Fortune Centre isn’t where I’d expect to find a Japanese tavern. Most of us know the building for its vegetarian food stalls, quick lunches, and the steady weekday crowd moving between Bugis and Bencoolen. So when I climbed to the third floor and saw a small Japanese izakaya with a warm glow, it felt a bit like stumbling onto a secret someone forgot to keep.
That place is Izakaya Hikari, and its reputation stand rests on a salmon mentaiko donburi people keep talking about. Beyond that bowl, there are grilled skewers, sashimi, crunchy little plates made for drinking, and a menu built around the easy rhythm of an izakaya night.
Here’s my honest take on the food, the mood, the bill, and whether Izakaya Hikari Singapore deserves a spot on your after-work list.
First Impressions of Izakaya Hikari at Fortune Centre 03-01
You’ll find Izakaya Hikari at 190 Middle Road, Fortune Centre #03-01. Getting there is simple, since Bencoolen MRT is the closest approach and Bugis and Bras Basah are both within walking distance. Then you head up to level three and look for the small storefront that seems a little out of place, in the nicest way.
The tradeoff is space. Tables sit close together, so it feels cozy and convivial if you’re in the mood for that, but it’s not ideal if you need elbow room or a large group table. The atmosphere also changes with the clock. Weekday lunch is calmer, while dinner gets more lively as office workers come in for food, drinks, and a chance to unwind.
What I Ordered at Izakaya Hikari: Honest Dishes and Drinks
An izakaya works best when you order a little at a time and share everything, so that’s what I did. I chose one hearty bowl, a set of skewers, and two small plates that go well with a glass of sake.
Salmon Mentaiko Donburi
SENDs Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Price: Around $17.90
This is the dish that brings people up to the third floor of Fortune Centre, and I could see why the moment it arrived. Soft salmon sits over rice, covered with mentaiko sauce that’s been torched until it has golden, slightly blistered patches. It’s a pretty bowl in a quiet way, all pale coral and caramel tones.
The flavor is all about contrast. The salmon is soft and fresh, the mentaiko is creamy and savory, and the torching adds a gentle smokiness that keeps the richness from getting too heavy. Some diners have praised the sweet-sour pickles on the side, and I think they’re important here because they cut through the cream and give your palate a rest between bites.
Now for the honest part. Reviews of this bowl aren’t unanimous on portion size, and some diners have found it small for the price, while others have said the rice can be a bit dry. Compared with mentaiko salmon bowls at chain Japanese restaurants, this one feels more carefully made, but it’s a satisfying lunch more than a huge feast.
Would I order it again? Yes, happily. It’s the dish I’d suggest to anyone visiting for the first time.
Yakimono Set with Skewers and Asparagus
SENDs Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½☆
Price: $23.90
If you want to see how the grill performs,The current seven-skewer stick Kushiyaki Moriawase includes shishito, shiitake, tori momo, tebasaki, buta bara, bacon-wrapped asparagus and tsukune. Lined up on the plate, it looks like a little tasting flight of everything the grill can do.
The tsukune gets plenty of praise, while nankotsu is also available separately if you want something crunchier. The meatball is the comforting one, while the cartilage gives you a crunch that’s oddly satisfying with a cold drink. The vegetable skewers deserve more attention than they get, too. The shishito peppers have a mild, grassy bitterness, and the mushrooms are earthy and juicy.
Overall, though, the set is more consistent than exceptional. Some diners have found the wings oily or wanted more char on the tsukune, so it’s solid izakaya grilling rather than the kind of precise work you’d find at a specialist yakitori bar. At this price, the set is reasonable value for sharing between two people.
I’d order it again, mainly for the tsukune and the variety. Just know that popular skewers can sell out early, so don’t wait too long into the evening if they’re the main reason you’re coming.
Kawa Ebi: A Crunchy, Salty Snack
SENDs Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Price: Around $7.90
This was my favorite small surprise. Kawa ebi are tiny river shrimp fried whole, shells and all, and they arrive as a crisp, golden heap that’s hard to stop eating. One earlier reviewer compared them to crackers, which is exactly right.
They’re salty, savory, and crunchy all the way through, small enough to pick up by the pinch and keep snacking on between sips. This is the dish that made the room feel like a real izakaya to me, because it isn’t meant to fill you up. It’s meant to keep you company while you drink.
For the price, it’s one of the easiest and best-value orders on the menu. Eat them while they’re hot, since fried things don’t love being left alone. I’d order them every time.
