Tokyo Restaurants

Tokyo Restaurant Guide – Tokyo has some of the best restaurants in the world, with more Michelin stared restaurants than any other city in the world. You don’t have to go to the fancy, expensive restaurants to have a great meal in Tokyo. Check out these Tokyo restaurant reviews:

Tokyo Restaurants

Cheap Eats in Tokyo: Where to Get a Satisfying Meal for Under 1,000 Yen

January 7, 2026Tokyo’s reputation as an expensive city is well-deserved—think high-end sushi bars and Michelin-starred kaiseki. But beneath the glitz, the city offers incredible value for budget-conscious eaters. With over 160,000 restaurants, many chains specialize in quick, tasty meals using high-quality ingredients, all for under 1,000 yen (about $6-7 USD as of 2026). These spots are perfect for travelers, locals, or anyone craving authentic Japanese flavors without breaking the bank. From tonkatsu to ramen, udon, tempura, beef bowls, and curry, these chains are ubiquitous in Tokyo—often near train stations for easy access. Prices have seen slight increases due to inflation (fact-checked from recent sources like official websites and reviews), but most meals remain under 1,000 yen. I’ve included updated averages; always check current menus as they can vary by location. Let’s dive into six reliable chains, plus bonus suggestions for even more options. Delicious tonkatsu set at Tonkatsu Wako in Tokyo – perfectly breaded and deep-fried pork loin cutlet sliced for easy eating, accompanied by unlimited shredded cabbage, pickles, steaming miso soup, rice, and house-made tangy brown tonkatsu sauce, a satisfying cheap eat in Tokyo. Classic moment at Tonkatsu Wako in Tokyo – pouring the signature tangy brown tonkatsu sauce over perfectly sliced juicy pork cutlet, ready to enjoy with unlimited cabbage and rice in this popular budget-friendly chain 1. Tonkatsu Wako: Juicy Pork Cutlets with All the Trimmings Tonkatsu Wako is a beloved chain with over 190 locations across Tokyo, specializing in tonkatsu—breaded, deep-fried pork cutlets. Founded in 1958, it emphasizes premium pork for thick, juicy results. The set includes rice, shredded cabbage (unlimited refills), and miso soup, paired with their tangy house sauce (a BBQ-like blend). Updated Price (2026): Lunch specials ~1,000 yen (e.g., basic tonkatsu set 1,000 yen; up from ~843 yen due to rising costs, but still affordable). Dinner often exceeds 1,000 yen, so hit lunch hours (11am-2pm).Why It’s Great: High-quality pork, fluffy batter, and satisfying portions. Best for a hearty meal.Locations: Check their website; common in Shinjuku, Shibuya, and stations. 2. Tenkaippin Ramen: Rich, Creamy Kotteri Broth Bowls Iconic kotteri ramen noodle soup at Tenkaippin Tokyo – intensely flavorful thick broth slow-stewed with chicken and vegetables with tender chashu pork, soft-boiled egg, and scallions, a must-try ramen experience in Japan. Front view of Tenkaippin Ramen Restaurant in Tokyo’s Nishi-Shinjuku district – welcoming entrance to the beloved Japanese chain renowned for its rich, slow-stewed kotteri ramen soup served late into the night Tenkaippin (often called “Ten-Ichi”) claims to serve Japan’s best ramen, with over 230 shops nationwide and many in Tokyo. Established in 1981 in Kyoto, their signature is “kotteri” (thick) soup, simmered for hours with chicken and vegetables for a creamy, flavorful base. Updated Price (2026): Basic kotteri ramen ~1,200 yen (up from ~820 yen; medium ~700-900 yen). Add pork/egg for under 1,000 yen total if sticking to simple bowls.Why It’s Great: Unique heavy broth that’s addictive; open late (until 3am at many spots) for post-nightlife cravings.Locations: Website in Japanese; plentiful in Shinjuku, Akihabara. 3. Hanamaru Udon: Thick, Chewy Noodles with Custom Toppings Hanamaru Udon boasts over 400 locations in Japan, known for self-service sanuki udon—thick, chewy wheat noodles from Kagawa prefecture. Founded in 2001, it’s fast-food style: order your base, add tempura or toppings at the counter. Updated Price (2026): Large beef sukiyaki udon ~650 yen (small ~300-450 yen; medium ~550 yen). Tempura extras ~100-200 yen each.Why It’s Great: Freshly boiled noodles, endless customization, and huge portions—ideal for a filling, quick meal.Locations: Website; common in stations like Shinjuku. Affordable large bowl of thick, chewy udon noodles at Hanamaru Udon in Tokyo – classic Japanese fast food with fresh toppings like tempura or beef, a budget-friendly meal under 1000 yen in this popular chain. Welcoming front entrance of Hanamaru Udon Restaurant in Tokyo – highlighted by the iconic glowing red sign with bold Kanji lettering and signature orange flower, a popular chain for affordable thick udon noodles in Japan 4. Tempura Tendon Tenya: Crispy Tempura on Rice Bowls Tempura Tendon Tenya specializes in tendon—tempura over rice—with 15 Tokyo shops. Part of a chain since 1989, they use fresh seafood/veggies for light, crispy batter.Updated Price (2026): Prawn/veggie tendon combo ~880 yen (basic ~540-700 yen). Why It’s Great: Affordable tempura sets with English menus; fast and satisfying.Locations: Website; spots in Asakusa, stations. Signature tempura tendon rice bowl at Tempura Tendon Tenya in Tokyo – golden crispy prawn and vegetable tempura piled on fluffy rice with savory sauce, a popular affordable Japanese fast food meal under 1000 yen. Inviting front entrance of Tempura Tendon Tenya in Shinjuku’s bustling streets – highlighted by the distinctive bright yellow and blue sign, a go-to spot for cheap crispy tempura tendon rice bowls in Tokyo. 5. Yoshinoya: Classic Sukiyaki Beef Bowls Yoshinoya, founded 1899, has over 1,000 stores in Japan (hundreds in Tokyo), pioneering gyudon—simmered beef/onions over rice. Updated Price (2026): Beef bowl set ~650 yen (regular ~450-680 yen).Why It’s Great: Tasty, cheap, fast—motto says it all. Unlimited miso/salad refills at some.Locations: Website; everywhere in Tokyo. Signature beef set at Yoshinoya Tokyo – flavorful sukiyaki beef simmered with onions served over steamed rice with miso soup, a tasty, cheap, and fast Japanese chain restaurant staple perfect for budget travelers. Classic Yoshinoya Beef Restaurant sign in Tokyo – bold orange and white branding with the iconic logo, marking this legendary Japanese fast food chain known for tasty, cheap gyudon beef bowls across the city. 6. Curry House CoCo Ichibanya: Customizable Katsu Curry CoCo Ichibanya, with hundreds in Tokyo, lets you customize spice/quantity since 1978. Updated Price (2026): Katsu curry ~947 yen (basic ~646-794 yen). Why It’s Great: Endless customizations; hearty portions.Locations: Website.More Famous Chains for Meals Under 1,000 Yen Classic standard pork katsu curry at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya in Shinjuku Tokyo – crispy handmade tonkatsu pork cutlet served atop rice and smothered in flavorful Japanese curry sauce, a customizable and affordable chain favorite Welcoming front entrance of Curry House CoCo Ichibanya in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district – the famous Japanese curry chain known for customizable spice levels and hearty katsu curry dishes in a casual setting. Beyond the originals, these chains offer great value: Matsuya: Gyudon bowls ~400-600 yen – fast beef rice sets. Sukiya: Similar beef bowls ~450 yen – customizable, open 24/7. Sushiro: Conveyor sushi from ¥100/plate – full meal under 1,000 yen. Saizeriya: Italian family meals ~500-1,000 yen – cheap pasta/pizza. Mos Burger: Burgers ~500 yen – Japanese twist on fast food. Tokyo’s cheap eats prove you can dine like a local without splurging. Happy eating—arigato and itadakimasu! Book Tokyo Hotels [...] Read more...

Shane’s Burg American Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo

December 1, 2024Shane’s Burg American Restaurant has now CLOSED FOR BUSINESS Burgers, ribs and delicious desserts. Shane’s Burg American Restaurant is located directly above Shinjuku Train Station in the MyLord Shopping Plaza. An American style diner, Shane’s Burg serves up a range of delicious burgers, steaks, ribs and also a huge range of desserts including ice cream Sundays. Shane’s Burg American Restaurant Shinjuku I went in for lunch and tried there teriyaki burger which is very tasty! A huge chunk of burger patty which is marinated in teriyaki sauce before being grilled and then served with a large white bun with onions. The burger comes with French fries and a bowl of pickles. Prices are quite reasonable. They also serve the burger patties as a meal without the bun, served on a sizzling platter. Teriyaki Burger at Shane’s Burg American Restaurant Shinjuku Tasty burger at Shane’s Burg Restaurant Shinjuku If you looking for a fix of burgers and steaks then take a visit to Shane’s Burg Restaurant. It is very easy to get to being right above Shinjuku station, located within the MyLord Shopping Mall. You take the West Exit of Shinjuku station and the shopping mall is right there. Grilled steak at Shane’s Burg American Restaurant Shinjuku Desserts at Shane’s Burg Restaurant Shinjuku Shane’s Burg American RestaurantLevel 7MyLord Shopping Mall1-1-3 Nishi-ShinjukuPh: (03) 3349 5810 Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner 11am – 11pm Inside Shane’s Burg American Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo Check out the location of Shane’s Burg American Restaurant in Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo

