Essential and Best Restaurants in Tokyo Where to eat and drink in Tokyo

A tonkatsu restaurant located in Ginza, Tokyo, known for its high-quality pork cutlets and attentive service. This restaurant is highly popular among foreign visitors and tourists visiting Japan. The restaurant's name, "Hare nochi Katsu," translates to "Sunny After the Rain," reflecting the owner's desire to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere where customers can feel at ease.

Our highly recommended menu includes the classic Loin Katsu Set, which features a perfectly fried pork cutlet with a crispy exterior and juicy, tender interior, served with rice, miso soup, cabbages and a variety of pickles. The pork is sourced from carefully selected pigs and is cooked to perfection, resulting in a juicy and tender bite. Despite offering a wide variety of sauces, the meat is well-seasoned and delicious even without any sauce.

Nestled in the heart of Shinjuku, Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi Sohonten is a long-established tempura restaurant in Tokyo that has been serving up exquisite tempura for over a century. Established in 1924, this venerable establishment has garnered a loyal following among locals and tourists alike, earning a reputation for its commitment to quality, freshness, and authentic flavors.

The true star of the show at Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi Sohonten is, without a doubt, the tempura itself. Each piece is meticulously prepared, using only the freshest seasonal ingredients and the finest Taihaku sesame oil. The result is a symphony of textures and flavors, with delicate batter encasing perfectly cooked seafood and vegetables that burst with natural goodness.

Shibuya, a vibrant special ward in Tokyo, stands as a global icon of youth culture, fashion, and electrifying nightlife. Nestled in the heart of Shibuya's vibrant culinary scene, Menki Yashima Maruyamachoten stands as a testament to the enduring tradition of Sanuki udon, a culinary gem from Japan's Kagawa prefecture. A hidden gem in Shibuya known to those in the know, this udon restaurant boasts an English menu and enjoys immense popularity among visitors to Japan.

A renowned udon restaurant with over 80 years of history since its founding in Kagawa, now in its 42nd year since relocating to Shibuya. Also a rare reataurant in Tokyo where you can enjoy freshly hand-pulled noodles. Everything is handmade, hand-pulled, and hand-cut right before your eyes.

Asakusa Oden Otafuku is one of the most popular and famous oden restaurant in Asakusa. Asakusa is a vibrant district in Tokyo, Japan, steeped in history, culture, and tradition. Asakusa offers a glimpse into Tokyo's past, showcasing a blend of ancient charm and modern sensibilities, and is one of the most popular and famous tourist destination in Tokyo.

Asakusa Oden Otafuku stands as a testament to the enduring tradition of oden, a comforting Japanese dish of simmered. Since its establishment in 1915, the restaurant has captivated the hearts and taste buds of locals and visitors alike, offering a taste of authentic Japanese home-cooked cuisine.

When visiting Tokyo, one dish you must try is "shabu-shabu." It's one of the top Japanese foods that tourists love to eat. Ginza Shabutsu Yoshi no Sasa is a shabu-shabu restaurant, and despite being a shabu-shabu specialty restaurant, one of the most popular dishes is "mushi-shabu," where meat and vegetables are steamed in a bamboo steamer. Just like shabu-shabu, it's enjoyed with ponzu and sesame sauce. Unlike the usual hotpot style shabu-shabu, this dish is perfect even during hot seasons.

Ginza Shabutsu Yoshi no Sasa was one of the first to introduce mushi-shabu, offering not only the classic beef, pork, and chicken, but also rare cuts of beef like "zabuton" and "ribeye," as well as unusual shabu-shabu options such as beef tongue and duck.

One of the renowned longstanding shops in Asakusa, a top tourist destination in Tokyo. Founded in 1870, this venerable soba restaurant has walked hand-in-hand with the prosperity of not only Asakusa but also the prosperity of Tokyo, Japan. Renowned rakugo performers were also known to visit almost daily.

Their reputation is not solely built upon their delectable hand-crafted soba noodles prepared with the finest domestic buckwheat flour; it is also the tempura, a culinary masterpiece that has captivated the hearts of the patrons, that truly sets them apart. Furthermore, the tempura served at Owariya Shiten is primarily made with shrimp. This exclusive focus on shrimp allows their essence to infuse the oil, intensifying the umami flavor with each bite. The tempura is expertly fried to achieve a perfect balance of crispiness and tenderness, rivaling even the finest tempura specialty restaurants.

