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$$ | Chuo-ku |
With a focus on South India cuisine, Dhaba has built a reputation as having some of the best Indian flavors in town. A specialty here are the dosas, a kind of stuffed crepe, but the curries, whether the spicy coriander mutton or the fragrant lemon shrimp masala, are just as good. It can get very busy with office workers from noon to 1 on a weekday, so it's best to come before or after that.
2–7–9 Yaesu, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 103-0028, Japan
Known For
- Seafood curries like the Tamil fish pulsu
- The best dosa in Tokyo
- Lunchtime lines can wrap around the corner
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$ | Roppongi |
No surprise that eggs are the thing at this convenient diner on the first basement floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. Eggs are organic and available every which way, including in egg tarts, eggs benedict, pancakes, and a fried breakfast.
6–10–1 Roppongi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 106–0032, Japan
Known For
- Portuguese-style egg tarts
- Pancakes
- Good breakfast sets
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$$$$ | Chiyoda-ku |
On top of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, there’s a Michelin-starred restaurant serving contemporary French cuisine with a twist. Est presents eco-conscious, seasonal menus with 95% of ingredients locally sourced in Japan. With a focus on reducing food waste, Chef Guillaume Bracaval crafts innovative and singular dishes that can be traced from source to plate.
1–2–1 Otemachi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 100-0004, Japan
Known For
- Night view of Tokyo Skytree
- Seasonal outdoor terrace
- A focus on sustainability
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$ | Koto-ku |
Kamasho serves the signature dish of the old Fukagawa area, Fukagawa-meshi: short-neck clams and green onion cooked in a miso broth and poured over a bowl of rice. You can order just a bowl of Fukagawa-meshi or opt for a set with a side serving of pickles and miso soup. If you are really hungry, the largest set also comes with some sushi. There’s beer and sake on the menu if you want something to wash it all down with.
2-1-13 Shirakawa, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 135-0021, Japan
Known For
- Fukagawa-meshi (clams on rice)
- Lively atmosphere
- Rustic interiors
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | |
Located in Shibuya's Tokyu Department Store, Tenichi is an accessible and relaxed tempura restaurant. The best seats are at the counter, where you can see the chefs work and each piece of tempura will be served piping hot, directly from the oil. The restaurant's simple, brightly lit interior keeps the focus on the food itself. Choose from a selection of ten-don (tempura served with sauce over a bowl of rice) or tempura sets. The more expensive tempura meals are available at the counter only.
2--24--1 Dogenzaka, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 150-0043, Japan
Known For
- Tempura cooked right before your eyes
- Friendly service
- Long lines on weekends
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Suginami-ku |
Having started as a street stall in Ogikubo in the late 1940s, Harukiya is now a ramen restaurant that often has patrons lining up down the street. The noodles here come in a soy- and dried sardine-based stock and are served with a topping of chashu (roast pork) with the noodles being handmade every morning.
1-4-6 Kamiogi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 167-0043, Japan
Known For
- Long lines
- Excellent ramen
- Quick turnover of diners
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$$$$ | Chiyoda-ku |
A short walk from the Imperial Hotel, the Hibiya branch of one of Yokohama's oldest and best Chinese restaurants commands a spectacular view of the Imperial Palace grounds from 28 floors up. Call ahead to reserve a table by the window. Much of the clientele comes from the law offices, securities firms, and foreign banks in the building.
2–2–2 Uchisaiwai-cho, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 100-0011, Japan
Known For
- Kaisen ryori, a banquet of steamed seafood
- Lush, classic decor
- A popular venue for power lunches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | Shibuya-ku |
Often, a meal of sushi is a costly indulgence. The rock-bottom alternative is a kaiten-zushi, where it is literally served assembly line–style: chefs inside the circular counter place a constant supply of dishes on the revolving belt with plates color-coded for price; just choose whatever takes your fancy as the sushi parades by. A cheerful, bustling example of this genre is the Heiroku-zushi chain's branch opposite Omotesando Hills; it's all about the fresh fish here (and clearly not the design). When you're done, the server counts up your plates and calculates your bill. The cheapest prices are reserved for staples like tuna and squid, and you'll pay a bit more for delicacies like high-grade toro cuts of tuna and sea urchin.