September 29, 2023Imahan is a famous chain of top quality Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu restaurants in Tokyo. I visited the Imahan in Nishi-Shinjuku which is located directly beneath the Hyatt Regency Hotel, across the road from the Hilton. The produce used at Imahan is top quality and the prices reflect. Expect to pay around $100 per person for Sukiyaki with drinks. It’s official name is Ningyocho Imahan. Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo I visited here in July 2023 and had an excellent meal. There were 2 of us and the bill came to just over A$300 but we did knock back a fair few drinks and sake! The Sukiyaki menu has 3 options, High Quality Chuck at 6820 Yen per person (around A$71 or US$46), High Quality Beef at 9020 Yen per person (A$94 or US$61) or the Top Quality Beef at 13,860 Yen per person (around A$145 or US$94). We had the Top Quality Beef, we were told the beef comes from Kanagawa prefecture which is west of Tokyo.. High Quality Beef at Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku They start the meal with an appetizer which came in 2 small bowls. One was some tuna with slices of vegetables, not sure what the other one was 😉 Appertizer at Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku You get a personal chef who comes and prepares the sukiyaki at your table. They first start by cooking the thinly sliced beef, then after cook the vegetables. Each piece of beef is cooked only for up to 1 minute and then served in a bowl which has a raw egg inside. Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Personal Chef at Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Sukiyaki at Imahan Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo At the end of the meal, the chef mixes up some eggs and cooks in in the pan with all the left over Sukiyaki sauce. At this stage I was full so wasn’t able to eat the egg dish. There is so much food in the Sukiyaki meal. Egg cooked in Sukiyaki sauce at Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Last course is dessert which was a single scoop of ice-cream and some fruit. I managed to squeeze this one into my dessert stomach. Dessert at at Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku A very top quality meal that I highly recommend. The prices are very high but it is the full Japanese dining experience. I do recommend the sukiyaki at this restaurant. Ninggyocho Imahan RestaurantWebsite: https://imahan-tokyo.com/official/ [...] Read more...

Restaurants close to Hyatt Regency Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo

September 27, 2023Hyatt Regency Hotel in Nishi Shinjuku Tokyo is a quality 5 star hotel. There are 6 restaurants within the Hyatt Regency Hotel Tokyo and there are also loads of great restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Check out the best restaurants near to the Hyatt Regency Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo: Caffè Italian Restaurant is located within the foyer of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Serving a range of Italian food including buffet meals. Caffe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant located on Level 1 of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Serving traditional Cantonese Chinese cuisine including delicious Yum Cha Dim Sum dishes. Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant is located directly underneath the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Serving top quality Japanese beef in either Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu. A personal chef cooks the meal at your table. Very expensive but a top quality Japanese dining experience. Imahan Sukiyaki Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Musashino Mori Diner is an excellent cafe located directly behind the Hyatt Regency Hotel, on the corner of Shinjuku Central Park. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can highly recommend their Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benedict Breakfast at Musashino Mori Diner Shinjuku Central Park Tokyo Tonkatsu Wako Restaurant used to be directly underneath the Hyatt Regency Hotel but has moved diaganolly across the road at the Shinjuku i-Land Building. Serves up Japanese deep fried pork cutlets – Tonkatsu. Tonkatsu set meal in Shinjuku Tokyo Otowatei Yakitori Bar is one of my favourite restaurants close to the Hyatt Regency. This small yakitori bar, where you sit at the counter and watch the chef cook up yakitori chicken skewers over the hot coals. Located diretly below the Hilton Hotel in the shopping mall Hiltopia. Junisoh Sushi Bar Restaurant is a top quality sushi restaurant located across from the road from the Hyatt Regency Hotel within the Hilton Hotel. Just 2 minutes walk across the road from the Hyatt Regency. Metropolitan Grill Restaurant one of the best steak restaurants in Tokyo, located with the Hilton Hotel, across the road from the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2 minutes walk. Meat Sampler at Metropolitan Grill Restaurant Tokyo Dynasty Chinese Restaurant is a high class Chinese restaurant in the Hilton Hotel serving Chinese / Cantonese food including a selection of Dim Sum dishes. Spring Rolls at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Ashoka Indian Restaurant located directly below the Hilton Hotel in the Hiltopia Shopping Mall. One of the best Indian restaurants in Tokyo. Check out my food review video for Ashoka Indian Restaurant Misono Kobe Teppanyaki Restaurant a fine dining (expensive) teppanyaki restaurant located on level 51 of the Sumitomo Building, directly across from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. China Doll Chinese Restaurant located within the i-Shinjuku Building just 3 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Cross the road to the Hilton Hotel, then turn right and the next block you’ll find i-Shinjuku Building. Sweet and Sour Pork at China Doll Restaurant Tokyo Bali Lax Indonesian Restaurant is just 5 minutes walk down the road from the Hyatt Regency. Bali Lax serves up traditional Balinese and Indonesian food. The restaurant has awesome Balinese decor within the restaurant. Noodle dish at Bali Lax Indonesian Restaurant Rokkaku Yakiniku BBQ Restaurant a traditional Japanese BBQ restaurant with gas BBQ built into each table. Located within the Washinton Hotel. When you walk out the front of the Hyatt Regency turn to the right and walk to the end of the street where you’ll find the Washington Hotel Shinjuku, just 5 minutes walk. Yamanami Teppan-yaki Restaurant is a fine dining teppanyaki restaurant located within the Keio Plaza Hotel, just 5 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Yamanami Teppanyaki Restaurant Shinjuku Duo Fourchettes Restaurant is located within the Keio Plaza Hotel, serving up French and Italian food. 5 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Gokoku Tei Korean Restaurant located within the Keio Plaza Hotel 5 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Serves up a great range of Korean food including delicious Bibimbap. Thali-ya Indian Restaurant a small Indian restaurant located right next to Nishi-Shinjuku Metro station, just 8 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Great Indian food at Thali-ya Indian Restaurant Hamakatsu Tonkatsu Restaurant a famous restaurant serving up deep fried pork cutlets (Tonkatsu) located close to Shinjuku Station. Just 12 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency. Tonkatsu set meal at Hamakatsu Restaurant Shinjuku Toriyoshi Restaurant Nagoya Restaurant located directly across the road from Shinjuku Train Station on the west side, just 8 minutes walk from Hyatt Regency Hotel. Serves Tebasaki, the best chicken wings in the world. Tebasaki at Toriyoshi Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo Shinjuku Bombay Indian Restaurant is located close to Shinjuku Train Station on the west side. Serves up a great range of Indian food including delicious Thali. Mango Tree Cafe Thai Restaurant located on Level 7 of the Lumine 1 Shopping Mall directly above the South Exit of Shinjuku Train Station. Around 10 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Don Don Yakiniku BBQ Restaurant my favourite Japanese Yakiniku restaurant in Tokyo! Located within Kabukicho on the eastern side of Shinjuku Train Station. Around 15 minutes walk from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Don Don Yakiniku Restaurant Kabukicho Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Dim Sum at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo

September 10, 2023Dynasty Chinese Restaurant is a high class Cantonese / Chinese restaurant located inside the Hilton Hotel in Shinjuku Tokyo. Serving a range of Cantonese food, the menu has a small selection of Dim Sum, which are usually small dishes served as part of a Yum Cha meal. There are 4 dim sum dishes on the menu, i went in and tried them all. Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Inside Dynasty Chinese Restaurant at Hilton Hotel Shinjuku Located on Level 1 of the hotel, Dynasty Chinese Restaurant is a very nice restaurant serving good quality food. I was staying across the road at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (which has its own Chinese restaurant called the Jade Garden). Check out the Dim Sum Menu at the Dynasty Chinese Restaurant. Dim Sum Menu at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo First dish I had was one of my favourite – Steamed Prawn Dumplings (Hargow). These were very tasty, with nice plump prawns (shrimp) inside. Steamed Prawn Dumplings at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Next were the Siu Mai pork dumplings which another go to dish of mine when I go for Yum Cha. Another tasty dish. Siu Mai Dumplings at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo 3rd in this meal were the Deep Fried Springs Rolls which has a combination of pork, crab meat and shrimp inside. I usually pass on spring rolls as generally they are quite plain but these were the star of this meal. They were so crispy on the outside and there were some lovely chunks of the various meat and seafood inside. Spring Rolls at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Last of the Dim Sum menu were the Meat balls with sticky rice. This is something I had never seen on a Yum Cha / Dim Sum menu before. They were OK but I could have passed on these and had another serving of the spring rolls. Meat Ball with Sticky Rice at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo 4 dishes were quite enough so I ended the meal with a dessert of Mango Pudding which was quite tasty. Check out the full dessert menu at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant. Mango Pudding Dessert at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Dessert Menu at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo View outside from Dynasty Chinese Restaurant Tokyo [...] Read more...

