Aoyama 1-chome
Good South Indian cuisine from the management of the Mumbai restaurant chain. Lunches are priced from Y850, dinners from Y1500. Lunch is served until 5pm, and on weekends and holidays there's an all-you-can-eat lunch for Y1980.
Minami-Aoyama 1-10-5, Sai-Aoyama Bldg 2F. Open 11am-10pm daily.
This spacious cafe-bar is done up in retro early-1970s modern style, with a nice big terrace seating area with retractable roof. It's run by the folks from the always-hip Planet 3rd cafe in Shibuya, and it's attached to a travel-oriented bookstore run by Paper Sky magazine.
Minami-Aoyama 1-2-6. (in the block behind Aoyama Twin Towers) Open 11am-2am daily.
Good handmade soba noodles. One of the most popular dishes is sanshoku (three-color) soba, made up of green tea, poppy seed and regular seiro noodles. Other specialties include sarashina and yuzu-flavored soba.
Minami-Aoyama 1-1-1, Aoyama Twin Towers East, B1F. Open 11:30am-4, 5-8:30pm (LO; Sat -7pm). Closed Sundays.
While the basement room may be unexciting, the food and wines are quite good and represent great value for money.
Kita-Aoyama 1-2-3, Aoyama Bldg. B1F. (diagonally across from Aoyama Twin Towers) Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Akasaka-Mitsuke
Note: Restaurants in or near the Hotel New Otani can be found in the
Kioicho section of the Yotsuya page.
East of Sotobori-dori
Japanese fusion, sushi, sake and drinks in a very spectacular, fun setting. Budget around Y10,000 for dinner and drinks.
You might go only once for the novelty factor, but this entertaining ninja-themed restaurant has better food than one might expect. Multi-course tasting menus are Y5,555-15,000 and feature dishes like foie gras and veal creme brulee, and Ninja-style roast lamb with Korean flavoring.
Pickled herring and much more - their awe-inspiring smorgasbord is a real adventure in dining, so come with a hearty appetite. They also have an impressive selection of eight distinctive aquavits. Lunch 3,150, dinner Y6,090; there's also an a la carte menu and weekend dinner specials. [See
FULL REVIEW.]
Nagatacho 2-14-3, Akasaka Tokyu Plaza 1F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-11pm (LO 9:30-10). Closed Sundays.
Good Turkish cooking from this Tokyo Turkish pioneer (the original Shinjuku restaurant has been in business since 1988). Belly dancing Wednesday through Saturday nights. Budget around Y4000 at dinnertime.
Nagatacho 2-14-3, Akasaka Tokyu Plaza 2F. Open 11:30am-3, 5-11:30pm. Closed Sundays.
A branch of the original Yoyogi-Uehara cafe, with far more space and a larger menu. Dinner items include rotisserie chicken (Y1,400 for a half chicken) and grilled swordfish (Y1,700). There's a small selection of California and Australian wines, by the glass or bottle. Service can be hit or miss.
Nagatacho 2-14-3, Akasaka Tokyu Plaza 2F. Open 11:30am-10pm (LO) daily.
Good deep-fried meat and vegetables on skewers from this popular chain.
Nagatacho 2-14-3, Akasaka Tokyu Plaza 3F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-9:30pm daily.
Saryo (Kaiseki). 5512-3737
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.
West of Sotobori-dori
Somewhere between bistro and beer hall lies the ambiguous territory of the wine izakaya. Ajirutei occupies a space that looks as though it was once a sports bar. Despite the cheerful red walls and various pieces of wine paraphernalia - wine crates, bottles, and posters from the movie "Sideways" - scattered throughout, the interior retains some of the character of its previous incarnation. The ghost of a dartboard lingers behind the decorative platter bearing a map of France on one wall, and one can easily imagine team-logo mugs in the nooks where wine bottles now stand. [See
FULL REVIEW.]
Akasaka 3-10-4, Getsu Sekai Bldg 2F. Open 5-11:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Tasty tapas and main dishes and reasonable Spanish wines from the popular Spanish chain.
Akasaka 3-7-17. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30pm-2am (LO). Closed Sundays.
You'll find great Peking Duck here - just Y3680 for a portion big enough for three or four people - plus a big menu of surprisingly inexpensive dumplings and small-plate dishes.
[Go to branch review] Reliable, filling Indonesian fare.