Tako Wasabi: A Classic Izakaya Side
SENDs Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Price: $5.90
Tako wasabi is a small izakaya classic: raw octopus (tako) tossed with wasabi and served cold. It looks like a modest little dish, glossy and pale green, but it’s one of the most mentioned plates at Izakaya Hikari, and diners often name it as a favorite.
What makes it work is the texture. The octopus is fresh and crunchy, almost springy, and the wasabi here is gentler than you might fear, more of a fragrant tingle than a sinus-clearing hit. Some diners have also said the portion is generous for a side dish.
It’s a lovely palate reset between the richer donburi and the grilled skewers, and it pairs especially well with sake. I’d order it again without hesitating.
Also worth a look: If you’re staying longer, the menu has also featured sashimi (salmon, hotate, hamachi, and a sashimi moriawase), Unagi Donburi, Mentai Tamago Yaki, Surume Ika, and comforting oden. Availability changes, so ask what’s on that day.
Service & Overall Experience at Izakaya Hikari in Singapore
The service at Izakaya Hikari feels like the room itself: friendly, low-key, and focused on keeping things moving. Recent diners have described the staff as friendly and prompt even when the restaurant is full, and one repeat visitor said it’s their go-to place for taking visiting colleagues out. That tells you a lot about how comfortable people feel here.
There are still a few honest caveats. Dinner can get crowded, and some diners have mentioned queuing or waiting longer than they wanted, especially once the after-work crowd of office workers arrives. Popular items like the skewers and oden have been known to sell out, so a later visit may mean a smaller menu.
Things to Know Before You Go to Izakaya Hikari at 190 Middle Road
Address: 190 Middle Road, Fortune Centre #03-01, Singapore 188979
Nearest MRT: Bencoolen is the most convenient, with Bugis and Bras Basah also within walking distance
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, lunch 12pm to 2:30pm and dinner 5:30pm to 10:30pm; Saturday dinner only, 5pm to 10:30pm; closed Sunday
Reservations: Recommended for dinner, especially for small groups. Call or WhatsApp +65 8921 3779
Estimated spend: Platforms estimate roughly $50 per person, but your total depends a lot on how many plates and drinks you order. Sake is what pushes the bill up most
Payment: Credit cards are reportedly accepted, but confirm other methods with the restaurant
Parking: Not verified for this review, so the MRT is the easier choice
Ideal for: After-work dinners, casual date nights, friends sharing sake and skewers, and solo weekday lunches
A Note on Vegetarian Food
Fortune Centre is known for its vegetarian eateries, but Izakaya Hikari is not a vegetarian restaurant. The menu is built around seafood, chicken, and pork. A few items, like the mushrooms, shishito peppers, edamame, and asparagus, may look meat-free, but seasonings, stocks, and shared grills haven’t been confirmed. The asparagus skewer is also wrapped in bacon. If you eat vegetarian, message the restaurant before you go. It also doesn’t have halal certification, and it serves pork and alcohol.
SENDs Verdict on Izakaya Hikari at Fortune Centre
Price Range: $$
SENDs Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Izakaya Hikari is a small, warm, honest izakaya that makes Fortune Centre’s third floor feel like a little detour to a Japanese neighborhood tavern. The salmon mentaiko donburi earns its reputation, and the kawa ebi and tako wasabi show how good the snacking side of the menu can be. The skewers are reliable rather than remarkable, portions can feel modest for the price, and dinner crowds can test your patience. Still, the mood, the food, and the friendly service add up to an evening I’d happily repeat.
Perfect For: Office workers looking for an after-work dinner around Bugis, couples who want a cozy and casual Japanese meal, friends sharing sake and small plates, and solo diners who want a good donburi at lunch.
Skip It If: You want an elaborate omakase, need a guaranteed quiet room, are bringing a large group without booking, or need a confirmed vegetarian menu.
SENDs Tip: Book ahead for dinner and arrive early in the evening, before popular skewers start selling out. If you want the signature bowl without the crowd, go for a weekday lunch. In the evening, start with kawa ebi and tako wasabi alongside your sake, then add the yakimono set and finish with the donburi.
Before You Decide on Izakaya Hikari in Singapore
I left Izakaya Hikari thinking less about any single dish and more about how the whole evening felt. There was the soft lighting, the plates arriving one at a time, the crunch of fried shrimp between sips, and the smoky sweetness of torched mentaiko. Together, they made a small room in a busy building feel like a place to slow down and feel at home.
If this review helped you decide, come explore more restaurant reviews, café guides, and food recommendations with us on Social Eats ‘N’ Drinks. There’s always another table worth finding.