Shinjuku, is one of Tokyo's busiest districts boasts a vibrant atmosphere. Shopping malls are in various places, allowing a convenient shopping experience and is one of the popular places where tourist visit during their stay in Tokyo. Shinjuku has a different atmosphere between its west and east sides. While the east side is bustling with a lively downtown atmosphere, the west side (Nishi-Shinjuku) is a calm, sophisticated area with clustered buildings and offices. Neboke Shinjuku is located on the upper floors of the famous "Shinjuku Nomura Building," one of the most prominent buildings in Nishi-Shinjuku. It's a rare spot where you can enjoy a meal while taking in the night view of the entire Shinjuku area from the high floors.

Neboke Shinjuku stands as a culinary haven, offering an authentic taste of Tosa cuisine, the rich culinary heritage of Japan's Kochi Prefecture. Indulge in the restaurant's signature dish, the Katsuo no Tataki, where slices of fresh bonito are seared to perfection and served with a tangy ponzu sauce and grated ginger, or savor the succulent Hamachi Kama, grilled yellowtail collar seasoned with a delicate blend of Japanese spices.

Sushi Ginza Onodera is one of the prestigious restaurant for top-class sushi. Renowned for its exquisite Edo-mae sushi, the restaurant has earned a reputation as one of the finest sushi establishments in Japan and has established its name not only in Tokyo but also across the globe. Sushi Ginza Onodera Los Angeles has been awarded a Michelin Star for four consecutive years and counting, a testament to its exceptional quality. Sushi Ginza Onodera prides itself on offering a selection of the finest sushi, meticulously crafted from the freshest ingredients.

Among the recommended menu items are the signature Omakase course, which allows diners to experience the chef's expertly curated selection of seasonal sushi and sashimi. They serve only an Omakase "chef's choice" menu and do not offer a la carte ordering. Each piece of Edomae sushi is well prepared using a variety of techniques depending on the available raw ingredients, such as utilizing salt, two types of red vinegar, and/or soy sauce to marinate and cure the raw fish, as well as boiling water to flash blanch the raw fish.

Kyomachi Koishigure Shinjuku Honkan offers a wide variety of creative and innovative dishes that are inspired by traditional Kyoto cuisine, including shabu-shabu (a Japanese hot pot dish), sukiyaki (a Japanese hot pot dish), and nabemono (a Japanese hot pot dish). They offer a delicate and meticulously prepared original menus that utilize seasonal ingredients, incorporating elaborate presentation and playful elements that are characteristic of Kyoto cuisine.

Recommended dishes include steamed dishes served in bamboo steamers and impactful original sushi selections that stand out. The restaurant offers a variety of maki sushi rolls that are perfect for sharing as an appetizer. They are described as being both beautiful and delicious. These maki sushi rolls are a unique offering of the restaurant and are not available elsewhere.

Kamiya Bar is located in Asakusa, one of Tokyo's most popular and iconic tourist destinations. It is situated just outside Asakusa Station. Opened in 1880, this venerable establishment holds the distinction of being not only Tokyo, but Japan's first and oldest Western-style bar. Kamiya Bar is a great spot to experience a real “shitamachi” or downtown social atmosphere. The restaurant is a three-story building, and the 2nd and 3rd floors are restaurant floors. The bar on the first floor is the main attraction where the atmosphere is lively, and the tables are clustered close together just like the western pubs, and serve cheap drinks, plenty of snacks, and light meals. The 2nd floor food menu serves mostly more extensive Western-style food than the first floor. The 3rd floor is a Japanese style restaurant serving set meals and full kaiseki courses featuring tempura, sashimi, and shabu-shabu, and a serene ambiance envelops the space.

Nestled in the heart of Tokyo's bustling Ginza district, Kinki Daigaku Suisankenkyujo Ginza Store invites you to embark on a culinary journey through the world of aquaculture and the rich flavors of Wakayama. This unique restaurant, an outpost of Kindai University's renowned aquaculture research institute, offers a delectable array of dishes featuring the freshest fish, sourced directly from their own farms and carefully prepared by skilled chefs.

We highly recommend all the dishes made with "Kindai Tuna," which is fully farmed by Kindai University's Fisheries Laboratory. You can enjoy a diverse menu featuring a wide range of arrangements, from sashimi and sushi to fried, grilled, and even Western-style dishes.