Tokyo is the economic, political, and cultural center of Japan, a city where tradition and cutting-edge trends coexist.
Restaurants with a good reputation in Japan are often opened in Tokyo, attracting the best of the best food in Japan.
There are many highly rated restaurants and iconic meals to be had in Tokyo, and we will introduce a good amount of them to you.
1. Edomae Sushi🍣
To ensure that the freshest ingredients are served with optimal texture and flavor, high-end sushi restaurants sometimes serve the sushi in individual portions. This gives you the opportunity to take your time and savor the sushi.
This type of sushi originated in Tokyo and has characteristics that distinguish it from other types of sushi. Shari (rice) is made with slightly sweetened sushi rice and is made at the proper temperature and firmness.
Here is my favorite sushi restaurant “Tsukiji Itadori Bekkan” that I have visited three times. It is located in the Tsukiji Market. It is an old style sushi restaurant and you can feel the atmosphere from the interior and sushi plates.
Lunch here costs about 4,000 yen. One bite of this sushi will make you happy.
Here are some popular restaurants where you can enjoy delicious sushi at a reasonable price in Tokyo.
I introduce the price of the course, but you can also order one piece of sushi of your choice.
| 🍣 Restaurant | 📍 Place | 💰 Lunch Course Prices |
|---|---|---|
| Sushidai | Tsukiji | More than 1700 Yen |
| Shutoku 2nd Store | Tsukiji | More than 4500 Yen |
| Manten Sushi Marunouchi | Marunouchi | More than 3850 Yen |
2. Monjayaki / Teppanyaki🔥
This extremely popular dish consists of meat, vegetables, and flour dishes grilled on a hot teppan and seasoned with a special sauce.
Since the teppan is set up at your seat, the food stays hot forever, and in the case of monjayaki, you can watch the chef cook it right in front of you.
My favorite monjayaki flavor is mentaiko mochi cheese. I am convinced that no one dislikes the combination of mentaiko (spicy cod roe), which is considered an unusual food eaten by the Japanese, rice cakes made from rice, and cheese.
In addition to monjayaki in Tsukishima, a well-known Tokyo specialty, I introduce a teppan-yaki restaurant in Asakusa called Tsurujiro, which has been voted the number one most popular restaurant among foreign tourists.
Most menu items can be ordered within 1,000 to 2,000 yen.
| 🔥 Restaurant | 📍 Place |
|---|---|
| Kura | Tsukishima |
| Tsukishima Monja Moheji | Tsukishima |
| Koboreya Honten | Tsukishima |
| Tsurujiro | Asakusa |
3. Ramen noodles 🍜
There are a variety of soups available, including salt, soy sauce, miso, and tonkotsu (pork bone) flavors. Most ramen shops are open until late afternoon, so it is important to check the hours of operation.
Also, it is recommended to go early and wait in line, as there is a waiting list at the most popular restaurants.
⚠️ In most ramen restaurants, you purchase a meal ticket from a ticket vending machine and hand it to the waiter to complete your order.
⚠️ The ticket vending machines only accept cash, so you need to have cash ready.
| Restaurant | 📍 Place | Main flavor Prices | ⚠️ Precautions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motenashi Kuroki | Akihabara | salt More than 1,000 Yen | If you go on a weekday in the late afternoon, there are not many people waiting in line.Before waiting in line, buy a meal ticket from the ticket machine inside the restaurant, or if you come with more than one person, buy a meal ticket while waiting in line. |
| Iruca Tokyo Roppongi | Roppongi | Porcini Yuzu Shio Ramen1800 Yen | It was selected as a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand. On weekdays, if you go outside of meal times, such as before 2:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m., you may be able to eat ramen with no waiting time. Purchase tickets from the ticket vending machine, which is written in English. |
| Chuka Soba Ginza Hachigou | Ginza | chuka soba1100 Yen | This ramen restaurant has been listed in the Michelin Guide Tokyo as a one-star restaurant for two consecutive years. The line starts to form two hours before the restaurant opens, so it is recommended only for those with plenty of time to spare. |
| Ramenya Shima | Shinjuku | soy sauce 1500 Yen | It has been voted the best ramen restaurant in Japan in the past. Since the restaurant is limited to 60 bowls per day, you must start lining up at 8:00 a.m. in order to get your name on the waiting list. After putting your name on the waiting list, you are free to go sightseeing until the designated time. |
4. Tonkatsu 🐖
Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish made by covering pork in bread crumbs and deep frying it. It is characterized by crispy batter and juicy pork, and is served with a special sauce.
It is one of the very popular Japanese dishes and is recommended when you want something hearty because it is deep-fried and the sauce is thick.
| Restaurant | Place | Time Closed day | Prices | ⚠️ Precautions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katsu Puripo | Shinjuku | 12:00 – 15:00 17:00 – 22:00 (Mon closed) | More than 3600 Yen | Expensive but very word-of-mouth highly rated restaurant. |
| Tonta | Takadanobaba | 17:30 – 20:30 (Mon,Thu,Sun closed) | More than 1700 Yen | If you go near opening time, you may have to wait up to an hour. |
| Tonkatsu Marugo | Akihabara | 11:30 – 14:00 17:00 – 20:00 (Mon,Tue closed) | More than 2000Yen | Cash only. One free refill of rice and cabbage. English menu available. |
| Tonkatsu Aoki Ginza | Ginza | 11:00 – 15:00 17:00 – 20:00 (Mon,Sun closed) | More than 1700 Yen | In addition to Ginza, the chain also has locations in Nihonbashi, Daimon, and Asakusabashi. |
5. Chanko-nabe 🍲
Chanko-nabe is a Japanese nabe dish eaten by sumo wrestlers as a nutritional food to strengthen their bodies. It is a nabe filled with a variety of ingredients, most often chicken.
Sumo, Japan’s national sport, is centered at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arenain Tokyo. Specialty chanko-nabe restaurants run by retired sumo wrestlers exist around National Sumo Arena in Tokyo. Why not try it as an experience to familiarize yourself with sumo culture?
| 🍲 Restaurant | 💰 Prices of Chanko-nabe | About menu |
|---|---|---|
| Chanko Kirishima | 3520 Yen | Chanko-nabe courses can also be ordered. |
| Ouchi | More than 2400 Yen | Chanko-nabe course meals can be ordered from 2 persons. |
| Kappou Yoshiba | 1600 Yen | In addition to chanko-nabe, there are various fish set menus. |
Conclusion
Satisfy your stomach and your mind at these popular restaurants in Tokyo.
I have carefully selected the best of these restaurants and have also come up with a one-day tour, so if you are wondering how to spend a day in Tokyo, please take a look!