Akasaka 3-20-6. Open 11am-2:30, 5pm-midnight daily.
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.
Butta (Izakaya). 5545-5443
Butta specializes in yakiton - some two dozen types of grilled pork on skewers - from premium name-brand pork. There are also grilled vegetables and pork motsunabe (stew made from pork innards); budget around Y2500 at dinnertime.
Akasaka 4-2-3, Dia City Akasaka Hitotsukikan 2F. Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-3am. Closed Sundays.
Umaya (Japanese). 6229-1661
A beautiful rustic-style restaurant opened by famed kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke. Lunches start from Y1000, dinners from Y3000. Food includes homemade tofu, and the drinks menu features Kyushu shochu and sake.
Akasaka 4-2-32. (on Hitotsuki-dori, walk uphill towards the jinja but make an immediate left.) Open 11am-1:30, 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
The sandwich menu includes a few impressively overstuffed deli-style sandwiches - Y1700 for a large Reuben, Y2000 for a large turkey breast. The grilled feta and vegetable on focaccia (Y950) is also recommended. Lunchtime delivery in the neighborhood.
Akasaka 3-15-10, SP Japan Akasaka Bldg B1/1F. Open 11am-9:30pm (LO). Closed weekends.
511 (Steak house). 6685-0511
The concept at this steak specialist is kaiseki-style cuisine showcasing the highest grades of Kobe beef, grilled to perfection in the kitchen's specially made brick ovens. Prix-fixe dinners run from Y13,000, and a typical dinner menu might include items like beef tongue sashimi, sushi and chazuke in addition to steak. There are also monthly special dinners priced at Y5,000 and Y10,000, and wine-pairing dinners for Y18,000. Lunch is a real bargain, starting at Y1500.
Akasaka 4-3-28, Dear Plaza Akasaka B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 6-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
An excellent selection of Belgian beers and good Belgian cuisine. The dining space is large and has a European-style feel to it. Budget around Y4000 at dinnertime; there's a Y500 cover charge.
[Go to branch review]
Akasaka station
This tiny restaurant (formerly known as Aronia de Takazawa) has become very popular with the foreign press, with write-ups in the Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Newsweek and the Times of London. The food is modern French, served kaiseki-style, and the very inventive eleven-course prix-fixe menu is Y24,000. Book several weeks in advance.
Akasaka 3-5-2, Sanyo Akasaka 2F. Open noon-9pm (LO) daily.
Inexpensive Thai noodles.
Akasaka 3-6-6. Open 11:30am-2, 6-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Very good yakitori and game-bird cuisine along with a respectable sake list. Budget around Y7000 for dinner, Y1000 for lunch.
Akasaka 3-12-10, Akasaka Sun Bldg B1F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Run by a veteran of the legendary Rose de Sahara in Nishi-Shinjuku, Safari offers a range of African dishes - peanut stew, doro wat, jolof rice, Ethiopian injera - along with unusual items like fried kangaroo and roast ostrich. Budget around Y5000 at dinnertime.
Akasaka 3-13-1, Bells Akasaka 2F. Open 11am-3, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
This long-established izakaya mini-chain serves excellent Kyushu cuisine and a good assortment of sake and shochu from the southern island. Budget around Y4000-5000 for dinner with drinks.
[Go to branch review] Akasaka 3-13-2, MJ Bldg 3F. Open 5pm-2:30am (LO). Closed weekends.
Free-range chicken dishes and other specialties from Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Kyushu, plus shochu and microbrew beers from down there. The atmosphere is funky-casual izakaya-style.
Akasaka 3-14-7, Tani Bldg. 2F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Rikyu (Yoshoku). 3568-7787
Good charcoal-grilled beef tongue from this Sendai-based chain. You'll also find beef-tongue curries, stews, sausages and other yoshoku-style dishes, along with regional sake from Miyagi Prefecture.
[Go to branch review] Akasaka 3-14-8, Akasaka Sagamiya Bldg 2F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Takewaka offers good traditional Japanese food in small dishes at reasonable prices. Smaller sake serving sizes are also available - 120 ml instead of 180 ml - with correspondingly lower prices, allowing you to try more varieties while putting less strain on your wallet and your sobriety. The well-chosen selection numbers about thirty, most of them standouts. Budget around 4,000 yen per person.
