We came in tired. The kind of tired that asks for a cold drink before you’ve even sat down.
The second skewer hit our table before we’d fully settled, smoke still rising off the pork belly. That’s when we knew the night had already started without us.
Niningashi doesn’t ask you to slow down. It pulls you in — clinking glasses, the hiss of the grill, a room already half-full of people who clearly come here often.
Atmosphere and First Impressions at Izakaya Niningashi on Craig Road
You’ll find this izakaya niningashi restaurant located at 2 Craig Road, about a three-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Exit A. It’s an easy spot for singaporeans looking for a casual place to unwind after work.
The space runs across two levels — clean, casual, lit in that warm everyday izakaya glow rather than anything moody or curated. The light, airy space feels welcoming and unpretentious, designed more for sharing good food and drinks than for formal dining.
By evening, especially on weekends, it gets loud in the right way. Laughter, conversation, the steady rhythm of orders going out. This is an after-work room first, a dinner room second.
It suits small groups and after-work crews far better than a quiet date. If you want hushed conversation, this isn’t it. If you want to share plates and lose an hour over flavourful food and drinks, it is.
For anyone planning a longer crawl through the area, it’s worth reading up on the official list of izakaya in Tanjong Pagar before locking in just one address.
The Food and Drinks: A Flavourful Range at Izakaya Niningashi
The way to enjoy a meal here is the izakaya way: order in rounds, start cold, work toward the grill, keep the drinks flowing.
We began with the 3 Kind Bluefin Tuna Sashimi ($25.80). The tasting notes for each cut of tuna — including lean akami, buttery otoro, and a fresh, light salmon-like slice — were distinct and enjoyable. Each piece was cold and clean, cut thick enough to feel generous. The leaner slices were firm and bright; the fattier ones melted quickly on the tongue. This is the order we’d repeat first.
If you’re a few people, the Assorted Sashimi, 9 kinds ($41.80++) is the smarter shout. Nine varieties of fresh fish and seafood to share, including uni, salmon, and more, offering a good way to read the kitchen’s freshness across the menu before committing to more.
Then the grill. The 4 Kind Pork Belly Skewers (yakitori) were the highlight of the night — fatty, smoky, the edges caught just enough char to crackle, the fat rendering down into something that begged for another sip of sake or a highball. Juicy, unfussy, exactly what a pork skewer should be.
We’ll be honest about one thing. During the busy stretch, a second pork skewer came out undercooked. We sent it back after a bite, no drama, and it returned right. But it’s a known pattern: when the room is full, the grill can slip. Order early, before the kitchen hits its peak rush.
The quiet star was the grilled sun-dried fish. Niningashi carries an unusually wide range of himono, and the Grilled Hokke is the one to know — salty, oily in the good way, the skin crisped and the flesh flaking off in warm, savoury sheets. Old-school flavour. It works with rice, but it really works with sake.
For drinking snacks, we kept it simple. The Ehire ($8.90), grilled stingray fin, came crisp at the edges and sweet-savoury through the middle — the kind of thing you keep tearing at without noticing. Tacowasabi ($5.90) brought a sharp, clean bite that reset the palate between richer plates. And the Shirasu Chazuke ($8.90) made a comforting close, fragrant broth poured over rice and tiny whitebait, the bowl warm in the hands.
If you like a little crunch with your drinks, the Kazunoko ($9.90) — herring roe — is worth a try, all texture and quiet saltiness.
A word on the bill. Each plate looks affordable on its own. They add up faster than you expect. A casual dinner lands around S$50 a head, but keep the sashimi, skewers, snacks and drinks flowing and you’ll clear S$80–100+ without trying hard.
Service Experience and Reservations at Niningashi
Service was courteous and quick. Orders landed fast, glasses were watched, and nobody hovered or rushed us along.
The one wobble was that returned skewer during the dinner crush. It says something useful: the floor stays warm and efficient even when full, but the kitchen can occasionally drop a beat under pressure.
Nothing here felt performed. It felt like a place that knows its regulars and keeps the night moving.
Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner and weekends, and can be made through popular platforms or by email to secure your spot.
Practical Information for Your Niningashi Experience on Craig Road
Expect around S$50 per person for a casual meal, climbing to S$80–100+ with more plates and a proper drinking session. Lunch teishoku sets, including himono options, offer better value for a complete meal.
Hours run Monday to Friday, lunch 12:00–14:30 and dinner 18:00–23:00; Saturday dinner only, 18:00–23:00; closed Sunday. For a calmer table, aim for weekday lunch or early weekday dinner near opening. Skip Friday and Saturday nights if you want quiet.
A Proper After-Work Izakaya: A Happy Place for Good Food and Drinks in Singapore
Ideal for:
After-work drinks on Craig Road, sashimi lovers chasing fresh seafood, and small groups who like ordering many shared plates with sake or highballs.Less suited for:
You want a quiet, romantic dinner, you’re watching the budget closely, or you expect every grilled item to come out flawless during the dinner rush.What we’d order again:
3 Kind Bluefin Tuna Sashimi, 4 Kind Pork Belly Skewers (yakitori), Grilled Hokke, and Ehire — with sake or a highball to hold it together.
Why We’d Return
Niningashi isn’t trying to be refined, and that’s the whole point.
It’s a proper Japanese izakaya — smoky skewers, cold sashimi, salty grilled fish, and a bill that creeps up while you’re having too good a time to notice.
We left full, a little louder than when we came in, and already half-planning the next round. For an honest after-work izakaya near Tanjong Pagar, that’s enough.
This post is a shoutout to those who appreciate the lively, casual spirit of izakayas, where even a little spicy kick on the side can brighten the night. Aka, this is the kind of place in Singapore that channels the authentic Japan izakaya vibe without pretense.
