First-rate seasonal Japanese cuisine and well-selected sake in a beautiful setting high above Shinjuku. Dinner around Y20,000 per person. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Nishi-Shinjuku 3-7-1-2, Park Hyatt Tokyo 40F. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-9:30pm (LO) daily.
We're not sure whether to call it casual modern kaiseki or creative Kyoto cuisine, but the food at Agaru Sagaru is exquisite in both flavor and presentation. The nine-course menu follows a traditional kaiseki sequence of preparation styles, and as each dish arrives the waiter provides detailed explanations of the many seasonal ingredients incorporated therein, right down to the origins of the miso paste and seasonings. We're not sure whether to call it casual modern kaiseki or creative Kyoto cuisine, but the food at Agaru Sagaru is exquisite in both flavor and presentation. The nine-course menu follows a traditional kaiseki sequence of preparation styles, and as each dish arrives the waiter provides detailed explanations of the many seasonal ingredients incorporated therein, right down to the origins of the miso paste and seasonings.
The sake list is brief but well suited to the food, and the unusual grotto-like interior adds to the restaurant's charm. The prix-fixe menu (the only choice at dinnertime) is an incredible bargain at just Y4000. The restaurant's name is a playful comment on idiosyncratic Kyoto-style addresses, and the main branch is indeed in Kyoto; there's also a famous branch in Paris called Guilo Guilo. [Show more] [Show less]
Jingumae 3-25-8, Takeyama Bldg B1F. Open noon-2pm, 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Modern Kyoto-style cuisine in a very tasteful dining space. The rather elaborate nine-course dinner menu is Y3990, and it changes every month; lunch starts at Y1890. Drinks include Italian wines and fruit liqueurs from Yamagata as well as the usual sake and shochu. Reservations are required.
Top-class temple vegetarian cuisine. Lunch 10-12,000 yen, dinner 14-18,000 yen. (Strict vegetarians should note that the kitchen uses a bit of katsuo-bushi - dried bonito flakes - when preparing the dishes here.)
Atago 2-3-1, Forest Tower 2F. Open noon-3pm, 5-8pm (LO) daily.
Chef Seiji Yamamoto does a very impressive take on experimental cuisine from a Japanese perspective, with eye-openers like edamame foam with pulverized ice cream and foie gras with figs. Eleven-course prix-fixe menus run Y15,750, Y21,000 and Y26,250, and there's a seven-sake selection paired with the food for an extra Y5000.
Roppongi 7-17-24, Site Roppongi Bldg 1F. Open 6pm-2am. Closed Sunday.
First-class traditional Japanese cuisine, with an emphasis on tofu, in a beautiful setting next to Tokyo Tower. Private dining rooms look out over lovely gardens and 100-year-old trees, although the building itself is new. Prix-fixe lunch from Y6000, dinner from Y9000.
The second incarnation of Nobu Tokyo is under different management, and is closer in style to the branches in New York and London. Prix-fixe omakase menus are priced Y12,000-25,000, along with an extensive a la carte menu focusing on fish and seafood. Budget around Y10,000-15,000 for dinner; there's a 10% service charge and a Y1500 cover charge. Lunches range from Y1800 (for a vegetarian lunch plate) to Y12,000.
The excellent Y2000 bento lunch served in an elegant private room at Saryo feels like one of Tokyo's very affordable luxuries. Yes, it's all individual rooms for parties of 2-70, furnished with hanging scrolls, flower arrangements and hori-kotatsu seating (tatami mats with a hole in the floor around the table, for more comfortable seating). Dinnertime specialties include fugu and black Angus wagyu beef. Lunch is priced Y1980-7140, dinner from Y8500.
Nagatacho 2-13-5, Akasaka Eight One Bldg B1F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5-9pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Third-generation kaiseki chef (and sometime TV celeb) Yoshihiro Murata is known for his innovative approach to kaiseki cuisine, drawing on French cooking techniques and ingredients. He has two branches in Kyoto, but this is his first Tokyo venture. Full-blown kaiseki service starts at Y15,750, with lunch priced at Y10,500. No lunch on Mondays.