Restaurants close to Hilton Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo

September 2, 2023The Hilton Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo has a few quality restaurants inside the hotel to dine at and there are loads more great restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Check out the best restaurants near to the Hilton Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo: Metropolitan Grill Restaurant one of the best steak restaurants in Tokyo is located within the Hilton Hotel. This is my favourite restaurant inside the Hilton. I can highly recommend the Meat Sampler with 3 100 gram steaks from Japan, Australia and the US. Meat Sampler at Metropolitan Grill Restaurant Tokyo Junisoh Sushi Bar Restaurant is a top quality sushi restaurant also located inside the Hilton Hotel. With 2 sushi counters where you sit right infront of the sushi chef and watch your meal be prepared. Otowatei Yakitori Bar is one of my favourite restaurants in Tokyo, I visit here every time I stay at the Hilton. A small restaurant which specialises in Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), sit at the counter and watch the chef cook the skewers over hot coals. Located diretly below the Hilton Hotel in the shopping mall Hiltopia. Ashoka Indian Restaurant is a great Indian restaurant located directly underneath the Hilton Hotel in the Hiltopia Shopping Mall. A great range of authentic Indian cuisine including delicious tandoori and freshly made naan breads. Check out my food review video for Ashoka Indian Restaurant underneath the Hilton Hotel Caffè Italian Restaurant is located directly across the road from the Hilton Hotel, in the foyer of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Caffe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open until midnight if you are looking for a late feed. Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant located on Level 1 of the Hyatt Regency Hotel directly across the road from the Hilton Hotel. Serving traditional Cantonese Chinese cuisine including delicious Yum Cha Dim Sum dishes. Musashino Mori Diner is located diagonally behind the Hilton Hotel at the start of the Shinjuku Central Park. A cafe / restaurant serving breakfast lunch and dinner. I can highly recommend the Eggs Benedict! Eggs Benedict Breakfast at Musashino Mori Diner Shinjuku Central Park Tokyo Misono Kobe Teppanyaki Restaurant a fine dining (expensive) teppanyaki restaurant located on level 51 of the Sumitomo Building, diagnonally across the road from the Hilton Hotel. China Doll Chinese Restaurant located within the i-Shinjuku Building just 2 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Walk out the front of the Hilton and walk straight, the I-Shinjuku Building in just 1 block away. Bali Lax Indonesian Restaurant just 4 minutes walk down the road from the Hilton Hotel. Bali Lax serves up traditional Balinese and Indonesian food. The restaurant has awesome Balinese decor within the restaurant. Noodle dish at Bali Lax Indonesian Restaurant Rokkaku Yakiniku BBQ Restaurant a traditional Japanese BBQ restaurant with gas BBQ built into each table. Located within the Washinton Hotel. Walk out the front of the Hilton and cross the road at the traffic lights. Walk down the street past the Hyatt Regency Hotel and go to the end of that street and you’ll find the Washington Hotel. Yamanami Teppan-yaki Restaurant a fine dining teppanyaki restaurant located within the Keio Plaza Hotel located close to Shinjuku train station, just 5 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Yamanami Teppanyaki Restaurant Shinjuku Duo Fourchettes Restaurant is located within the Keio Plaza Hotel, serving up French and Italian food. 5 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Gokoku Tei Korean Restaurant located within the Keio Plaza Hotel 5 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Serves up a great range of Korean food including delicious Bibimbap. Thali-ya Indian Restaurant a small Indian restaurant located right next to Nishi-Shinjuku subway station, just 6 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Great Indian food at Thali-ya Indian Restaurant Hamakatsu Tonkatsu Restaurant a famous restaurant serving up deep fried pork cutlets (Tonkatsu) located close to Shinjuku Station. Just 12 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Tonkatsu set meal at Hamakatsu Restaurant Shinjuku Toriyoshi Restaurant Nagoya Restaurant located directly across the road from Shinjuku Train Station on the west side, just 12 minutes walk from Hilton Hotel. Serves Tebasaki, the best chicken wings in the world. Tebasaki at Toriyoshi Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo Shinjuku Bombay Indian Restaurant is located close to Shinjuku Train Station on the west side. Serves up a great range of Indian food including delicious Thali. Mango Tree Cafe Thai Restaurant located on Level 7 of the Lumine 1 Shopping Mall directly above the South Exit of Shinjuku Train Station. Around 12 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Don Don Yakiniku BBQ Restaurant my favourite Japanese Yakiniku restaurant in Tokyo! Located within Kabukicho on the eastern side of Shinjuku Train Station. Around 15 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. Don Don Yakiniku Restaurant Kabukicho Shinjuku Tokyo Check out the most popular articles about Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Asian Tao Bistro Ikebukuro Tokyo

July 30, 2021Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro is a small restaurant located just a few minutes walk from Ikebukuro JR Train Station in Tokyo. Asian Tao specialise in traditional Vietnamese food as well as some tasty Thai food. This restaurant is only small but a great option for some South-East Asian food in Tokyo. There is also a good selection of vegetarian food. Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro Restaurant Ikebukuro Tokyo A small restaurant with a small dining area on the ground level and a large dining area located upstairs. Serving a range of traditional Vietnamese food like fresh Vietnamese spring rolls, grilled pork dishes and Vietnamese Pho noodle soup.  I sat on the ground floor at the bar area which gave me a great view of the staff preparing the food and drinks. Inside Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro Tokyo I went in for lunch and was blown away by the great Vietnamese food. The fresh spring rolls were as good as any I have had, including in Vietnam. Vietnamese fresh spring rolls at Asian Tao Ikebukuro Tokyo I also had some delicious Vietnamese grilled chicken salad which was packed full of fresh flavours. Grilled chicken salad at Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro Ikebukuro They have a good selection of lunch time specials for under 1000 Yen. Lunch specials at Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro Tokyo They do have a menu in English as well as pictures of all the food which it makes it easy to order. This is a non-smoking restaurant. Ikebukuro is very easy to get to from Shinjuku, just jump on the train at Shinjuku Station, on the Yamanote Line. The train trip from Shinjuku to Ikebukuro will take 9 minutes. Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro1-2-6 HigashiikebukuroIkebukuro Toshima-kuTokyo Open for lunch 7 days a week from 11.30am – 3pmOpen for dinner Monday to Friday Check out the location of Asian Tao Vietnamese Bistro in Ikebukuro Tokyo [...] Read more...

Aladdin Iranian Halal Restaurant Tokyo

July 29, 2021Aladdin Iranian Restaurant is an awesome restaurant located close to Roppongi in Tokyo, serving up some delicious Persian / Middle Eastern Arab Food which is all Halal. Aladdin Iranian Restaurant is very close to the Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel, around 5 minutes walk from Roppongi Subway Station. Aladdin Iranian Halal Restaurant Tokyo I was staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel and walked past this restaurant on the way up to Roppongi Station. Later that day I went in for dinner and had an awesome meal. Delicious Persian Food in Tokyo The food menu has a great selection of delicious Iranian / Persian food including grilled meats (lamb, chicken, beef), seafood and also a very large selection of vegetarian dishes. I started my delicious meal with some awesome hummus which was served with some tasty Iranian flat bread. Hummus at Aladdin Iranian Restaurant Tokyo I then went for some grilled beef balls which was served with a side salad and a plate of rice. Grilled meat at Aladdin Iranian Restaurant Tokyo I also enjoyed some Almaza Beer which comes from Lebanon. While Aladdin Iranian Restaurant is a Halal restaurant they still serve alcohol to satisfy the local Japanese diners. Almaza Beer at Aladdin Iranian Restaurant Tokyo Inside Aladdin Iranian Restaurant Tokyo The front entrance to Aladdin Iranian Restaurant Tokyo Aladdin Iranian Restaurant2nd Floor, Yasuda BuildingNishiazabu3-2-6 Roppongi Minato Open for lunch and dinner Mon and Wed – Sunday 11.30am – 10pmClosed on Tuesday Check out the location of Aladdin Iranian Restaurant in Tokyo [...] Read more...

Jasmine Thai Restaurant Roppongi Tokyo

July 28, 2021Jasmine Thai Restaurant is a very classy restaurant in Roppongi Tokyo, serving up a delicious, traditional Thai food. Located around 8 minutes walk from the main Roppongi Crossing and Roppongi Subway Station. I went in for dinner to Jasmine Thai and was really impressed with the high quality Thai food, as well as the very friendly service. Top marks from me to this excellent Thai Restaurant in Tokyo. I enjoyed the full dining experience, with entree, main meal and a delicious Thai dessert. For entree I had the awesome Thai grilled chicken which came with a spicy dipping sauce (1210 Yen). This was so good. I love grilled chicken and this was so good with the extra spice. Then for a main meal I could not resist one of my favourite Thai Curries, the Penang Gai, which is a red curry with chicken (1375 Yen). This was packed full of rich flavours with a good kick with the curry spices. So delicious. For my dessert I had the very tasty coconut pudding which was creamy and very sweet. I do like a nice sweet dessert after a very spicy meal. Top marks for the food at Jasmine Thai Restaurant. As well as this restaurant in Roppongi, Jasmine Thai also have restaurants in other parts of Tokyo including at Ikebukuro, Tokyo Skytree Shopping Town, Yotsuya, Otemachi in Chiyoda-ku. Jasmine Thai Restaurant Five Plaza Bldg 5 Chome−18−21 Roppongi Minato City Tokyo Open for lunch Mon – Fri 11.30am – 3pm Website: https://www.jasmine-thai.co.jp/en/ (website in English) Check out the location of Jasmine Thai Restaurant in Roppongi Tokyo [...] Read more...

