The 25 Best Restaurants in Tokyo

Taiyaki is a favorite Japanese street food sweet. It’s made by pouring a waffle-like batter into a fish-shaped mold along with bean paste or custard filling. Taiyaki Wakaba is a little shop in Yotsuya that has been serving these hotcakes since 1958. The store gets the balance right: the pastry is crispy while the interior is moist with a generous amount of stuffing, yet not too sweet. Plus, you can’t go wrong with the price of about US $2 per snack.

Conveyor belt sushi can be a hit-or-miss experience, even in Tokyo. However, you can count on generous slices of high-quality fish for a few hundred yen per plate at Katsu Midori, which has locations in Shibuya and Ikebukuro’s Seibu department stores. Use the touch-screen tablet to order from a large menu of sushi rolls, nigiri, and cooked dishes. My personal favorite is the black salt aburi engawa or flame-seared flounder fin.  

While many diners are familiar with ramen, they may have never tried tsukemen or plain noodles dipped into a side bowl of broth. Shinjuku’s Fuunji takes tsukemen to the next level with a rich, slow-simmered soup made from sardines, chicken bones, bonito, and kelp. Dip the medium-thick, chewy noodles into the thick broth and enjoy every last slurp.

Tonkatsu, or breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, seems like a simple dish until you’ve tried it at Imakatsu, which has locations in Ginza, Roppongi, and Akasaka. The cozy restaurant nails the balance: the pork is flaky outside but tender inside and pairs perfectly with rice, curry, and shredded cabbage with sesame dressing. Imakatsu’s sasamikatsu, or fried chicken tenderloin, is just as mouth-watering.

Sample a variety of kushiyaki, or grilled skewers, at old-school restaurant Jomon in Roppongi. The chef spears ingredients like pork belly and tsukune (chicken meatballs) on a wooden stick and grills them over a charcoal fire. Be sure to ask for the sweet ice cream bite to end your sensational yet affordable meal.

Ginza’s Hachigou received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award for its classy, modern interpretation of ramen. Inspired by French flavors, chef Yasufumi Matsumura concocted a soup base infused with duck and prosciutto. He layers the bowl with fine ramen noodles, bamboo shoots, Kyoto green onions, fatty chashu pork, and pepper caviar—magnificent.

Discover the art of kaiseki, or a multi-course dinner based on seasonal ingredients, at RyuGin in Hibiya. Chef Seiji Yamamoto received three Michelin stars for his skillful fusion that appeals to all the senses and beautifully highlights Japanese produce. His emphasis on wa, or harmony, comes through in dishes like sashimi arranged to resemble a painting and Hokkaido kinki (channel rockfish) with sansho leaf.

Gonpachi in Nishi-Azabu is known as the “Kill Bill restaurant” because it’s where Quentin Tarantino shot his electrifying swordfight scene. The izakaya looks exactly as it does in the movie: an open, two-floor Japanese warehouse lit by lanterns. Chow down on fresh soba, grilled skewers, and tempura as you bop along to live music, just like the characters in the film.

Despite being an inexpensive chain restaurant with locations all over Tokyo, “Coco Ichi” has a fanatical following among locals and travelers alike. Japanese curry tends to be thicker and slightly sweet, and Coco Ichibanya serves an addictive roux with toppings such as eggplant, meat cutlets, or runny omelet. You can customize every aspect of your order, from the total grams of rice to the spice level from one to ten (but be aware that anything above a three is considered hot on a conventional scale). 

Since 1912, Hiyama has been making waves for its sukiyaki (beef hotpot) and kappo cuisine (a more informal version of kaiseki’s multi-course dinners). Set in a traditional house, the restaurant takes pride in sourcing premium beef, including Kuroge Wagyu. Enjoy locally produced seasonal starters, such as tofu and matsutake mushrooms, in the fall. Then, watch the chef dip succulent beef and vegetables in a bubbling pot with sweet and savory sauces.

Tokyo has many satisfying izakayas, or homestyle restaurants where friends like to gather to drink and share plates. However, Kagaya in Hatanodai takes the cake for being the most entertaining izakaya. Be ready to laugh and scratch your head over owner Mark’s surreal antics, which may include animal costumes and frenetic dances. His cooking also hits the spot with family favorites like stewed tofu, kabocha pumpkin, miso eggplant, and curry rice. 

Minatoya in Ueno is a humble street food stand that dishes out much-loved Japanese snacks. Start with takoyaki or battered and freshly cooked octopus balls. Move on to the inexpensive yet fresh seafood donburi and fatty salmon sashimi. End on a sweet note with a bowl of amazake (nutrient-rich fermented rice) shaved ice.

Although Tokyo’s fish market has moved from Tsukiji to Toyosu, the former location remains one of the best places to eat just-caught seafood. Tsukiji’s outer market is a jumble of small streets crowded with vendors who hawk everything from sushi sets to steamed oysters. Come for breakfast to enjoy a catch of the day, including fatty tuna belly, eel, and sea urchin.

Inshotei, a traditional restaurant that overlooks the serene gardens of Ueno Park, is the perfect spot for a date night. The architecture dates back to 1875 and retains old-school elements like tatami mats and shoji sliding paper doors. Inshotei’s kaiseki ranges from bento boxes to beautifully presented multi-course dinners, always relying on fine, seasonal ingredients like watercress and homemade yuba (tofu skin).

Soba is treated like an art form at Nemurian in Kanda. The owner hand-mills his own buckwheat flour, which he forms into fresh noodles every day without any additives. Served cool in bamboo baskets, Nemurian’s soba has a nutty flavor and slightly rough texture that sets it apart. Dip a few noodles in the accompanying sauce, add wasabi and grated daikon, and slurp up the strands. 

Unagi or eel can be pricey in Tokyo, but at the no-nonsense Unatoto (which has multiple locations), you can savor a mouthwatering bowl for only 1000 yen. Their grilled eel is bursting with flavor and texture and pairs perfectly with a bowl of hot rice. Try some lesser-known dishes, such as hitsumabushi (shredded grilled eel with seaweed and spring onions) and kurikara (offcuts wrapped around a skewer and grilled with sweet sauce).

Michelin two-starred restaurant Narisawa lives up to its reputation for molecular innovation. Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa’s tasting menu emphasizes sustainable ingredients and draws from a range of influences, including Japanese, Chinese, and French. Be dazzled by a crab and scallop dumpling wrapped with root vegetables to resemble a toy and a “Bread of the Forest” that is baked tableside and served with moss-like butter.

Teppanyaki is worth the splurge at Kisentei in Tokyo’s midtown. Watch as the chef cooks high-end meat and seafood with flair on the teppan or flat metal plate. The elevated course includes clam soup, garlic rice, grilled vegetables like shiitake mushrooms and bok choy, and juicy seared Kuroge wagyu beef.