Akasaka 6-13-8. Open noon-1, 5-9pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Vegetable kaiseki is the unusual specialty at Nagamine, a relatively new restaurant in Ginza that's run by a long-established vegetable wholesaler based in nearby Tsukiji. With no meat or seafood to distract one's attention, the vegetables really stand on their own merits, and Nagamine showcases the most beautiful and most flavorful produce of the season. At Y5250, the vegetable menu offers a chance to experience a different take on kaiseki at a very reasonable price. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Ginza 4-9-5, Ginsho Bldg B1F. Open 11:30am-3, 5:30-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Nihonbashi Yukari serves magnificent seasonal Japanese cuisine in a casual, relaxed settting. And while dinner might set you back Y10-20,000 with drinks, lunch is an amazing bargain. Regular lunches start at just Y2100, and the sumptuous deluxe bento lunch is Y3675 - excellent value for this level of cooking. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Nihonbashi 3-2-14. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
This venerable old tofu specialist (dating back to 1691) stands in a rather nondescript neighborhood about a 15-minute walk from the north end of Ueno Park. Multi-course meals feature tofu in all its variations, starting from around Y2000 for lunch and Y4200 for dinner, with some vegetarian options available.
Negishi 2-15-10. Open 11:30am-8pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Excellent tofu cuisine in a beautiful garden setting. They have a private teahouse which can be reserved if you call far enough in advance. Reservations absolutely necessary. Full-course lunch menu from Y2700, dinner from Y5500.
Hon-Komagome 1-1-26. Open noon-2, 5-10pm (8pm Sundays). Closed Sundays.
The Tokyo branch of a famous temple restaurant in Kyoto, they specialize in teppatsu-ryori, a type of shojin-ryori (vegetarian temple cuisine). The tatami rooms look out onto a beautiful Japanese garden. Prix-fixe menus are Y5,000-15,000.
Setagaya-ku, Seta 3-6-8. (at the intersection of Route 246 and Kampachi-dori) Open 11am-7:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.
Located in the middle of Takadanobaba's bustling "izakaya alley," Sakaeya is by far the fanciest drinking spot in this budget-conscious, student-filled neighborhood. It delivers excellent value for money, serving top-quality charcoal-grilled meats, creative seasonal dishes and decent sake for a very reasonable budget of around Y4000 per person. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Good grilled chicken, nice fresh fish and a good sake and shochu list. The interior is very pleasant (blond wood furnishings, an open kitchen and a big open bar area), with a nice view looking west.
Nishi-Shinjuku 1-26-2, Shinjuku Nomura Bldg. 49F. Open 11:30am-3, 5-11pm daily.
Artfully arranged izakaya fare paired with a small but well-chosen selection of wine and sake. The decor is stunning, the view is spectacular, and the food is original and well-prepared. Budget around Y4000-6500 for dinner and drinks.
Nishi-Shinjuku 1-25-1, Shinjuku Center Bldg. 53F. Open 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Gorgeous modern stone/wood/tatami/glass dining rooms (designed by Yanagiya Manabu), floor-to-ceiling windows, and a world-class view. The original Japanese menu is complemented by the very good sake list. An excellent place to entertain and impress jaded out-of-towners, and also very good value for money; budget around Y4000-6000 for dinner. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Nishi-Shinjuku 2-6-1, Shinjuku Sumitomo Bldg. 52F. Open 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
This upscale chain izakaya is known for their excellent grilled meats and vegetables and their well-chosen sake and shochu lists. The decor is sleek Japanese modern. Budget around Y6000-7000 per person with drinks.
Healthy vegetable-oriented cuisine is the concept at this attractively appointed dining bar - everything from bagna cauda and vegetable terrines to robatayaki-style skewered morsels. Drinks include wines, shochu and sake - budget around Y5-6000 for food and drink at dinnertime. Lunches like their Japanese vegetable curry start at Y1300.