Ginza Hageten Tempura Restaurant in Shinjuku Tokyo

July 21, 2021Ginza Hageten is a famous Tempura Restaurant located in Ginza Tokyo (first opened in 1928) as well as various other locations in Tokyo. There is a Ginza Hageten located in the Isetan Kaikan Shopping Centre, just a short walk from Shinjuku Train Station. Ginza Hageten Tempura Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo While the flagship restaurant in Ginza is a high class, fine dining experience, this tempura restaurant in Isetan Shinjuku is a more relaxed, dining experience but with the same high quality tempura cuisine. Ginza Hageten strives to provide fresh seasonal ingredients and for their customers to enjoy top quality food at prices lower than anywhere else. Delicious Tempura at Ginza Hageten Restaurant Shinjuku Out the front of the restaurant, they have displays of the tempura food they serve, which is very typical for a restaurant in Japan. Rather than just a menu with words, they have the food on display to whet your appetite. Hageten Tempura Restaurant in Shinjuku Tokyo Lunch specials at Ginza Hageten to start from around 1000 Yen, so a decent feed at a very reasonable price. Ginza Hageten Tempura RestaurantLevel 3Isetankaikan Shopping Mall3-14-1, ShinjukuTokyo Website: http://www.hageten.com/ (Site in English) Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner 10am – 7.30pm Check out the location of Ginza Hageten Tempura Restaurant in the Isetankaikan Store in Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Hina Sushi Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo

July 20, 2021Hina Sushi Restaurant is located in the basement level of the Shinjuku I-Land Tower building in Nishi Shinjuku Tokyo. A great range of fresh sushi. A choice of all you can eat sushi or set sushi meals. Shinjuku i-Land Tower is located very close to the Hilton Hotel and Hyatt Regency Hotel, around 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Train Station or just a few minutes walk from Nishi-Shinjuku Subway Station on the Marounuchi Subway Line. Hina Sushi Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo This is a casual dining sushi restaurant with good quality seafood at very reasonable prices. I’ve dined at this restaurant a few times and the food is always top qualities. The staff generally do not speak English but they have an English menu and it is easy to point to the items that you want to order. The menu has plenty of pictures too so you can see what you are ordering. Sushi set meal at Hina Sushi Restaurant Lunch menu prices – 9 pieces of sushi, 1 hand roll sushi and miso soup Y1039, 12 pieces of sushi, 1 hand roll sushi and miso soup Y1564, Dinner meny prices – 12 pieces of sushi any choice from menu Y2415 – get 13th piece free. All you can eat sushi with miso soup Y4189, childrens prices Y2089. 90 minutes from when you start dinner. The restaurant has an open kitchen so if you are sitting close you can see all the action with the expert sushi chefs. Sushi chefs at Hina Sushi Restaurant Tokyo Inside Hina Sushi Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Hina Sushi RestaurantShinjuku i-Land Tower6-5-1 Nishi-ShinjukuShinjuku Tokyo Website: https://hina-sushi.com/ (Website in English) Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week Check out the location of Hina Sushi Restaurant in Shinjuku i-Land Tower in Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Bosphorus Turkish Halal Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo

July 19, 2021Bosphorus Turkish Halal Restaurant is a casual dining restaurant located in Shinjuku, just 1 minute walk from the entrance to Shinjuku-gyoemmae Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, or around 10 minutes walk from the main Shinjuku Train Station. Bosphorus is a Halal certified restaurant. Bosphorus Hasan Turkish Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo A great little Turkish Restaurant. The menu is only in Japanese though they have pictures of the dishes and the waiter (Turkish guy) spoke some English. The menu prices were reasonable. The lunch set comes with soup, freshly baked Turkish bread, choice of meal and dessert and Turkish tea. Bosphorus Hasan Turkish Restaurant soup entree We’ve been to Turkey and can appreciate good Turkish food. This certainly ranks with the best we had during our 2 weeks in Turkey. We ate at this restaurant twice during our 6 nights in Tokyo and would recommend 3 dishes: the Bosphorus Special lamb, a vegetable and yogurt dish, oven-cooked and served in a pottery bowl; another lamb and vegetable dish prepared similarly (called “lamb saute” or “Coban Kavurma lamb”) and the cooked spinach with rice and yogurt sauce. Bosphoros Turkish Restaurant lamb main meal The chef and manager were extremely pleasant and eager to please. The manager even facilitated us ordering exactly what we wanted with his Google Translate app. (English to Turkish). Bosphoros Turkish Restaurant dessert with Turkish tea If you are in Tokyo and like Turkish food, I think you will be pleased. While the food is all Halal, this restaurant does serve alcoholic beer. You will find most Halal restaurants in Tokyo also serve alcoholic beer as if they do not, then the local Japanese will not go to their restaurant. Inside Bosphoros Turkish Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo Bosphorus Turkish Halal Restaurant ShinjukuShinjuku Dori2-7-2 Shinjuku 2-ChomeTokyoPh: 03-6380 6412 Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner 11am – 8pm Website: https://www.bosphorushasan.com/english.html Check out the location of Bosphorus Turkish Restaurant in Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Kizuna Sushi Restaurant Kabukicho Shinjuku Tokyo

July 18, 2021Kizuna is a sushi restaurant located right in the heart of Kabukicho, Tokyo’s Red Light Entertainment District, just 10 minutes walk down from Shinjuku Train Station. Kizuna Sushi Restaurant is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They serve up good quality sushi at a reasonable price. This is not a fancy sushi restaurant, just your average casual dining restaurant serving up traditional Japanese sushi and sashimi. Kizuna Sushi Restaurant Kabukicho Shinjuku Tokyo You can order individual sushi pieces (with over 50 types of sushi available) or order a large sushi plate with a selection of sushi pieces. They also serve chirashi-don, large bowls of rice topped with sashimi pieces. Sit at the sushi bar and watch the sushi chefs up close or sit in the dinning area on the ground floor. There is also a large dining room down on a lower level. There is no need to make a reservation, just turn up and you should be able to get a seat. Set sushi meal at Kizuna Sushi Restaurant Kabukicho They have a menu in English and as this the Kabukicho area is a popular tourist district, I found that the staff that served me spoke fairly good English. Watching the sushi chefs at Kizuna Sushi Restaurant Tokyo How to get to Kizuna Sushi Restaurant – Take the east exit from Shinjuku Station and follow the crowd to this famous entertainment district in Tokyo. Dining area of Kizuna Sushi Restaurant Kabukicho Tokyo Kizuna Sushi Restaurant1-18-8 KabukichoShinjuku-ku Tokyo Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Check out the location of Kizuna Sushi Restaurant in Kabukicho Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Teppanyaki Grill Restaurant at Hyatt Regency Tokyo

February 17, 2021Teppanyaki is an awesome dining experience everyone should experience when they visit Japan. At the Hyatt Regency Tokyo Hotel in Shinjuku, they have an awesome Teppanyaki Grill restaurant located on the 3rd floor. The experts chefs cook up top-quality Kobe beef, selected brand Wagyu beef, seafood, fresh vegetables from around the country and a selection of the finest wines and sake. Prices are a bit high as this restaurant is within a 5 star hotel. You are probably looking at around 10,000 Yen for a basic set meal per person. Teppanyaki Grill at Hyatt Regency Tokyo Teppanyaki in Japan is not the fancy show that you experience at Teppanyaki restaurants outside of Japan, like at Benihana in the US. The chefs do not throw food at you for a fun experience. In Japan, the Teppanyaki is all about cooking up the finest foods in front of you to get the best flavours right to your plate. It is still an entertaining experience watching the chefs, with their super sharp knives, slice and dice the vegetables, meat and seafood. The sizzling sounds and excellent aromas add to the experience. I was staying at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo in February 2020 and went in for dinner and walked away really impressed with the quality of the food. I had the basic set meal which is called the ‘Yamato’  which includes a small appetizers, 3 kinds of canapes, sashimi, grilled fresh prawn, salad, sauteed foie gras, four kinds of grilled vegetables, 120g Wagyu Beef Sirloin Steak, fried rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles with dessert and coffee. All delicious food, if not maybe a little too much food, but I still managed to eat the lot! Food presented at Teppanyaki Grill The meal and cooking experience starts with the chef presenting the food to you before it is cooked up. The presentation and quality of the food on display is impressive. Your appetizer, canapes and sashimi is brought out from the kitchen while the chef is preparing the hot plate. Appetizer served at Teppanyaki Grill 3 canapes served at Teppanyaki Grill Sashimi served at Teppanyaki Grill Then the hot plate cooking begins, working through the various items cooked on the grill, from the prawn, foiegras, vegetables, Wagyu beef and finishing with the fried rice. Grilled prawn at Teppanyaki Grill Foiegras served with Raddish Wagyu beef at Teppanyaki Grill Fried rice with miso soup and pickles At the end of the meal you are taken through to a lounge area to enjoy the final course, the dessert and choice of coffee or tea. Dessert served at Teppanyaki Grill A fine meal indeed. It is definitely a lot of food but everything was so delicious. Take your time, enjoy some drinks and sit back and enjoy the excellent dining experience. Teppanyaki GrillHyatt Regency Hotel Tokyo2 Chome-7-2 NishishinjukuShinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023 Open 7 nights a week for dinner Website: Teppanyaki Grill at Hyatt Regency Tokyo Check out the location of the Teppanyaki Grill at Hyatt Regency Tokyo in Shinjuku [...] Read more...

