1. Ebisu Yokocho, Ebisu
Address: 1 Chome-7-4 Ebisu, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0013, Japan (Google Maps)
Close to Ebisu Station – about a 2-minute walk from the East Exit of the Ebisu Station. There are bright neon lights by the entrance so you shouldn’t miss it.
In Japanese, “yokocho“ literally means “alleyways off to the side of a main street”. When you step into Ebisu Yokocho, that is exactly what you will get, a retro indoor alleyway/arcade chock-a-block with independent taverns and stalls serving everything from humble soba, yakitori skewers, sushi to hot pots and even specialty seafood dishes like grilled scallops – there is even a wine bar!
Ebisu Yokocho opens at 5pm and closes at 5am! It has a great lively, loud (and smokey) atmosphere and gets pretty busy on a Friday and Saturday night – so go early to secure a table. It a great place to go to catch up with friends whilst enjoying some delicious food and beverages.
2. Hakata Tenjin Ramen, Shinjuku (Multiple locations)
Address: Japan, 〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−22−6 笹山商店ビル (Google Maps)
Close to Shinjuku Station, about a 2 minute walk, this ramen bar on the corner is hard to miss – mainly because it looks like some of makeshift shelter from the outside. Don’t be fooled though – as they say appearance isn’t everything.
If you want fuss-free, delicious ramen at a wallet-friendly price then this is the place to go. We stumbled across this no-frills ramen bar as we needed a quick bite before going to the Robot Restaurant (next door). The menu was simple (available in English which is always a plus) and big bowls of ramen started from ¥500.
The ramen is cooked in the Hakata style which means thin noodles and served in a rich tonkotsu pork broth. The noodles are cooked slightly more al dente (or as the Japanese would say “Katame“) so it softens as it soaks up the broth whilst you eat . We ordered ramen topped with chashu (sliced pork) with wood ear mushrooms.
3. Buchiumaya, Shinjuku
Address: 7 Chome-22-34 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan (Google Maps)
Located 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station, Buchiumaya is one of few good Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurants and extremely popular with the locals.
This okonomiyaki restaurant can be found down a small alley and if you aren’t looking for it, it can be easily missed (we walked straight past it). On our first night in Tokyo, we had a craving for okonomiyaki and didn’t want to venture too far as we were staying in Shinjuku. There are only a handful of okonomiyaki restaurants in Tokyo that serve authentic Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.
You get the option to either site on the counter next to the teppan or on tables. I always find it more authentic sitting by the teppan to watch the action. The small restaurant is lined with retro advert posters and has a great lively atmosphere.
3. Kagetsudō Kagetudo, Asakusa (Multiple locations)
Address: 1 Chome-18-11 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan (Google Maps)
Website: www.asakusa-kagetudo.com
Melon pan (i.e. Melon bread) is a MUST eat whenever I go to Japan, mainly because I can’t seem to find it in the UK. And the best way to taste melon pan is to go to this institution located in Asakusa. Melon pan tastes similar to Chinese pineapple bun – a crispy and sweet crust sits on top of a fluffy light bun.
We ventured Kagetsudō Kagetudo after spending the morning at Sensoji Temple. As you would expect with any other institution, we were greeted with a queue. Luckily it went down quick and, before we knew, we were holding a warm, freshly baked melon pan! These melon pans are slightly more expensive starting from ¥220 each. There are also lots of variations including melon pan served with matcha ice-cream (it doesn’t get more Japanese than that!).
4. Yakinikumafia, Shinjuku
Address: Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, 1 Chome−19−3 7F (Google Maps)
Website: www.yakinikumafia.com
This is a standing yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) bar brought to you by Wagyumafia, the highly exclusive wagyu/kobe beef experts – that’s correct – no seats! The minimalist restaurant is located on the 7th floor of a commercial building. They offer only a set menu with the option to order additional cuts of meat and sides. The cuts for the Wagyu Plate changes every day.