Jingumae 4-12-4, Omotesando Hills 3F. Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily.
Harajuku doesn't offer a lot of options in the izakaya category, so we were happy to discover this stylish spot in the architecturally ambitious b6 shopping mall. The dining room is buzzing, service is friendly and efficient, and the food and sake are consistently good. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Jingumae 6-28-6, b6 5F. Open 11am-2, 6pm-12:30am (LO) daily.
This stylish little izakaya offers excellent food, a good sake selection, and an entire menu page devoted to different varieties of salt - 12 of them in all. Charcoal-grilled seafood and vegetables are among the food highlights. Budget around Y2500 without drinks. [Go to branch review]
This branch of Galali offers a big selection of shochu, mostly the kokuto (sugarcane) variety, and excellent food to go with it. The rustic interior is intimate and comfortable, although the building can be a bit shaky when large trucks rumble past. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Sendagaya 2-6-4. Open 11:30am-2, 5-11pm (LO) daily.
This sprawling, spacious izakaya focuses on meats - premium-quality charcoal-grilled beef, pork and chicken to be precise - although they also offer a nice selection of creative seasonal and vegetable-centered small dishes. There's a full selection of yakitori and other skewered items, meat-based nabe stews, and tempting beef offerings - teppanyaki steaks, A5-grade roast beef, and various cuts like kalbi grilled on a charcoal-burning hibachi. This sprawling, spacious izakaya focuses on meats - premium-quality charcoal-grilled beef, pork and chicken to be precise - although they also offer a nice selection of creative seasonal and vegetable-centered small dishes. There's a full selection of yakitori and other skewered items, meat-based nabe stews, and tempting beef offerings - teppanyaki steaks, A5-grade roast beef, and various cuts like kalbi grilled on a charcoal-burning hibachi.
Drinks include a big selection of budget wines from around the world (mostly in the Y2000-3000 range), a decent sake list, plus the usual shochu and cocktails. Budget around Y3500-4000 for food and drink. [Show more] [Show less]
Ebisu 1-8-14, Daikoku Bldg 2F. Open 5pm-4am (LO) daily.
The WID restaurant group (Aburi Fudo, Torimikura) does an excellent job creating small-scale, comfortable izakaya with great food, nice sake lists, and simple but stylish decor. We're glad to say that Kamachiya is no exception. Menus vary from shop to shop, and here the food specialties are charcoal-grilled kushiyaki-style fish and meats, deep-fried and skewered kushiage, and a credible seafood-broth ramen. The WID restaurant group (Aburi Fudo, Torimikura) does an excellent job creating small-scale, comfortable izakaya with great food, nice sake lists, and simple but stylish decor. We're glad to say that Kamachiya is no exception. Menus vary from shop to shop, and here the food specialties are charcoal-grilled kushiyaki-style fish and meats, deep-fried and skewered kushiage, and a credible seafood-broth ramen.
During a recent visit some menu highlights were the spicy cucumber and bean-sprout starter, skewers of perfectly grilled pork belly, kushiage-style quail eggs and asparagus, and Okinawan champuru stir-fry, a hefty portion which included big tender chunks of chicken mixed in with the tofu and goya. We received sound advice on sake choices throughout the evening, and were pleasantly surprised by a nicely priced Juyondai that wasn't even on the menu. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner and drinks. [Show more] [Show less]
Ebisu-Nishi 1-14-9. Open 11:30am-4, 6pm-2am daily.
The impressive sake list includes a number of small-kura limited-edition seasonal sakes; there's also plenty of shochu. The food is also top-notch, with unusual specalties like satsuma-age (Kyushu-style fish cakes, here available in eight different variations). [See FULL REVIEW.]
Ebisu-Minami 2-3-14, Conze Ebisu 2F. Open 4:30pm-5am (to 10:30pm Sundays). Open every day.
