Kakurega (The Lair) - 12 Smith St

New izakaya and sake bar to frequent at Kakurega - The Lair! This newly-opened restaurant at Chinatown specialises in sake, beer and Japanese bar food. Unfortunately I’m not a sake or beer connoisseur so I’m only here for the food, but the latter is definitely on point. The grilled and fried stuff are delicious - I especially like the bacon-wrapped mozzarella skewers, as well as the tori karaage (deep fried chicken), geso karaage (deep fried sotong), the grilled scallops mentaiko and the ebi and enoki tempura (now who would have thought enoki could taste so good deep fried and battered?). Also - the grilled dried stingray fin is extremely addictive. For beer drinkers who want something a little different, they have Asahi on tap and bottled Asahi Black. The restaurant is also homey and comfortable, and service is excellent. I’m definitely coming back!

A nice izakaya joint located in Chinatown. Focus is on yakitori and sake with a wide range of both available. Additionally, they serve a good range of fried, grilled dishes as well as appetisers and sashimi. Service is attentive and friendly. Certainly worth giving this new place a try.

I celebrated my birthday at the restaurant and the staffs were friendly and helpful. Nicholas, the store manager was very attentive in helping us with our orders and reccomended their popular items to us. The food was delicious, my favourite were the scallops & beef. I enjoyed my birthday dinner at the restaurant and thank you Nicholas for the warm hospitality and top notch service ??????

Hidden in the busy lane of Chinatown Food Street. Level 2 and 3 dining area is comfortable and good for small groups gathering. Good range of sake to choose from. The waiter recommended one to us and its went well with the grilled meat. Shiitake mushrooms and clams is must try!! Forgot to take many of the dishes ?

Love the yummy pork belly and chicken mid-wings skewered to perfection with a hint of salt. The lamb chops are also done very well without that "mutton smell" at all. Sake lovers will appreciate that there is a huge selection of sake to choose from. There's a kids menu as well. The udon with tempura was a hit with the kids. Overall, this is a cozy dinner place with great food and very reasonable prices.

Absolutely love the oysters! The oysters were huge, juicy and go so well with the ponzu sauce. Price wise is pretty reasonable as well - 6 oysters for 39sgd. Tried the hotate too and was surprised on how generous the mentaiko sauce was! The staffs are really attentive and warm too. Will be back again!

An attractive hideout that was really bustling with beautiful vibes. There are 4 private rooms humbly furnished with japanese feel. I love that! Loving being served a tray of sake cups to choose. The cute koi design was always an irresistible choice for me. Copious amount of sake awaits.? Everyone is seen having a great time enjoying the food with a woozy range of high quality junmai daiginjo on the sake shelf. Do try out their refreshing highball that's amazingly paired with great shot of Sing Sing whisky. We love that creation! Fell in love with the plump, juicy oysters with citrus ponzu sauce. That will get you off to a good start of the meal. Popped by level 1..I could see the kitchen team takes pride in serving quality izakaya dishes. Had a quick bump with the chef. Complimented Chef Andy who prepared dishes with great care..... The presentation and the taste were both perfect. The restaurant staff were very jovial and attentive, making the ordering process and dining experience awesome! We were served attentively by Leo who swiftly goes beyond getting the orders right and making sure our sake cups are always full. Always an unforgettable dining experience in Kakurega.. definitely a return especially to catch up with friends or with a date! This "hideout" did not disappoint. It met and surpassed my expectations. ??

Went for their Unguided Sake Experience with my partner and I can say I've never felt more welcome in a restaurant. Staff is really friendly and the owner Nicholas is really warm and attentive. Even though the experience was unguided, he took his time to share with us the different characteristics of each sake. Would definitely recommend my friends and family to visit this place.