5–8–5 Jingumae, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 150-0001, Japan
Known For
- Fresh, cheap sushi
- Essential Japan experience
- Wide selection of classic and original sushi
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$$$$ | Shiba-Shiodome |
Perched on the 46th floor of the Carretta Shiodome Building overlooking Tokyo Bay, this seafood-focused izakaya is a nice escape from the chaotic frenzy below. Specialties include grilled fish and house-made tofu. As the name suggests, Suntory's highly rated Hibiki whiskey is also on the menu, along with wines and sake that pair well with the food.
1–8–2 Higashi-Shimbashi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 105-0021, Japan
Known For
- Open, big glass windows
- Seasonal ingredients
- Outstanding scenery on a clear day
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$$ | Minato-ku |
Every so often, even on foreign shores, you've got to have a burger. When the urge strikes, the Swiss-and-bacon special at Homework's is an incomparably better choice than anything you can get at one of the global chains. Hamburgers come in three sizes on white or wheat buns, with a variety of toppings. You also find hot teriyaki chicken sandwiches, pastrami sandwiches, and vegetarian options like a soybean veggie burger or a grilled eggplant sandwich. With its hardwood banquettes and French doors open to the street in good weather, Homework's is a pleasant place to linger over lunch. There is also a branch in Hiro.
1–5–8 Azabu Juban, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 106-0045, Japan
Known For
- Burgers you can sink your teeth into
- Hearty deli sandwiches
- Relaxed atmosphere
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$ | Minato-ku |
Open from 11 am to 11 pm, this ever-busy ramen joint, now an international chain with almost 30 locations in Tokyo alone, is an ideal quick stop on or after a night out. The classic ramen is the Shiromaru, which features a creamy pork-based stock, thin yet slightly firm noodles, and a topping of chashu pork slices. Other options include the Akamaru, which has a little red miso mixed in the soup, and side dishes such as gyoza dumplings.
4–9–11 Roppongi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 106-0032, Japan
Known For
- Shiromaru ramen
- Late hours
- Gyoza (dumplings)
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$ | Chiyoda-ku |
Soba, thin buckwheat noodles often served chilled in summer and hot in winter, are available everywhere, even convenience stores. The family-run Matsuya serves authentic soba in a rustic atmosphere. A simple soba meal can be quite inexpensive, or, for a bit more, get noodles topped with tempura or other goodies.
1–13 Kanda Sudacho, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 101-0041, Japan
Known For
- Authentic hand-cut noodles
- Tempura soba
- Lunchtime crowds
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$ | Chiyoda-ku |
The ever-popular Kanda Yabu Soba, located in a recently built but traditional building that replaced the original 130-year-old restaurant after a fire in 2013, is one of the oldest and best places to sit down and savor freshly made soba—be that on tatami or at one of the tables. Soba, thin noodles made from buckwheat flour and quickly dipped into a hot broth or cold dipping sauce, are the lighter cousin of udon.
2–10 Kanda Awajicho, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 101-0041, Japan
Known For
- Excellent rotating seasonal set
- Soba sushi rolls
- Historic atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$$$ | Chuo-ku |
The appeal of Ajioka's seasonal specialties like fugu (puffer fish) and suppon (Japanese turtle) lies as much in the unique texture and experience as in the subtle, nondescript taste. Licensed chefs prepare these in every way imaginable—raw, fried, stewed—using the fresh catch flown in straight from Shimonoseki, a prime fugu-fishing region. Try the house specialty of suppon (Japanese turtle) and fugu nabe, fugu sashimi, or fugu no arayaki (grilled head and cheeks). Menus change by season and reservations must be made two days in advance to order fugu.