Excellent grilled fish and meats and friendly service in this lovely converted two-story house. Full-course dinnertime menus from Y2500. There are semi-private rooms on the ground floor and an open party space upstairs, but the counter seating offers the best view of the chefs at work on the grill. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Charcoal-grilled meats and fish, nabe stews and rice dishes, with sake, shochu, and Italian and French wines to drink. The decor is simple - plain blond-wood chairs and tables - with few distractions from the wide-open 27th-floor view. Prix-fixe dinners start at Y6000; a la carte is also available, but there's a Y1000 table charge at dinnertime. Lunchtime is a relative bargain, starting at Y1200 for a donburi (rice bowl) lunch plus coffee or tea.
Nagatacho 2-11-1, Sanno Park Tower 27F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Good-quality grilled fish and chicken, home-made tofu and seasonal specialties at this upscale izakaya. Weekday lunches start at Y1200, and the deluxe Y2800 lunch includes tofu, sashimi and Yamagata beef steak. There's an impressive nighttime view of Tokyo Bay. Budget around Y6000 at dinnertime.
Higashi-Shimbashi 1-8-1, Caretta Shiodome 46F. Open 11am-3, 5-11:30pm daily.
This upscale chain izakaya is known for their excellent grilled meats and vegetables and their well-chosen sake and shochu lists. The decor is sleek Japanese modern. Budget around Y6000-7000 per person with drinks.
Yurakucho 2-7-1, Yurakucho Itocia Plaza 3F. Open 11am-3, 5-11:30pm daily.
Hearth-grilled seafood fresh from northern Honshu is the specialty at this attractive "slow-food" izakaya. Prix-fixe menus feature several types of grilled fish, sashimi and locally grown chicken and vegetables, and range from Y5500-12,000. The impressive sake cellar stocks some 500 varieties from 180 breweries in Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui. Seating is all in private rooms. Dinner averages around Y8000 for ample food and drink.
Ginza 8-8-8, Ginza 888 Bldg 7F. Open 5-11:30pm. Closed Sundays.
The tasteful Kyoto-modern decor here is definitely the most impressive in the entire Marunouchi Oazo complex. Good-quality Japanese fare, including a good assortment of regional dishes, with a nice casual atmosphere. Lunches start at Y1260, dinner averages around Y6000. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Marunouchi 1-6-4, Marunouchi Oazo 5F. Open 11am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Premium regional sake (from the Morita brewery south of Nagoya) is the main draw here, along with a food menu featuring grilled chicken, fresh seafood and similar fare. Lunch averages around Y2000, dinner Y8000.
Marunouchi 1-6-4, Marunouchi Oazo 6F. Open 11am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Unlike many sake-connoisseur pubs, the food here stands on its own, and would make Seigetsu worth a visit even if they only served tea. The charcoal-grilled chicken is especially outstanding, and the various Korean-influenced dishes are worth a try. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, with specially designated shochu consultants available should you need their services. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Calling En an izakaya doesn't quite do them justice - the food and drink are both top-notch, the decor elegant and modern. Most of the dining spaces take full advantage of the wrap-around glass walls, looking out over the Tokyo Dome complex and Korakuen. The food is original seasonal small-plate dishes using only the best ingredients; budget around Y7000 for dinner with drinks. [Go to branch review]
Koraku 1-3-61, Tokyo Dome City Meets Port 5F. Open 11am-3, 5-11:30pm daily.
Excellent seafood, chicken, tofu, and charcoal-grilled items in this lovely modern Japanese pub-style restaurant. There's a nice panoramic view of Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge, and sleek Japanese modern decor. Choose from a good assortment of sake, shochu, wines and cocktails. Budget around Y4000-5000 for ample food and drink.
Daiba 1-7-1, Aqua City 6F. Open 11am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO) daily.
This lively neighborhood drinking spot is a branch of the long-established Fujintei izakaya a few blocks away, and the spacious, comfortable second floor is the place to be. The menu is disarmingly eclectic - Taiwanese sausage, charcoal-grilled prawns, shashlik kebabs made from premium Yamagata pork - and everything we've tried has been first-rate. The sake list is small but serviceable - this is the kind of place where you find a label you like and stick with it, rather than exploring different breweries.