Akasaka 3-13-12. Open 11:30am-2, 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Despite the casual setting - diner-style tables, a big counter and an open kitchen behind it - the menu offers a serious exploration of modern Catalan Spanish cuisine, with dishes like codfish fritters, Iberico pork terrine with figs, stewed oxtail (Y2200), and several traditional rice dishes. Wines are fairly reasonable; budget around Y7000 for food and drink at dinnertime.
Akasaka 5-3-1, Akasaka Biz Tower 1F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Delicious Bretagne-style artisanal sweet crepes and savory buckwheat galettes are served at this charming little cafe, along with hard cider and soft drinks imported from the region.
Akasaka 5-3-1, Akasaka Biz Tower 1F. Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Ten Belgian beers are served on draft here, with 100 more by the bottle. The simple menu includes pastas, Flemish-style beef stew, and of course mussels. The big, shiny semi-circular bar is the focus of attention here, but there's also a cozy table section off to the side.
Akasaka 5-3-1, Akasaka Biz Tower 1F. Open 11am-midnight daily.
This "Japanese folkcraft restaurant" specializes in expensive domestic beef dishes served in old-fashioned private dining rooms. Shabu-shabu dinners are priced Y9,300-15,500 and sukiyaki is Y16,500. The sukiyaki lunch is Y2200.
Akasaka 5-3-1, Akasaka Biz Tower 2F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Do-zo (Izakaya). 5545-6873
This self-consciously casual drinking spot offers a wide food menu - everything from Okinawan pork stews and stir-fries to udon noodles carbonara and brown-sugar creme brulee.
Akasaka 5-3-1, Akasaka Biz Tower B1F. Open 11am-10:50pm (LO) daily.
A cozy little shop specializing in the famous Singaporean chicken-rice dish and a surprisingly big menu of other street-stall dishes; some take-out is available.
Akasaka 5-3-1, Akasaka Biz Tower B1F. Open 11am-11pm daily.
An impressive food menu and a decent selection of German beers, specializing in Spaten, Franziskaner and Flensburger.
Akasaka 5-5-11, 2F. (from Akasaka Sta. exit 7 turn right and walk about 2 min.; it's on the right) Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Yamaya (Liquor shop). 3583-5657
A discount wine retailer with a good selection.
Akasaka 2-14-33. Open 10am-10pm daily.
An inexpensive and lively chain of izakayas with very convenient hours and all private dining rooms.
This rather informal restaurant prepares Austrian food - particularly the cuisine of the South Styria region - including crepe-like palatschinken pancakes and wiener schnitzel. There are a few reasonably priced Austrian wines starting at Y3000 per bottle.
Akasaka 2-12-11, Charmant Akasaka 2F. Open 5:30-10:30pm. Closed weekends.
Akasaka's long-running and highly regarded Indian-food pioneer is back in a new location and under new management. Their lunchtime buffet includes a big assortment of curries and other dishes, while the dinner menu features dishes from every region of India.
Akasaka 2-12-33, B1F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10pm (LO) daily.
Draught British beers and food, plus sports shown on big-screen TVs and a lively expat crowd. Weekday lunch is Y999; no lunch on weekends.
Akasaka 2-13-19, Tamondo Bldg. B1F. Open 11am-3, 5pm-late (no lunch Sat). Closed Sundays.
A quiet Japanese bar serving an incredible selection of Belgian beers for serious beer connoisseurs, including many brands you won't find elsewhere in Japan. Prices average around Y1,200 a bottle. There's also a restaurant area serving Belgian food. Bar area open to midnight. [See
FULL REVIEW.]
Akasaka 2-13-21. Open 6-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Another local branch of this popular Indian chain, with a good selection of vegetarian choices.
Akasaka 2-14-31. Open 11:30am-10pm daily.
This top-class traditional ryotei occupies a beautiful stand-alone house in the middle of Akasaka, and has been serving fine unagi-centered meals for 200 years. Prix-fixe lunches from Y13,000, dinner from Y17,000.
Akasaka 2-17-61. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-8pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Kagura (Japanese regional). 3585-3030
Kagura is run by the Fukumitsuya sake brewery in Kanazawa, and it showcases their line-up of premium sakes. The food menu focuses on Kaga-ryori - the regional cuisine of Kanazawa. Prix-fixe menus are Y8,400 and Y12,600 (+10%sc), or you can order a la carte.
Akasaka 5-5-9. Open 4-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Aozai (Vietnamese). 3583-0234
Respectable mid-level Vietnamese dining from an old neighborhood standby.