7–7–12 Ginza, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 104-0061, Japan
Known For
- Courses that give a small tast of unique Japanese foods
- Excellent nabe (hot pots) courses
- Intimate atmosphere and friendly staff (though little English is spoken)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
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$$ | |
Here’s proof that an intimate sushi experience doesn’t have to be overly formal. Nor does it have to be expensive. Grab a seat at the counter of this laidback joint in the lively Harmonica Yokocho and enjoy an affordable sushi set prepared in front of you. There are pictures on the menu to help with ordering, but the eight-piece omakase set and 12-piece set of the day are both good options. If you only wanted a super quick bite while bar hopping, there's a three-piece set too. You could pair it with sake or something from the small wine list.
1-1-1 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino, Tokyo-to, 180-0004, Japan
Known For
- Good-value sushi sets
- Open daily for lunch and dinner
- Laidback atmosphere
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$$$$ | Minato-ku |
The specialty here is shabu-shabu: thin slices of beef cooked in boiling water at your table and dipped in sauce. Kisoji, which has been serving the dish for more than 60 years, elevates the experience, with all the tasteful appointments of a traditional ryotei—private dining rooms with tatami seating (at a 10% surcharge), elegant little rock gardens, and alcoves with flower arrangements. The easiest way to order is to opt for a course, which range from ¥5,000 to ¥10,000. There are branches in Ginza, Shimbashi, Shinjuku, Ueno, and elsewhere as well.
3–10–4 Akasaka, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 107-0052, Japan
Known For
- Elegant atmosphere
- Melt-in-your-mouth beef
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$$$$ | Chuo-ku |
In contrast to the borderline solemn atmosphere at many top sushi restaurants, this world-famous spot proves that a high-end sushi restaurant does not have to be cold and unfriendly to be refined. In addition to their skill with a knife, many of the sushi chefs know English and are happy to chat with customers about the food and restaurant, making Kyubey a great choice for one's first high-end sushi experience.
8–7–6 Ginza, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 104-0061, Japan
Known For
- Originator of the gunkan-maki style sushi rolls
- A history of making excellent sushi dating back to 1935
- Easier to book than other high-end sushi restaurants (make reservations a couple weeks in advance rather than months)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$$ | Chiyoda-ku |
Maid cafés won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you do want to try one out, this main branch of Japan’s biggest maid café chain is as reputable a place as any. All manner of people come to be served by young women in French maid outfits who affect extreme levels of kawaii (cute) and occasionally break into song and dance. As for the fare, the menu includes colorful parfaits, simple pastas, and omuraisu (rice omelet), plus the option of taking paid photos with the maids. The long drink menu features coffee, juices, and cocktails. Be aware that there’s an admission fee of ¥770.
3-16-17 Soto-Kanda, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 101-0021, Japan
Known For
- The quintessential hyper-kawaii maid café experience
- Colorful parfaits
- Omuraisu (rice omlets)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: ¥770 admission fee
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$$$ | Shibuya-ku |
Converted from a sento (public bathhouse), Maisen still has the old high ceiling (built for ventilation) and the original signs instructing bathers where to change, but now bouquets of seasonal flowers transform the large, airy space into a pleasant dining room. Maisen's specialty is the tonkatsu set: tender, juicy, deep-fried pork cutlets served with a tangy sauce, shredded cabbage, miso soup, and rice. There is usually a long line, but it moves quickly. Solo diners can jump the line to sit at the counter. Those who want to keep their taste buds sharp should try for the nonsmoking rooms upstairs. There are also branches in Hikarie building in Shibuya and the Daimaru department store by Tokyo Station.
4–8–5 Jingumae, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 150-0001, Japan
Known For
- Retro-chic decor
- Hearty lunch sets
- Succulent deep-fried pork
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$ | Minato-ku |
Serving both ramen and tsukemen (noodles with the broth on the side for dipping), this sleek ramen shop is a great stop for a quick and hearty bowl of noodles. The shop's specialty is their fusion broths; a hearty chicken/pork or lighter seafood stock from dried bonito and sardines.
4-12-6 Roppongi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 106-0032, Japan
Known For
- Quick and affordable meals
- Ramen in a hip, modern interior
- Rich, flavorful bowls of noodles