Nishi-Ogi-Minami 3-14-12. Open 4pm-12:30am (LO) daily.
A casual bar-restaurant from the folks who brought us the original gourmet stand-bar, Buchi, and its French cousin, Bongout Noh. Drinks include wine by the glass and plenty of premium sake brands, and the food menu covers seafood, charcoal-grilled meats, tofu and vegetables, with dishes like foie gras and daikon miso dengaku (Y1400).
Excellent charcoal-grilled meats and vegetables are served here with Korean-style sauces and side dishes. The quality of the meats is first-rate, and there are lots of grilled and stewed organ meats. Drinks include flavored Korean makkoli (sweet, cloudy sake) plus sake and shochu. The spacious counter is warm and comfortable.
Higashiyama 1-6-16. Open 6pm-2am (LO; Sundays 10pm) daily.
One of Tokyo's culinary landmarks, they've been serving the same excellent chicken nabe for nearly 120 years. The chicken is slow-cooked over an old-fashioned charcoal burner in front of you while you relax with a cup of sake in your private tatami room. Dinner is around Y6,000 and reservations are highly recommended, although occasionally they might be able to squeeze you in if you're willing to wait.
Kanda Sudacho 1-15. Open 11:30am-8pm (LO). Closed Sundays and holidays.
Unlike some skyscraper restaurants, this place has the energy and atmosphere of a down-to-earth izakaya. The food menu is impressively diverse, including soba noodles, kushiyaki (both yakitori and other meats on skewers), homemade tofu, "Kyoto-style oden," and lots of good seasonal specials. There are over a dozen different sakes to try; other drinks include awamori cocktails, shochu, beer and wine.
Nishi-Shinjuku 2-4-1, Shinjuku NS Bldg. 29F. Open 11:30am-2, 4:30-11pm daily.
Although it's best known in its convenience-store and yatai manifestations, oden can be a cuisine of great subtlety and refinement, and Konbuya in Nishi-Azabu is an excellent place to investigate the mysteries of gourmet oden preparation. There's also a very nice selection of sake and shochu to go with it. [See FULL REVIEW.]
Nishi-Azabu 4-10-5. Open 6pm-1am (LO; 11pm Sundays). Open every day.
This very reasonably priced izakaya chain offers good food and good value. The impressively diverse menu features soba noodles, kushiyaki (both yakitori and other meats on skewers), homemade tofu, "Kyoto-style oden," and lots of good seasonal specials. There are over a dozen different sakes to try, and you can choose any three as a "tasting set" for Y1000; other drinks include awamori cocktails, shochu, beer and wine. There are two other Akasaka branches nearby.
They simmer two different styles of gourmet oden here - in miso broth and in dashi broth. Assorted platters of either type are Y1500, and full-course dinners featuring sashimi, tofu, broiled fish, appetizers and dessert are Y5000 per person. The dining area is rather plush, with a nice big counter and comfortable tables; take your shoes off at the door.
Marunouchi 1-9-1, Kurobei Yokocho (B1F). Open 11am-11pm daily.
Gourmet oden is the specialty here, but they also serve up yakitori, kushiage and sashimi, with full-course dinners from Y2800. Drinks include a decent assortment of sake, shochu and plum wines.
Nihonbashi 2-2-3. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Top-quality Kansai-style oden - not only does Ohdako have some of the most delicious oden in Tokyo, they have the good sense to serve with it some of the finest sakes available. [See FULL REVIEW.]
This unusual merger of an oden shop and a soul music bar lets you listen to classic seventies soul in the background as you enjoy Shizuoka-style oden (it comes in a darker, beefier broth than the Tokyo version). Budget around Y2000-3000.
Kitazawa 2-6-6, #202. (near Honda Theater front entrance) Open 6pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
This stylish little izakaya offers a very diverse izakaya menu - grilled meats, gyoza dumplings, oden, and popular gourmet ramen, plus a small but nice sake list. (A sister shop of Aburiya Fudo and Tetsugen.)
