Yakitori is one of the best deals in Japanese food if you order by cut. Two thigh skewers at Torikizoku are 231 calories with 19g of protein and cost 390 yen. Two breast skewers are 165 with 23g of protein. That is more protein than a 468 calorie plate of karaage for a third of the calories. The chicken is grilled, not fried, so the only fat is what was in the bird.
The cut is everything. Torikizoku's own table shows the range. Momo (thigh) tare 231, momo shio 208, mune (breast) tare 165, mune shio 146, tsukune tare 171, bonjiri (tail) 219, and kawa (skin) chips at 385. Skin is nearly all fat, 36g of it per serving. Tare adds 20 to 25 calories over shio because of the sugar in the sauce, small compared with choosing skin over breast.
The problem is never the skewers, it is the izakaya around them. A typical yakitori night is 8 to 10 skewers at about 100 each, so 900 calories, plus 2 or 3 beers at 150 each, plus a plate of fries or fried gyoza. That is 1,500 calories and 4,000 yen. The skewers were the best part of the order and the smallest part of the total.