Xi’an Chinese Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo

June 15, 2019Xi’an Chinese Restaurant is a popular Chinese Restaurant serving food from Xi’an in western China. Street food, dumplings, roast duck / pork, stir fries and Chinese Hot Pot. Located on the Western side of Shinjuku train station, just a few minutes walk from the station. Xian Chinese Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo Located just a few minutes walk from Shinjuku Station, take the west exit to find a great Chinese restaurant. This place always has lots of Chinese people dinning here which is always a good sign of good Chinese food. Xi’an is a city located in the western part of China, located on the Silk Road trade route. There are many dishes from Xi’an using lamb, which is not common in other parts of China. Xi’an Chinese Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku has a number of good lamb dishes including some lovely spicy BBQ lamb skewers and some stir fried lamb dishes. Pan fried dumplings at Xian Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Soup dumplings at Xian Chinese Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Xi’an Chinese Restaurant has an extensive menu, all with pictures and with English descriptions. There are some great Xi’an street food including the lamb skewers as well as miso steamed pork buns and minced pork burgers Xi’an style. Other specialties of Xian Chinese Restaurant are there range of dumplings including Xiao Long Bao steamed soup dumplings, pan fried pork dumplings, pork dumplings in hot and spicy soup and the delicious seafood spring rolls. There are stir fried dishes including lamb, pork and beef. Also a great shared dish is their popular Chinese hot pots with a choice of 2 stocks (spicy or chicken stock). Load up on lots of vegetables, meats and seafood and cook the food at your table. Smoking is allowed in this restaurant. BBQ lamb skewers at Xian Chinese Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku How to get to Xi’an Chinese Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku: – Take the west exit of Shinjuku Station (towards Nishi-Shinjuku Skycrapper area)– Travel around to the left of Shinjuku Station following the signs for the Subway Oedo Line– Enter the Odakyu Ace shopping mall tunnel– Turn right when you get to Burger King– Take the stairs up via exit 6 Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal– Head down towards the Keio Plaza Hotel and walk past the Yodobashi camera store– Turn left when you get to Starbucks– You will walk past a Seven Eleven on the left and the next intersection there is a Club Sega on the right– Xi’an Chinese Restaurant is located on the 4th Floor of this building. You need to turn down the street and there is an elevator there to go up. Inside xian Chinese Restaurant Tokyo Xi’an Chinese Restaurant4th FloorShinjuku Sanhei BldgNishi-Shinjuku 1-12-1TokyoPh: (03) 3347-5130 Website: https://xian-shinjukunishiguchi.gorp.jp/ Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner Check out the location of Xi’an Chinese Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Vietnam Frog Vietnamese Restaurant Shiodome Tokyo

June 13, 2019Vietnam Frog Restaurant is a casual dining Vietnamese restaurant located directly above Shiodome train station on the Oedo line, just a few minutes walk from Ginza Tokyo. They have menus in Japanese and English. With an extensive food menu and a good selection of beers, wines and some great cocktails. Take Exit 4 from Shiodome Train Station to get to Vietnam Frog Restaurant. You can also walk from Shimbashi Station in our around 3 minutes or a 10 minute walk from Ginza. Menu prices: Lunch time meals from 950 Yen. Dinner time average meal is around 2000 Yen per person. Vietnam Frog Restaurant 1-5-2 Shiodome City Centre Tokyo Ph: (03) 6215 8171 Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week for lunch from 11.30am – 2.30pm and dinner 5pm – 10pm Check out the location of Vietnam Frog Restaurant in Shiodome City Tokyo [...] Read more...

Diya Indian Restaurant Roppongi Tokyo

June 12, 2019Diya Indian Restaurant is casual dining Indian Restaurant located in the Roppongi Hills Shopping Complex. They have an all you can eat buffet at lunch time and al a carte menu in the evening. Traditional Indian curries and tandoori dishes – tandoori chicken, samosas. The menu is in Japanese and English. Diya Indian Restaurant Roppongi Hills Tokyo Inside Diya Indian Restaurant Roppongi Tokyo I went in for lunch and I was not too impressed. Although the restaurant was very busy, on a Saturday lunch time, the food is fairly ordinary Indian food. The curry chicken didn’t have a lot of flavour, quite bland and not spicy at all. The tandori chicken was quite nice and naan was just OK. Plenty of other good Indian Restaurants in Tokyo to try before this one! Buffet lunch at Diya Indian Restaurant Roppongi Very ordinary chicken curry at Diya Indian Restaurant Roppongi Getting there: Located within the Roppongi Hills Shopping Complex. Closest train station is Roppongi on the Oedo Lini or Hibiya Line, just 380 meters walk. Credit cards accepted: Mastercard, VISA, American Express, Diners Club, JCB Indian food at Diya Indian Restaurant Roppongi Diya Indian RestaurantLevel B1F Hill Side Roppongi Hills Shopping ComplexRoppongi TokyoPh: (03) 6438 1177 Open 7 days a week for lunch from 11am – 4pm and dinner from 5pm – 11pm, last orders at 10pm Check out the location of Diya Indian Restaurant in Roppongi Hills Tokyo [...] Read more...

Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo

June 11, 2019Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant is located within the Shinjuku Park Tower, the same building as the Park Hyatt Tokyo Hotel. A small restaurant serving traditional Indian cuisine. Great Indian decor and friendly staff. Always happy to serve more naan bread during the buffet lunches. Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo Lunch times, the restaurant has a buffet lunch with a selection of different curries, salad, steamed rice and naan bread. Buffet lunch at Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant Shinjuku I went in on a Saturday for the buffet lunch. The restaurant was quiet. The buffet was delicious with a range of vegetable and meat curries. The dishes were quite spicy which I like. The naan bread was cooked fresh and was really good. Good value lunch meal. Indian curries at Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant Naan bread at Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Menu prices: Buffet lunch on weekends cost Y1000 which includes as much as you can eat curry, rice and dessert and fresh naan bread. Getting there: Located 10 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station. Although located in Nishi-Shinjuku it is around a 15 minute walk from Nishi-Shinjuku station. Located in the same building as the Park Hyatt Hotel. Inside Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Spice Heaven Indian RestaurantB1F Shinjuku Park Tower3-7-1 Nishi-ShinjukuTokyoPh: 03-5325 6797. Open 7 days a week from 11am – 10pm. Check out the location of Spice Heaven Indian Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Chao Thai Restaurant Dogenzaka Shibuya Tokyo

June 9, 2019Chao Thai is a traditional Thai Restaurant located in the centre of Shibuya busy shopping area. Located 5 minutes walk from Shibuya Train Station. Just up the road from Shibuya 109 Shopping Plaza on the opposite side of the street. Menu prices range from lunch meals for around 1000 Yen. Dinner menu around 1000 – 2000 Yen. The staff are friendly and speak good English. Menu is in English too. Credit Cards Accepted: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Chao-Thai Restaurant 2nd Floor K & K Building Dogenzaka 2-9-2 Shibuya Tokyo Ph: (03) 3463 4000 Website: https://chaothai-dougenzaka.gorp.jp/ website in Japanese Open Mon – Fri 11.30am – 3pm and 5pm – 11pm. Sat and Sun 11.30am – 11pm Check out the location of Chao Thai Restaurant in Shibuya [...] Read more...

Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo

June 7, 2019Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant is located just 5 minutes walk from Shinjuku Train Station, located on the western side in Nishi-Shinjuku. Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant is a casual Thai Restaurant serving traditional Thai cuisine. At lunch and dinner there is a selection of meals and a buffet of a number of different Thai dishes to choose from. Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant Shinjuku Tokyo The lunchtime buffet has a great selection of Thai Curries and stir fries available for 990 Yen. Buffet lunch at Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant Credit Cards accepted: VISA, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club Great Thai food at Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant Tokyo Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai RestaurantShinjuku Mitsui Building B12-1-1 Nishi-shinjukuShinjuku-ku TokyoPh: (03) 5909 8455 This Thai restaurant is easy walk from the Hyatt Regency and Hilton Hotel, both in Nishi-Shinjuku, just a few minutes walk away. Open weekdays for lunch and dinner from 11am – 11pm. Weekends open 11.30am – 10pm Inside Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Check out the location of Sukhumvit Soi 55 Thai Restaurant Tokyo [...] Read more...

Great Value Steak Restaurant Ginza Tokyo

June 2, 2019Ikinari Steak House is a great value steak restaurant in the heart of Tokyo. While a lot of restaurants in Tokyo that serve steak are at the high end with very expensive prices, Ikinari has very reasonable prices for some good quality and well cooked steaks. Ikinari Steak House Ginza Tokyo This is the place to come for cheap steak in Ginza, as there is nothing else on the menu other than steak! This is a very casual dining restaurant, with high tables and chairs. Inside Ikinari Steak House Ginza When you are ready to order, you need to walk up to the kitchen and tell the chef what steak and what weight of the steak you want. He will cut off the slab of meat and weigh it in front of you so you see you are getting the correct weight that you ordered. The Chef at Ikinari Steak House Ginza The steaks come out sizzling hot on a oven heated iron plate. They do provide a paper bib so your clothes are not splattered with the lovely steak sizzle. When you are eating, you can ask the waiter to send the metal grill back to be heated up again to ensure your steak stays hot while you are eating it. Steak at Ikinari Steak House Ginza Soup and salad at Ikinari Steak House Ginza On each table is a selection of different steak condiments including Tabasco sauce, mustard and a big jug of their own, home made steak sauce which I must say is delicious. The steak I had was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. I ate most of my steak with no condiments or the steak sauce, as it tasted great on it’s own. Steak Condiments at Ikinari Steak House Ginza Big jug of steak sauce at Ikinari Steak Restaurant I had 300 grams of Australian beef sirloin steak which cost 2,460 Yen which is a really good price for steak in Tokyo. With my meal I got some side dishes of salad and soup which were served before the steak arrived. They do have a good range of imported beef as well as locally farmed beef from Japan. Perfectly cooked steak at Ikinari Steak House There is no need for a reservation as this is an easy walk in restaurant and there is usually a table available or it will not take long to wait to get a table. It is easy to get to the restaurant, around 5 minutes walk from Ginza subway station. Ikinari Steak House6-4-14 GinzaChuo-ku TokyoPh: (03) 6274-6529 Website: http://ikinaristeak.com/shopinfo/ginza-6/ Open 7 days a week from 11am – 10.30pm Check out the location of Ikinari Steak House in Ginza Tokyo [...] Read more...