Akasaka 5-4-14. Open 11:30am-2:30, 4-9:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays and holidays.
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.
The room is an unpretentious little basement with a long counter and six tiny tables, but the food is simply superb - creative, light-hearted French cuisine prepared by a master. The foie gras on daikon appetizer features large slabs of foie gras and lightly stewed daikon, perfectly balanced in flavor. There's also an outstanding foie gras and duck confit main course served in a bed of mashed potatoes and leeks, and rather amazing lamb chops in mustard sauce. Some of the desserts, like the banana flambee, are a major theatrical production. The best deal is Y3500 for a three-course dinner that you'd expect to pay much more for. Wines start at Y2500 and reach very high levels. Lunches start at Y1000. [See
FULL REVIEW.]
Akasaka 6-3-16, B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 6-10pm. Closed Sundays.
If you don't mind spending around Y10,000/person for bistrot-style seating and a fairly limited menu, the food here is pretty good - authentic regional dishes from the southwest of France.
Akasaka 6-4-15. Open 6pm-1am (LO). Closed Sundays.
The decor is austere and the mood is subdued at this exclusive twelve-seat tempura counter. All the energy is focused on the tempura, which is world class. The chef and his assistant stick to basics, with top-quality seasonal ingredients lightly fried and served with either lemon, plain salt or a simple dipping sauce. Prix-fixe menus are Y10,500 or Y12,600, with optional sashimi starter course for Y4,200. The drinks list offers a choice of several good sakes (Kubota Manju is Y2000/1-go) or French wines. Some English spoken.
Solid, traditional Peking-style cooking; budget around Y8000 for dinner, Y1500 for lunch.
Akasaka 7-6-47. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10pm (LO) daily.
Django (International). 5573-2664
This small neighborhood spot serves good, original California-style cuisine and reasonably priced New World wines, and is popular with the international community. The fusiony menu is full of complicated but well-executed dishes like "maguro tuna steak flavored with tri-color peppers in brandy and port wine sauce served with wild rice." Portion sizes are surprisingly big - the bagna cauda includes nearly a dozen boiled vegetables, and the excellent grilled pork main dish is almost too big for one person. Budget around Y5-7000 at dinnertime; Y850-1000 for lunch.
Akasaka 6-17-7. Open 11am-3, 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
A small, friendly shop with good inexpensive Thai food.
Akasaka 9-2-6. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Tameike-Sanno
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.
Falafel and other hot and cold pita sandwiches. There's a small outdoor terrace seating area, or you can take out.
Akasaka 2-11-7, ATT Shinkan. Open variable hours. Closed weekends.
Suppose you've already decided to eat prime rib at Lawry's, and are committed to at least the 300gm Lawry's cut for Y3500. For an extra commitment of a mere Y2000, you can either add a lobster tail, or upgrade to the belt-bursting 600gm "Diamond Jim Brady" cut. Which should you choose? [See
FULL REVIEW.]
Akasaka 2-17-22, Akasaka Twin Tower East B/1F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Mixx is among the first bars in Tokyo to wholeheartedly embrace the trend of molecular mixology. Signature cocktails include the Caprese, spiced tomato juice and vodka topped with mozzarella foam and fried basil, and the Oeuf a la coque, a creamy whip of rum, coconut, mango juice, and vanilla ice cream (Y2500 each). Mixx Bar takes advantage of its location on the 36th floor of the ANA Intercontinental Hotel to offer cinematic views of the city. The black-and-white modern interior, with its boxy floating lanterns and shiny-topped tables, recalls the Gotham City of early Batman movies.
Mixx is among the first bars in Tokyo to wholeheartedly embrace the trend of molecular mixology. Signature cocktails include the Caprese, spiced tomato juice and vodka topped with mozzarella foam and fried basil, and the Oeuf a la coque, a creamy whip of rum, coconut, mango juice, and vanilla ice cream (Y2500 each).
The bar food ranges from small snacks like truffle popcorn (Y625) to more sophisticated plates such as the deep-fried escargot brochette, suspended over a fricassee of escargot and vegetables (Y2315). The salmon platter (Y3635) comes with a skewer of smoked salmon and blinis, a finely minced salmon tartar, and plump ikura roe, each served separately in dainty cups.
A table charge of Y1050 applies after 9pm. [Show more] [Show less] Akasaka 1-13-33, ANA Intercontinental Hotel 36F. Open 11:30am-1am daily.
