15 Delicious Restaurants in Tokyo, Japan

You just can’t beat trying your first bowl of steaming hot ramen in Tokyo! If your mouth is already watering just thinking about it, check out these top restaurants in Tokyo, Japan.

Melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu, spicy curry, and bowls of rich ramen are just a few of the must-try dishes when visiting Japan. Tokyo’s food scene is wildly varied and endlessly delicious. During our 4 days in Tokyo, we definitely ate well, trying all the staples and some new-to-us dishes.

Ready to find your next unforgettable meal? Here are my picks for must-try Tokyo restaurants.

Where to Eat in Tokyo

1. Taishu Wagyu Sakaba

Izakaya, Wagyu, All-You-Can-Drink

Taishu Wagyu Sakaba is a popular Wagyu izakaya in Shimbashi where you can get A5 Black Wagyu beef seared right at your table. We visited this restaurant on our Shimbashi Hidden Gem Food Tour with Arigato Travel, and it was a highlight of our tour! (You can read my review of our Shimbashi food tour here.)

They also have a self-service all-you-can-drink option where you can get wine and signature cocktails.

We also tried some other dishes like Chicken Nanban, Beef Tendon Stew, Dumplings, and Fried Corn.

3 Chome−2−7 恭和ビル １, Shinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan

2. Ganso Aburado

Aburasoba, Ramen

Ganso Aburado was recommended to us by one of our Arigato Travel tour guides who said it was the best aburasoba he’s had in Tokyo.

Aburasoba is like a soupless ramen that contains noodles, soy sauce, and oil, and toppings like pork, egg, green onion, bamboo, and parmesan cheese. You mix it all together, bringing the oil up from the bottom. You can customize your dish with their free sauces and powders.

I recommend their standard option with pork, egg yolk, green onion, bamboo shoots, and parmesan cheese (which ended up being kind of like a Japanese carbonara). Kevin did extra pork, egg yolk, green onion, bamboo shoots, and spicy sauce.

1 Chome-4-8 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0021, Japan

3. CoCo Ichibanya

Curry Rice

CoCo Ichibanya is a national chain with tons of locations throughout Tokyo. They’re a popular curry house franchise with meat, vegetable, seafood, and other types of Japanese curry. They have a large spiciness scale (curry is one of the few foods where the Japanese seem to like spice), so you can go wild.

I had the traditional Pork Cutlet Curry their standard medium (so no added spice level) and I was sweating. Meanwhile Kevin had a Chicken Cutlet Curry with a topping of Fried Chicken with a spiciness of 2, and that was almost too much for him (and he likes spice!).

Multiple locations

4. Dengana Shinbashiten

Izakaya, Kushikatsu

Dengana Shinbashiten is a kushikatsu izakaya with signature deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables (kushikatsu). These were all very delicious. We tried a variety, like sausage, onion, pork, chicken, and eggplant.

They also have some interesting alcoholic drinks (sours) that were tomato, wasabi, and Calpis flavored. The tomato sour was surprisingly not that bad, but I still didn’t feel the need to finish the whole thing; the Calpis was definitely the best flavor.

3 Chome−16−10 Rikamu4 1F, Shinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan

5. Tokyo Sushi Itamae Sushi

Sushi

Tokyo Sushi Itamae Sushi is a local sushi restaurant chain that serves authentic Tokyo sushi with ingredients and artisanal techniques that are unique to the Edo region.

We did the Fresh Wild Bluefin Tuna Combo, an assortment of sushi and handroll sushi, and a rice bowl.

Multiple locations

6. Ikkakuya Ramen

Ramen

Ikkakuya Ramen is a nationwide ramen chain known for their tonkatsu ramen.

We enjoyed the Black Garlic Oil Ramen, the Red Lekei Ramen, the Abura-soba, the Suji-don, and gyoza.

2 Chome−3−8 船間ビル 1F, Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan

7. Japanese Risotto Otsu — Shinjuku Kabukicho

Ramen

Japanese Risotto Otsu — Shinjuku Kabukicho is a small corner ramen shop with some table seating and a counter in the middle. The service here is super quick, so it’s the perfect spot for your first night in Tokyo when you’re jetlagged and starving.

The portion sizes are pretty big as well, and the price is good. We had a pork ramen, a chicken ramen, and gyoza.

2階, 1 Chome−11 Ikuzus, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, Tokyo 160-0021, Japan

8. Ebipota Shrimp Noodle

Ramen

Ebipota Shrimp Noodle in Shimbashi is a ramen restaurant that specializes in shrimp broth. Shrimp broth is a lot less common than the standard shio, shoyu, and miso you’ll find at most ramen shops.

