For the longest time, Ematei was the only spot in TO where I could find real Japanese people working in a restaurant that didn't specialize in sushi. It was probably the closest thing you could find to an izakaya in TO before the Guu clan came over from Vancouver. Unfortunately, the atmosphere isn't as fun and boisterous as an izakaya, so it's really just a regular Japanese restaurant.
They do have yakitori items on their menu but unfortunately you can't watch them grill the skewers in front of you. The food is authentically Japanese, but the quality of the food isn't as good as their new competition Guu. If you're frustrated by the long lineups and no reservation policy of Guu, give Ematei a try!