Great Sushi at Tsukiji Sushiko Restaurant Ginza

June 1, 2019Tsukiji Sushiko Restaurant is an excellent Sushi restaurant in the heart of Ginza Tokyo, one of the high end shopping districts of Tokyo. Tsukiji Sushiko is part a  chain of sushi restaurants with more than 20 stores all over Tokyo. They are famous for serving good quality sushi at a reasonable price. The restaurant is small and intimate with a counter seating 8 where you can sit and watch the sushi chefs prepare your meal. There are also some tables to the side and 3 private dining rooms. I think the best place to sit is at the counter! You can order your favourite nigiri-sushi by the piece, with prices starting from 90 Yen for an individual piece of sushi. They also have a selection of Nigiri set meals. The best pick of the nigiri set meals is the ‘Omakase’ which is a selection of 14 pieces of sushi selected by the head chef, choosing the best fish available for the day. The ‘Omakase’ set sushi meal costs 3000 Yen. The set meal comes with a bowl of miso soup. Add a nice cold beer or some warm sake and you got an excellent meal which will leave you very satisfied. I walked away after this meal with a happy tummy, after an excellent meal and a great dining experience, sitting at the counter watching all the actions of the chefs preparing all the meals. The restaurant is a short 5 minute walk from the Ginza subway station, and just a 1 minute walk from the Hyatt Centric Hotel. Tsukiji Sushiko Restaurant 8-8-5 Ginza, Chuo-ko Tokyo Ph: (03) 3574-0505 Open Mon –  Fri 11.30am – 10.30pm. Sat 11am – 10.30pm. Closed on Sunday Website: https://www.tsukiji-sushiko.com/ website in japanese Check out the location of Tsukiji Sushiko Restaurant in Ginza [...] Read more...

Delicious Pork Tonkatsu at Butagumi Restaurant Tokyo

April 3, 2019One of the best Tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo is called Butagumi, located in the neighbourhood of Nishi-Azabu, not far from Roppongi. Butagumi’s specialty is the delicious Pork Tonkatsu, the breaded pork cutlets served with shredded cabbage, miso soup, rice and pickles. At Butagumi, they have an extensive menu with not only different cuts of pork, with different levels of fattiness, they also have a selection of pork from different regions of Japan. Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Nishi-Azuba Tokyo Butagumi Restaurant is housed in an old 2 story Japanese wooden house, located in the back streets in a residential area of Nishi-Azabu. There are dining tables downstairs as well as upstairs. If you are seated at the tables upstairs you will need to take your shoes off to climb the tiny wooden staircase. Inside Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Tokyo The menu is in English and the waiter we had spoke excellent English. He explained the menu and told us about the different cuts of pork used and how each had a different level of fattiness, allowing us to choose the cut of meat that suited our tastes. The menu also has a diagram of the pig showing where the meat cuts come from. As a guide, they have Tenderloin Fillets which is the leanest of the meats with very little fat. The Sirloin Regular is mildly flavoured with a thick layer of fat on top. The Sirloin Deluxe is the rib / shoulder blade which is more juicy than the sirloin regular and has more fat content. The fattiest of the meats is the Pork Belly, usually used to make bacon. The menu says it is very high in fat which makes it delicious. That was enough for me to decide to go with pork belly cut. Menu at Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Tokyo After you have ordered your meal, the waiter brings out a complimentary ‘Amuse Bouche’ which is a small appetizer dish. We were each served a small plate with a small piece of roasted chicken, a cracker with cheese and some baked cherry tomato. Appetizer at Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Tokyo For entree I ordered the delicious, grilled beef sausage. Now 2 of us each ordered the sausage, 1 serve each. They served both sausages on 1 plate which we just cut into pieces and shared with the entire table….I would have preferred the delicious sausage entree to myself! Entree at Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Tokyo For the main event came my delicious pork belly tonkastu came out. Everyone else at the table choose different cuts of pork with less fat content. I really think I was the winner at the dinning table as my tonkatsu was cooked to perfection with a nice dark coloured crust to the tonkastu. The cuts of meat with less fat content, had a much paler crust. I tried a piece of the tenderloin and it was very tasty but as the menu says the very high fat content in the pork belly makes it delicious. Tonkatsu at Butagumi Restaurant Tokyo Tonkatsu set at Butagumi Restaurant Tokyo It is highly recommended to have dinner reservations at Butagumi. When we arrived a few minutes before the restaurant opened at 6pm, there were already 5 groups of hungry dinners waiting outside. When the restaurant opened, the waiter came out and asked who had reservations. Everyone raised their hands. He proceed to let each group in one by one after he had checked their names against the reservation list. Dessert at Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Tokyo They also have dessert on the menu, a selection of 3 dishes. They had an unusual Mochi which was made from wheat rather than the standard rice mochi. They also have ice-cream of the day. I chose the ice-cream which was Tiramisu ice-cream, tiramisu being one of my favourite desserts, This ice-cream was delicious, rich and creamy and just topped off an excellent meal at Butagumi! Pork Belly Tonkatsu at Butagumi Restaurant Tokyo Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant2 Chome-24-9 NishiazabuMinato CityTokyoPh: (03) 5466 6775 Website: http://www.butagumi.com/nishiazabu/ Website in Japanese Check out the location of Butagumi Tonkatsu Restaurant Nishi-Azabu Tokyo [...] Read more...

Chronic Tacos Mexican Grill Ginza Tokyo

April 2, 2019Chronic Tacos is the place to come in Ginza Tokyo for some classic Mexican food like tacos, burritos and fajita. Chronic Tacos is a cheap and cheerful fast food restaurant serving up some cheap Mexican food, just a few minutes walk from the heart of Ginza. Chronic Grill is located close to the train tracks, walking towards Hibiya Park. Open for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week from 11am – 11.30pm (open to 12.30am on Friday nights), With a fully stocked bar and happy hour from 3pm – 6pm with glasses of red or white wine from 250 Yen or Jim Beam for 250 Yen. The menu at Chronic Tacos is a simple affair with soft or hard shell tacos, burritos and fajita available with a choice of chicken, pork or beef. They have a special fajita with Wagyu beef. I went in for lunch and had 2 of their tasty beef tacos which were only 440Yen each. Soft drinks come with free refills. The restaurant has free WiFi Internet access. If you are staying in Ginza and want to get delivery of their tasty Mexican food, then Chronic Tacos are available via UberEats. Chronic Tacos 6 Chome−2−3 Daiwa Ginza Chuo City Tokyo Website: https://chronictacos.jp/ Open 7 days a week from 11am – 11.30pm (open to 12.30am Friday night) Check out the location of Chronic Tacos Mexican Grill Ginza [...] Read more...

Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant Ginza Tokyo

April 1, 2019Tonkatsu lovers visiting Tokyo, you need to try Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant in Ginza Tokyo. Bairin has been serving up the delicious pork cutlet Tonkatsu since 1927, so they have a bit of experience in how to prepare this delicious comfort food. Tonkatsu is one of my favourite Japanese dishes and I have visited quite a few Tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo. After eating Tonkatsu at Bairin and I can highly recommend this restaurant, serving up some of the best tonkatsu in Tokyo! Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant Ginza Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin have a few restaurants in Tokyo, there main store is located in the heart of Ginza, the high end shopping district of Tokyo. Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin is a very popular restaurant so expect to queue up to get a table to try their delicious tonkatsu. I got to the restaurant just before they opened at 11.30am on a Saturday morning and there was already a queue of 22 people waiting to get inside. The restaurant is only small, seating just under 30 people. Inside Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant Tokyo Now despite being a very popular restaurant, the prices are very reasonable at Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant. On the menu there is a selection of different types of katsu. The cheapest is their Cutlet Rice set (1,100 Yen) which is 100 Grams of white pork loin cutlet served with sliced cabbage, rice, miso soup and Japanese pickles. They also have prawn cutlets and a choice of mixed cutlet sets with the tonkatsu and prawn cutlets served together (2,000 Yen). They also have a Don Menu, with the cutlets served on rice with egg. They also serve their famous pork cutlet in a sandwich in the Fillet Cutlet Sandwich Set (1,250 Yen) which is the tonkatsu sandwich served with a side salad. The specialty dish at Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant in Tokyo The tonkatsu set I went for was their specialty – the Kurobuta Loin Pork Cutlet Set Menu (2,900 Yen)  which is 200 grams of the famous Kurobuta pork which is thick and juicy. Kurobuta pork is from a rare breed of Berkshire pigs which originated from the UK and now farmed in Japan. Tonkatsu set at Bairin Restaurant Ginza Tokyo On each table is a selection of condiments including their own Bairin made tonkatsu sauce which is like a tangy BBQ sauce. They also have hot mustard, soya sauce, spicy chili flakes and a delicious Sesame dressing to pour over the generous serve of chopped cabbage. Condiments at Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant Ginza So if you have the chance to get to Ginza Tokyo, then I highly recommend a visit to Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant for some of the best tonkatsu in Tokyo! As well as dining in, you can also get take-away. Katsu at Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant Ginza Tokyo Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant7 Chome-7-１0 GinzaChuo City TokyoPh: (03) 3571 0350 Website: http://ginzabairin.com/en/ Open 7 days a week from 11.30am – 8.45pm Check out the location of Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant [...] Read more...

