"Tiny, smoky tachinomiya (standing bars) are a Japanese staple for cheap drinks and simple food. Founded in 1923 — and now a small empire around Osaka — Akagakiya is the city’s great equalizer. Nowhere is this truer than at this Namba location, where exhausted office workers rub shoulders with builders, hardened day drinkers, and winners and losers from the massive off-track betting complex nearby. The doteyaki (beef sinew) and kizushi (vinegared mackerel) are standbys at their utilitarian peak. Vibe check: A boisterous, no-frills hangout for slinging around sake and beer with snacks. Akagakiya Namba now has a separate section for non-smokers." - La Carmina