The set menu consists of a Wagyu Plate, a Koshihikari Rice (Small), Grated Japanese Radish with Ponzu Sauce (refill included), Kobe Bone Stock Soup and Cucumber Pickles. We paired that with a whisky highball (which came in a can).
Be prepared – this is not a cheap nor a hearty meal! The set menu alone will set you back ¥5,000. But it is without-a-doubt a unique experience and the Wagyu beef was pretty incredible. Also, this is the cheapest way to get a Wagyumafia experience (since they are the same brand behind the ¥20,000 Kobe Chateaubriand Katsu Sandwich).
5. Ramen Nagi, Shinjuku
Address: Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, 1 Chome−1−10 2F (Google Maps)
A well-known franchise in Toyko, this place was recommended to us when we had midnight munchies after a night of drinking in Golden Gai, as it is open 24 hours. We rocked up at their original location (which is located on the 2nd floor of a building round the corner from Golden Gai) at 3am and we still had to queue so that tells you how good this place is! This ramen bar is small and only has around 8 seats. Like most placed in Japan, you order from a vending machine then pass your coupon to the chef.
The ramen is served in a dried-fish broth – apparently they use a variety of dried fish to make their broth which is why it is so flavoursome and has so much depth. The ramen is homemade so varies in thickness providing a great texture.
The original bowl costs around ¥900 and the large bowl with all of the toppings cost around ¥1300.
6. Sakura Tei, Harajuku
Address: 3 Chome-20-1 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan (Google Maps)
Website: www.sakuratei.co.jp
Located in Harajuku, the heart of Japanese pop culture and the young fashion & art district, this hipster restaurant specializes Osaka-style okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake with cabbage, eggs and flour) and Tokyo-style monjakai (a Japanese pan-fried batter).
You even get the chance to turn your hand to some Japanese cooking and make you own on the teppan. Every table has its own teppan and there is a guide on how to make these dishes.
If you are like me and love okonomiyaki, then look no further as this place offers an all-you-can-eat option.
¥1,500 for all-you-can-eat plus one drink.
¥1,900 for all-you-can-eat plus all you can drink.
7. Kizuna Sushi, Shinjuku
Address: Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, 1 Chome−18−8 第1モナミビル B1-1F (Google Maps)
Located just 5 minutes from Shinjuku station, this sushi restaurant offers good quality sushi for an affordable price 24 hours a day. Popular with both locals and visitors, they offer a wide range of sashimi and sushi – they also have
They also have an all-you-can-eat option between 11am and 10pm. The all-you-can-eat menu is great value for money as it offers most of the dishes on the a-la-carte menu (inlcuding Uni (sea urchin) and Chūtoro (medium fatty tuna). They also serve other side dishes such as tempura, skewers, salads, miso soups and more.
The all-you-can-eat option is cheaper for women than men: ¥3,480 for women and ¥3,980 for men, both with the option of unlimited drinks for an additional ¥1,500 each.
8. Katsu Midori, Seibu Department Store, Shibuya
Address: Japan, 〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 21−1 A 館8階 レストラン街ダイニング プラザ (Google Maps)
Located just 3 minutes walk from Shibuya Station on the 8th floor of Seibu Department Store (this is not obvious from the address alone), this revolving sushi train restaurants offers good quality sushi at wallet-friendly prices. As with most things that are good, expect a queue but it does down quick. If you can, try to avoid peak hours.
The dishes range from ¥100 to 500, depending on the quality of the fish. Don’t worry, the cheaper dishes are still pretty good quality as they receive their seafood delivery every morning directly from Tsukiji Fish Market. They don’t just offer sushi, you can order tempura, skewers, fried chicken, soups and a variety of desserts. For the price you pay, the quality of the food is much better than other budget sushi restaurants.
There are also daily and seasonal specials so play around on the screen situated on your table to make sure you don’t miss anything on the menu you would like to try. Because we are in Japan, orders are placed on an iPad, which just adds to the fun!
Enjoy!
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