Restaurants Close to Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel Tokyo

March 31, 2019Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel is a trendy upscale hotel in the heart of Ginza Tokyo. Ginza is famous as a high end shopping district of Tokyo and is also home to some of the best restaurants in Tokyo. With more than 9,000 restaurants in Ginza Tokyo including loads of high-end Michelin Star restaurants. So if you are staying at the Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel, we have put together a selection of the hotels that are closest to the hotel, all within a few minutes walk. Check out these recommended restaurants nearby to the Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel: Namiki667 Restaurant The Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel has it’s own good quality in-house restaurant called Hamiki667. You can enjoy the excellent buffet breakfast here as well as lunch and dinner. Ten-Ichi Tempura Restaurant Ten-Ichi Tempura Restaurant Ginza Walk out the front door of the Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel, turn left and you will find Ten-Ichi Tempura Restaurant close 50 meters away. Ten-Ichi has been serving up some of the best tempura in Tokyo for over 80 years. The prices at Ten-Ichi are a bit high, with a lunch set at around 8,000 Yen and dinner set at 10,000 Yen, though the quality is outstanding and the service is great, this is the full dining experience, with the tenpura chefs making your food right in front of you. Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu Restaurant is just 2 small blocks away from the Hyatt Centric Ginza Hotel. Famous for it’s Tonkatsu meals, Bairin is one of the most popular tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo, with often a queue to get inside. Bairin has been serving up delicious Tonkatsu pork cutlet since 1927. Prices are very reasonable considering it is such a popular restaurant. I went in for lunch and got there a few minutes before the restaurant opened at 11.30am on a Saturday morning. There was already a queue of around 22 people waiting to get inside. When the doors open we all managed to get in to get a seat. The restaurant seats 30 people. Read more about Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Restaurant Tsukiji Sushiko Restaurant Inside Tsukiji Sushiko Restaurant Ginza Just a short 1 minutes walk around the corner from the Hyatt Centric Hotel is a great sushi restaurant called Tsukiji Suskiko. This restaurant has a counter where you can sit and watch the sushi chefs prepare your meal right in front of you. You can order individual nigiri sushi pieces starting from 90 Yen. Or there are set sushi meals. The best on the menu is the Omakase set meal which is 14 pieces of sushi, picked by the head chef, served with a bowl of miso soup for 3000 Yen. An excellent sushi dining experience at a very reasonable price. Read more about Tsukiji Sushko Restaurant Katsu Zen Tonkatsu Restaurant Katsu Zen Restaurant Ginza Katsu Zen is a 1 Michelin Star restaurant, the only Michelin Starred tonkatsu restaurant in Japan. Located on the 4th floor above the Barney’s Store, just 1 block away from the Hyatt Centric Hotel. Ikinari Steak House Steak at Ikinari Steak House Ginza Located just 2 blocks behind the Hyatt Centric Hotel, less than 5 minutes walk is the great value steak restaurant called Ikinari Steak House. A very casual dining restaurant selling a range of imported and locally farmed beef steak. You can get a good quality steak for as low as 1,640 Yen+. I highly enjoyed a 300g Australian beef sirloin steak for 2460 Yen, perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. They have a great range of condiments on each table to enjoy with your steak. Read more about Ikinari Steak House Ginza Birdland Restaurant Bird Land Yakitori Restaurant Birdland Restaurant is a Michelin star chicken restaurant less than 5 minutes walk from the Hyatt Centric Hotel. Serving up a range of yakitori chicken skewers, the prices are much higher than your standard Yakitori restaurant but still very reasonable for a Michelin star restaurant. You will be paying around 10,000 Yen for a very satisfying meal. Yakitori at Bird Land Tokyo Read more about Birdland Restaurant Ginza Chronic Tacos Mexican Grill Chronic Tacos Mexican Grill Ginza For some Mexican food, head to Chronic Tacos Mexican Grill, around 4 minutes walk from the Hyatt Centric. From the front entrance of the hotel, turn to the left, turn left at the first interection and cross over 3 streets and you will find this cheap and cheerful, Mexican fast food restaurant on the left hand side of the road. The place to come for some cheap tacos, fajitas and burittos. Read more about Chronic Tacos Mexican Grill in Ginza. Paradise Dynasty Restaurant Ginza Paradise Dynasty Restaurrant Ginza Tokyo This restaurant is about 10 minutes walk away from the the Hyatt Centric Hotel but is the place to come to try to best Shanghai Soup dumplings in Tokyo. Paradise Dynasty is a famous restaurant from Singapore which specialises in the delicious Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings). Shanghai Soup Dumplings at Paradise Dynasty Restaurant Tokyo Read more about Paradise Dynasty Restaurant Ginza. Fujiya Cake Store Fujiya cake store in Ginza Tokyo For the sweet tooth’s, one of the best cake stores is around 5 minutes walk from the Hyatt Centric Hotel. Fujiya is a famous cake shop that has many shops around Tokyo and Japan. The Ginza store is right next to the B10 exit of the Ginza Metro train station, just down from the main intersection of Ginza (were the Sony store is). Get in to Fujiya to try there delicious Milky Pie which is like a massive profiterole cream puff, filled with fresh chocolate cream and top with chocolate. Chocolate milky pie at Fujiya cake store Tokyo Read more about Fujiya Cake Store Ginza. Bar Mimi Mojito at Bar Mimi Ginza While not a restaurant, Bar Mimi is a classy cocktail bar which is perfect for a pre-dinner or after dinner drink. Located in the street directly behind Hyatt Centric, this hidden gem is a very exclusive cocktail bar which does charge a cover charge of 2000 Yen just to enter. They have hundreds of different spirit bottles lined up behind the bar, ready to make your favourite cocktail. Read more about Bar Mimi Cocktail Bar [...] Read more...

Metropolitan Grill Restaurant Hilton Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo

December 24, 2018Now this is the place to come for steak in Tokyo. It is not cheap but the cuts of meat are the best I have ever had in Tokyo. Metropolitan Grill Restaurant is located within the Hilton Hotel in Nishi-Shinjuku, around 10 minutes from Shinjuku Train Station. Metropolitan Grill Steak Restaurant Tokyo Located on level 2, Metropolitan Grill takes up most of this floor. When you come out of the elevators on Level 2 you walk past the stylish Zatta Bar and then the rest of the floor is Metropolitan Grill. In the centre of the restaurant is the open kitchen with the meat storage area right at the front with glass windows to see the fine quality meat hanging on display. Meat on display at Metropolitan Grill Tokyo The steak prices are expensive. The cheapest steak is a USA grain fed Black Angus New York strip loin 250 grams at 5,200 Yen ++ (around US$42 or A$60 plus taxes and service). The most expensive steak is 1kg Japanese T-bone steak at 19,000 Yen ++ (around US$155 or A$220). This huge chunk of meat is supposed to be shared, carved up at your table, unless you are really hungry and think you can disgest 1 kilogram of meat. I went for the meat sampler. 3 – 100 gram steaks – 1 Australian Black Angus tenderloin, 1 Australian Black Angus rib eye and 1 Japanese Wagyu Hokkaido sirloin steak. When this dish arrived I took a slice of each of the steaks to try each of them. Each cooked to perfection, all were delicious. The manager walked over and said ‘I bet your favourite is the Japanese Wagyu!’. He was spot on. The wagyu was melt in your mouth material. Wagyu is defined by the fat marbled throughout the meat. Fat equals flavour! The 2 Australian steaks had a more intense flavour but wagyu was just that little bit better. At 12,000 Yen the meat sampler plate comes in around US$97 or A$138. Well worth the price! Meat Sampler at Metropolitan Grill Restaurant Tokyo I was tempted to try one of their desserts as throughout my meal I could see the counter where the chefs were preparing the desserts and they looked sensational. A quick look on the menu and I was tempted by a few dishes like the Strawberry tiramisu ( I usually  go for a tiramisu when I see it on the menu) or the Crepes Suzette or the Metropolitan Dessert Sampler which has a mini strawberry tiramisu, a mini nameraka Milk Chocolate, orange and mango sorbet or a mini after-eight which is peppermint jelly, fresh melon, lime, cucumber, fresh mint and cocoa sorbet. After thinking hard about which dessert, I decided to pass on dessert as the 300 grams of steak had made me full! Metropolitan Grill Shinjuku Tokyo Metropolitan Grill RestaurantHilton Hotel6-2 Nishi-Shinjuku 6-ChomeTokyo JapanPh: +81 3 3344 5111 Website: http://tsunohazu-hilton.jp/en/metropolitan-grill/ Check out the location of Metropolitan Grill Restaurant in Shinjuku Tokyo [...] Read more...