Kami-Meguro 3-1-8, Bourree 1F. Open 11:30am-4, 5-11pm (LO) daily.
This Yokohama branch of one of our favorite izakaya offers good soba, tofu and grilled chicken along with some nice regional sake choices. Counter and table seating is relatively spacious.
Kinkocho 1-10, Yokohama Bay Quarter 5F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
You'll find high-quality skewered morsels that are deep-fried with a light touch here, and ordering is simple - just tell them when to stop. (Don't worry, you can specify in advance any ingredients you can't eat.) Some highlights are the Nagoya cochin, Iberico pork, and fried quail eggs that somehow have a soft-boiled consistency. Drinks include beer, sake and reasonably priced wines. Budget around Y3500-4000 for a filling meal with drinks, or around Y7,500 if you stay for all forty items on the monthly menu.
Shinjuku 3-34-16, Ikeda Plaza Bldg 4F. Open 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Straight from Osaka, this popular national chain offers all-you-can-eat kushi-age - deep-fried grilled fish, meat and vegetables on skewers. Every table is furnished with its own deep-fryer, so you choose what you like from the refrigerated cabinets and then cook it up for yourself. Y2500 covers two hours of deep-fry fun; all-you-can-drink beer and cocktail deals are also available. Lunch is served on weekends.
Nishi-Shinjuku 1-3-1, Sunflower Bldg 5F. Open 4-10:30pm (LO) daily.
This attractively appointed izakaya is a branch of a popular Osaka shop specializing in grilled and fried morsels of meat and vegetables on skewers. But not just any morsels on skewers - the 40-odd varieties range from simple salted prawns and chicken wings to green peppers stuffed with minced shrimp and salmon with porcini sauce. Try them all! An assortment of eight skewers is Y2650; budget around Y3000-6000 for dinner and drinks.
Kaigan 1-2-20, Shiodome Building 1F. Open 11am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO) daily.
You'll find high-quality skewered morsels that are deep-fried with a light touch here, and ordering is simple - just tell them when to stop. (Don't worry, you can specify in advance any ingredients you can't eat.) Some highlights are the crunchy prawns, the Berkshire pork and the large asparagus spears, and Momo no Shizuku sake from Kyoto stands up to the fried flavors. Budget around Y4000-4500 for a filling meal with drinks.
Soto-Kanda 4-14-1, Akiba Ichi 3F. Open 4-11pm daily.
A popular kushiage restaurant located in a charming old wooden country-style house. You'll be amazed at the variety of foods that can be served on sticks. New items arrive six sticks at a time, and keep arriving until you tell them to stop.
Nezu 2-12-15. Open noon-2, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Good, all-you-can-eat kushiage from this very popular Osaka-based chain. Pick your own skewers of fish, meat and vegetables from the counter and deep-fry them yourself at your table. Y2500 for two hours. There are also inexpensive all-you-can-drink plans to go with your meal.
Kichijoji Honcho 1-11-30, Daiya Palace Kichijoji 2F. Open 4-11pm daily.
This tiny shop adjacent to the Hageten tempura restaurant serves decent kushiage at quite reasonable prices - ten deep-fried skewers of seasonal seafood and vegetables, along with rice, soup, salad and side dishes go for Y2100.
Chiba-ken, Funabashi, Honmachi 7-1-1, Tobu Dept Store 7F. Open 11am-10pm daily.
Good, all-you-can-eat kushiage from this very popular Osaka-based chain. Pick your own skewers of fish, meat and vegetables from the counter and deep-fry them yourself at your table. Y2500 for two hours. There are also inexpensive all-you-can-drink plans to go with your meal.
Nishi-Shinjuku 3-7-1-2, Park Hyatt Tokyo 40F. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-9:30pm (LO) daily. 
Yamashiroya (Shibuya - Japanese). 5489-0039
