and it’s not cheap — but bring friends, use the beer deal, order the platters, and you’ll walk out happy. Just don’t come expecting Fukuoka or Tokyo. Come expecting a good night out, and it delivers.
If you want to read more about this offering and other dishes, check out the full page for details and updates on what to expect at this modern izakaya. This post aims to give you a genuine snapshot without the smoke and mirrors, just honest impressions and a few surprises along the way.