Food You Have To Try When You Visit Japan

December 21, 2018There are hundreds of different types of Japanese food and different parts of Japan specialise in different types of dishes. Here is our list of food you must try when visiting Japan: Tonkatsu Tonkatsu – deep fried pork cutlets Tonkatsu is one of my favourite Japanese foods. Deep fried pork cutlets is very much a comfort food for me and I will generally eat atleast once a week during a stay in Japan. It is usually served with shredded cabbage, a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup. On the table at a tonkatsu restaurant is a special Japanese BBQ sauce which you pour over the top of pork cutlets. There is also often a hot mustard sauce available too. Another variation is katsu don, which is the pork cutlet which is served on top of a bowl of rice with an egg put on top. This is a very simple and awesomely delicious dish to try. You will find katsu don all over Japan. Katsu-don rice bowl If you are visiting Nagoya in Japan then one of their specialty dishes is Miso Katsu. The pork katsu cutlet is made with a miso paste (this is most common) or they serve the breaded cutlet and the miso paste sauce is in a separate dish for you to dunk the pork cutlet in before eating. In Nagoya there are loads of restaurants that serve Miso Katsu. (also check out Food you should try in Nagoya Japan). Miso Katsu Nagoya specialty food Japanese Curry Japanese curry Japanese Curry is a little bit similar to Indian curry but not as spicy. It is usually served with katsu (pork, chicken or beef breaded cutlet). There is a chain of Japanese curry restaurants all over Japan called Coco Curry House. Here you can choose what sort of cutlet comes with the curry and how spicy you want to curry to be, rated from 1 – 10. I like my food spicy. I ordered level 6 spiciness and it was about as spicy as I could take it. Proceed with caution over level 6 unless you like a real ring burner! Takoyaki Takoyaki Japanese food Takoyaki is originally from Osaka area though you will find takoyaki all over Japan now. These lovely balls with a piece of squid in the middle are very popular all over Japan. The batter around the squid is flower based and goes crispy on the outside and is soft and goey in the middle. The round takoyaki balls are then coating with a special sauce and bento flakes. Most of the shops that sell Takoyaki have the grill on display where you can see the chef making the takoyaki. At Narita airport terminal 2, where I generally leave to fly back to Australia, has a small takoyaki restaurant. I always stop here for a plate of takoyaki and a beer, my last meal in Japan! Sushi and Sashimi Sushi – Japanese delicacy Ofcourse most people have heard of the Japanese delicacy sushi and sashimi. Sashimi is just slices of raw fish. Sushi is the raw fish served on rice. Believe it or not, sushi is not eaten often by Japanese people. Most Japanese only eat sushi as a special treat or for a celebration. This may be hard to believe when visiting Japan as there are sushi restaurants all over the place. Some sushi restaurants are even open 24 hours a day. The best recommendation to find the freshest sushi in Japan is to try it at the Tsukiji Fish Markets in Tokyo. At the front of the fish markets are lots of little sushi restaurants, some you stand at the counter that only fits 4 people. Get there early in the morning and try the sushi for breakfast. This will be the freshest sushi you can try anywhere! Sashimi – Japanese raw fish Tempura Prawn tempura Tempura is lightly battered food (prawns, fish and vegetables) deep fried in oil. The light batter is made with flower and water that is chilled. When the cold batter hits the hot oil it puffs up make it light and fluffy. If you really want to try the best tempura in Tokyo then try Tempura Konda in Ginza. Tempura Konda is a 2 Michelin Star restaurant. Check out our review for Tempura Kondo. Okonomoyaki – Japanese pancake If anything, Okonomoyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) is a mix between a pancake and an omelette. Probably less flower and more egg than a normal pancake, it is often cooked with a mix of seafood inside the pancake though you can get Okonomoyaki with anything inside. Okonomo actually means ‘what you like’ and yaki means grilled. So you can grill what you like in an okonomoyaki! The style of these Japanese pancake vary from region to region all over Japan. Yakiniku – BBQ meat Yakiniku – Japanese BBQ Yakiniku translates to ‘grilled meat’ or often called Japanese BBQ. A yakiniku restaurant generally have a charcoal grill built into the restaurant tables and you do the cooking. Large plates of raw meat are brought to your table and you place the meat on the grill and turn over. Usually accompanied with large quanities of beer and sake! So you drink some, turn the meat on the bbq, then move the meat to your bowl and eat, then drink some more, put more meat on the bbq and repeat again. Yakitori Yakitori – grilled chicken skewers I am leaving yakitori to last as it is also one of my favourite Japanese foods. Grilled chicken skewers are simple and go oh so well with beer! There are loads of good yakitori restaurants in Tokyo. One of the traditional yakitori restaurants I can recommend is directly under the Hilton Hotel in Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo called Otowatei Yakitori Bar. You sit at the counter and watch the chef cook the skewers over a charcoal grill and he then serves it directly to your plate. There are also 2 other areas in Tokyo which has some great yakitori restaurants. Omode Yokocho in Shinjuku and Nonbei Yokocho in Shibuya and 2 areas which have a few small laneways which are lined with yakitori bars. Check out our article about Yakitori and Beer in Tokyo Also check out Food You Have To Try in Nagoya Japan Also check out Food You Have To Try in Hiroshima Read more travel articles about Japan Check out the most popular articles about Japan [...] Read more...

Joe’s Shanghai Chinese Restarant Ginza Tokyo

December 20, 2018If you are looking for some of the best Chinese food in Tokyo then head straight to Joe’s Shanghai New York Chinese Restaurant, you will not be disappointed. Joe’s Shanghai Chinese Restaurant Ginza Tokyo Joe’s Shanghai is New York chic meets Shanghai great food. The restaurant would not look out of place in high end suburb of New York with a New York chic style like from the 1930’s. The food is definitely Chinese, no doubt about that, with a huge kitchen with glass window so you can see inside and see all the action in the kitchen. There are a number of dishes at Joe’s Shanghai that are a must try. The grilled pork belly is just the best, grilled with a crispy crackling skin and succulent meat with loads of flavour. There are plenty of dishes to choose from including seafood, pork, chicken, a good variety of vegetable and tofu dishes as well as rice and noodle dishes. From the seafood menu you can try dishes like stir fried plump prawns with Szechuan hot and spicy sauce or the crisp and crunchy steamed whole abalone. There are a few dim sum items on the menu including steamed pork dumplings, Joe’s famous crab meat soup dumplings and steam shrimp dumplings. Chicken dish at Joe’s Shanghai Tokyo And then there is the chefs specialty – the soup dumplings. You cannot come to this restaurant with trying the soup dumplings which are commonly found in Shanghai China. The soup dumplings are small dumplings with either pork, shrimp or seafood and filled with a tasty broth soup which adds a whole new dimension to your standard dumplings. Careful not to throw a dumpling straight in your mouth as soon as they get to the table, the soup inside is extremely hot. Soup Dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai Restaurant Joe’s Shanghai is located at 1−9−13 Ginza Tokyo. Open everyday for lunch from 11.30am to 3pm and dinner 5pm – 9pm. Check out Joe’s website for more details on how to get the Ginza restaurant. Joe’s also has another restaurant at Ikebukuro Tokyo. Read more about Tokyo Japan Inside Joe’s Shanghai New York Restaurant Ginza [...] Read more...

Best Ramen in Nishi Shinjuku Tokyo

December 20, 2018Nishi-Shinjuku is the area of Tokyo on the Western side of the busy Shinjuku Train Station. Many visitors to Tokyo stay in Nishi-Shinjuku as there are many business hotels like the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Park Hyatt Hotel, Keio Plaza Hotel and the Washington Hotel. Nishi-Shinjuku is also a popular place to stay as there are literally thousands of restaurants within walking distance. One of the most popular food to eat in Japan is the delicious ramen noodle soup. So where can you get the best ramen in Nishi Shjinjuku? Here are the best restaurants in Nishi-Shinjuku to eat Ramen Noodle soup: Ippudo Ramen Restaurant Ippudo Ramen Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku Ippudo is a famous chain of ramen restaurants all over Japan. In Nishi-Shinjuku, Ippudo have a restaurant within the Shinjuku i-Land Tower Building, which is only 2 minutes walk from the Hilton Hotel. The ramen at Ippudo is fairly cheap at around 1,000 Yen for a large bowl of delicious noodle soup. They have a few different types of ramen soup at Ippudo. The most popular is their classic tonkotsu ramen with slow cooked pork slices. This deluxe ramen with the slow cooked pork is 1250 yen. You could have the standard tonkotsu ramen for just 850 Yen. Tonkotsu Ramen at Ippudo Ramen Restaurant Tokyo The other ramen I highly recommend at Ippudo is their Ippudo Karaka which is the tonkotsu ramen soup with a spicy beef in the soup. You can get different 8 levels of spice from spicy, extra spicy, extra extra spicy and knock your socks off spicy. Spicy Ramen at Ippudo Ramen Restaurant Tokyo Read more about Ippudo Ramen Restaurant at Nishi-Shinjuku. Tenkaippin Ramen Restaurant Tenkaippen Ramen Restaurant Nishi Shinjuku Tokyo Tenkaippin started in Kyoto and now have over 230 restaurants all over Japan. They have a restaurant right in the heart of the dining precinct of Nishi-Shinjuku. This is a popular late night dining venue which is open until 3am every night. Ramen Noodle Soup at Tenkaippin Restaurant Nishi-Shinjuku The ramen noodle soup is famous around Japan as it is one of the thickest soups you will find. The soup is a very special, rich and thick broth made from slow cooking chicken and vegetables. You can choose various ingredients to be served with your noodle soup including soft boil egg, thin slices of pork and toppings of slice shallots. Read more about Tenkaippin Ramen Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku. Ichiryu Ramen Restaurant Ichiryu Ramen Restaurant NishiShinjuku Tokyo Ichiryu Ramen Restaurant is a famous ramen shop in Nishi-Shinjuku which first opened in 1955. They now have a number of stores around Tokyo but the most famous is the original restaurant at Nishi-Shinjuku which is just a few minutes walk from the Western Exit of Shinjuku Train Station. You can get a cheap bowl of ramen starting from around 600 yen. Most of the popular ramen dishes at Ichiryu cost around 800 – 900 yen. There are 4 levels of this ramen shop. At each table is a touch pad which is used to order your meal and drinks. Just submit your order and then the waiter or waitress will deliver your delicious ramen to your seat. Read more about Ichiryu Ramen Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku Hijiriya Ramen Restaurant Inside Hijiriya Ramen Nishi-Shinjuku Hijiriya Ramen Restaurant is a hidden gem located in the back streets of the residential area of Nishi-Shinjuku, just down from the Shinjuku Central Park. This is the sort of restaurant where the locals eat and surprisingly quite a few visitors find their way into this restaurant. They do cater for tourists as they have a menu in English which makes it so easy to order. You can get a big bowl of yummy ramen noodle soup at Hijiriya for as low as 800 Yen, making this a good cheap meal. I can vouch for the good quality soup that they serve up here. Ramen at Hijirya Read more about Hijiriya Ramen Restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku. [...] Read more...