The Ebi Pota Ramen is their specialty. It comes with a shrimp broth, fried wontons, chashu pork, seasoned egg, and chopped onions.

2 Chome−15−12 1F, Shinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan

9. Gopanda Yaki

Taiyaki, Sweets

Gopanda Yaki (五ぱんだ焼き) at Gotanda Tokyu Square is a specialty sweets shop that sells taiyaki in the shape of panda bears, and as a bear person, I’m obsessed.

Their pandas come in their standard dough as well as colored dough, which they change the filling flavors of seasonally. I tried all 10 flavors available when we visited.

We had plain (no filling), chocolate, custard, red bean paste, and camembert cheese all in the standard dough. In the colored dough, we had strawberry in a pink, vanilla in a black, macadamia nut in an orange, Nishio matcha in a green, and kinako (roasted soybean) flakes in a yellow.

2 Chome-1-2 Higashigotanda, Shinagawa City, Tokyo 141-0022, Japan

10. Naruto Taiyaki Honpo Shinbashi Station Store

Taiyaki, Sweets

Naruto Taiyaki Honpo Shinbashi Station Store is a taiyaki stall known for their crispy taiyaki, a traditional fish-shaped cake with delicious filling, usually a red bean paste.

This shop makes their taiyaki with a crispy outer shell and heaps of filling inside. We did a matcha filling and a chocolate filling.

2 Chome-7-1 Shinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan

11. Pizzeria Mar-de Napoli

Italian, Pizza

We wanted to try Pizzeria Mar-de Napoli to see the Japanese take on Italian food, so we visited their location at Tokyo Skytree Town. One of their pizzas won the Pizza World Cup in 2012, so it seemed as good a place as any for good Italian food in Tokyo.

I recommend their Campione pizza (which wone the Pizza World Cup in 2012), and the Burrata Cheese e Prosciutto e Rucola pizza. If you’re more in the mood for pasta, go for a classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce.

Multiple locations

12. Maidreamin Maid Cafe

Omlette Rice, Parfait

Maid cafes are popular in Tokyo’s nerd scene. Cute girls in French maid-inspired outfits sing, dance, and serve you kawaii food with drawings in ketchup.

There are a ton of maid cafes in Tokyo. But following a beckoning maid off the streets feels very sketchy, so we we went with Maidreamin, which is a popular established chain. Since it’s popular, you may need a reservation ahead of time.

I also chose this chain because a lot of their food is shaped like bears. I recommend the Bear Hamburg Steak with rice and the Panda parfait. The rest of our group got one of the Omelette Rice dishes with different sauces like curry and tomato chili, and the maids will draw a picture on your omelet in ketchup. Everyone got a different animal parfait, including the Bear, Bunny, Kitty, and Puppy, each with different flavors.

Multiple locations

13. Kabuki Roll

American-Style Sushi Rolls

The sushi rolls that Americans eat aren’t really a thing at sushi restaurants in Japan. But if you’re craving an American-style sushi roll, Kabuki Roll has an entire menu of them.

They have classics like a California Roll, Rainbow Roll, Philadelphia Roll, Yellowtail Avocado, Spicy Tuna, and Salmon.

But what I really like are their uniquely Japanese creations too like Natto (fermented soy beans); the Diavolo with teriyaki chicken, mozzarella, basil, tomato, chili sauce, and black pepper; and the spicy Death Roll.

2 Chome-4-7 Higashiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0044, Japan

14. Tully’s Coffee

Sandwiches, Coffee

Tully’s Coffee is a coffee shop and cafe chain that serves coffee and tea along with a menu of cold and hot sandwiches, baked treats, hot dogs, pastas, and packaged desserts.

I recommend the Ham Cutlet Sandwich and a Variety Box that includes a domestic pork minced cutlet sandwich, a buttery mentaiko salad sandwich, a double egg sandwich with boiled egg and egg salad, and a tuna cheese sandwich.

Multiple locations

15. Tsukiji Outer Market

Street Food

Tsukiji Outer Market is a historic market that became famous selling fresh fish, seafood, vegetables, produce, and more. It’s since grown to include restaurants and street food stalls, and is the foodie place to go in Tokyo.

Pop into any of the stalls for a truly local lunch from the Tsukiji Market. I have it on good authority that Tsukiji Sanokiya is the best taiyaki shop in Tsukiji, according to one of my Arigato Travel tour guides.

4 Chome および６丁目一部, Tsukiji, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan

Tokyo Restaurants Map

Ready to eat your way around Tokyo? Use the map below to find all these delicious places to eat in Tokyo.

I hope you have an amazing Tokyo trip!

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Cheers!

Paige

What are your favorite restaurants in Tokyo? Let me know in the comments below!