Modern, very creative French cuisine from one of France's top chefs. Prix-fixe lunches are Y6,000-10,000; dinners 18,000 to 23,000. There's also a Y3800 "express lunch" on weekdays. Jackets are recommended. [See
FULL REVIEW.]
Akasaka 1-13-33, ANA Intercontinental Hotel 36F. Open 11:30am-2, 6-9pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
This refurbished bar, hovering over the main lobby of the ANA Hotel, serves several different champagnes by the glass or the bottle, ranging from Y1300 to Y3000 per glass. There's also a limited food menu and lunch specials at midday.
Akasaka 1-13-33, ANA Intercontinental Hotel 3F. Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
Entertaining California cuisine - gourmet pizzas and interesting takes on American standards like meatloaf and Cajun chicken.
Akasaka 1-12-32, Ark Mori Bldg. 1F. Open 11am-10:30pm daily.
A cheerful cafe with a nice lunch menu (under Y1,000) and a take-away bakery department.
Akasaka 1-12-32, Ark Mori Bldg. 2F. Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
Gourmet burgers, home-made pies and brunch items from the famous Tribeca, New York, diner. Breakfast is served from 8am on weekdays, with dishes like banana-walnut pancakes, granola with fresh fruit, and eggs and bacon or sausage. Open 10am-9pm on weekends.
Akasaka 1-12-32, Ark Mori Bldg. 2F. Open 8am-10pm (LO) daily.
Roppongi 1-chome
Minsk (Belarusian). 3586-6600
Excellent home-style "Belarus home cooking" by native chefs. The decor is minimal (elaborately stacked vodka bottles, a vodka-themed calendar on the wall), but the food is uniformly good - from the richly flavored borscht (heavily seasoned with cumin, dill and other herbs), to the spongy buckwheat crepes stuffed with minced chicken, to the garlicky potato pancakes. Excellent home-style "Belarus home cooking" by native chefs. The decor is minimal (elaborately stacked vodka bottles, a vodka-themed calendar on the wall), but the food is uniformly good - from the richly flavored borscht (heavily seasoned with cumin, dill and other herbs), to the spongy buckwheat crepes stuffed with minced chicken, to the garlicky potato pancakes.
There's a selection of Hungarian white and Georgian red wines, but the hearty Russian Baltika #3 beer might be a better match for the food. The patrons seem to be a mix of local prowling Roppongi-ites and visiting explorers looking for exotic ethnic dining. [Show more] [Show less] Azabudai 1-4-2. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10:30pm. Closed Sundays.
Sophisticated, modern and creative cuisine from Chef Shimomura, a veteran of several distinguished restaurants in the French provinces. Prix-fixe lunches from Y4200, dinners from Y9450.
Roppongi 3-1-1, T-Cube 1F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 6-9:30pm (LO) daily.
Don't come here looking for fusion cooking - it's all straight-ahead curries and tandoori items, above average in quality although sometimes overly salted. One thing that sets them apart is the Hoegaarden on draft, a refreshing Belgian white beer that provides a very pleasant contrast with the spicy dishes. The decor is fairly pedestrian, with sports on the big-screen TV, but at least the smoking and non-smoking sections are on separate floors.
Roppongi 3-3-15. Open 11:30am-10:30pm daily.
Reasonable izakaya fare and a good selection of sake at this down-to-earth drinking spot; budget around Y3500 for food and drink in the evening.
Roppongi 3-4-33. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-11pm. Closed Sundays.
The two tiny dining rooms are rustic and cave-like, the stucco walls decorated with animal pelts and a boar's head. The name means "the hunt", and the specialty is seasonal game (pheasant, boar, deer), much of it bagged by the chef himself. The two tiny dining rooms are rustic and cave-like, the stucco walls decorated with animal pelts and a boar's head. The name means "the hunt", and the specialty is seasonal game (pheasant, boar, deer), much of it bagged by the chef himself.
The assorted game platter is a good introduction to the menu; there's also fabulous foie gras, hearty provincial dishes like cassoulet, and fantastic desserts. The wine list includes reasonably priced (Y6000-9000) wines from southwestern France, along with a strong Bordeaux selection. Around Y15,000-20,000 per person for dinner and drinks. No English. [Show more] [Show less] Roppongi 3-5-7. Open 6-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
