Updated ,first published
Japanese$$
Skewers and small plates are just the beginning at one of Sydney’s most celebrated yakitori dens.
Don’t be tempted to have Chaco Bar’s supreme hand roll as a starter. Order it at the end, once you’ve had your fill of skewers and izakaya classics, so your final bite will be a gigantic pile of all things delicious and luxurious: tuna belly, Tasmanian sea urchin, scallop sashimi and salmon roe, all heaped atop seasoned rice on a few straining sheets of nori. Scoop it in. What a finish.
The hits on sticks – chicken thigh; tsukune; chicken crackling – are still a draw at this upscale inner-city stalwart, but owner and charcoal-master Keita Abe isn’t afraid to dive into textural, gamey offcuts either, with the likes of heart, cartilage, giblets and tail all proving their worth. Throw in a smart list of sake and a long communal table, and Chaco Bar is a little slice of Abe’s hometown of Fukuoka, in the best way.
Good to know: Book a seat at the “chef’s table” to enjoy the show at the grill.
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
Last visited: April 2026
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