We'd almost venture to say that it's impossible to have a bad meal in Japan. Especially in Tokyo, there are so many amazing places. Some of the best meals are available at the very small eateries - the so-called Izakayas - where there is only room for a few people. Here you can either get ramen, dumplings, sushi or the like. There is often a queue for the good places, so it may be a good idea to get in line well in advance, before you get too hungry. But if there's a queue of locals, you can almost always count on the food being good, so be patient - it's worth the wait! But remember to check in advance where you want to eat. Some places only serve until lunch and some close if they sell out.
In addition, you must remember to look both up and down when looking for a place to eat. There are many good places to eat that hide a little. They can be up in the heights, down in basements, inside shopping centers or even in train stations. Don't let that scare you. But remember - you get the best sushi in Japan - so eat lots of it!
In Japan, the quality of food is so high that you will find perfectly good meals and snacks in places like 7/11, Lawson and Family Mart. You can find breakfast, lunch, dinner and between snacks. Once you've gone crazy at one of these places, you'll actually have to make an effort not to eat many of your meals in here. And it's super cheap. You'll find these shops on every street corner and are a great go-to place when you're on the go. You can buy fresh sushi, dumplings that they heat for you, noodle dishes and much more. However, we recommend that you also look at our long list of recommendations for where to find the best places to eat in Tokyo!
We'd almost venture to say that it's impossible to have a bad meal in Japan. Especially in Tokyo, there are so many amazing places. Some of the best meals are available at the very small eateries - the so-called Izakayas - where there is only room for a few people. Here you can either get ramen, dumplings, sushi or the like. There is often a queue for the good places, so it may be a good idea to get in line well in advance, before you get too hungry. But if there's a queue of locals, you can almost always count on the food being good, so be patient - it's worth the wait! But remember to check in advance where you want to eat. Some places only serve until lunch and some close if they sell out.
In addition, you must remember to look both up and down when looking for a place to eat. There are many good places to eat that hide a little. They can be up in the heights, down in basements, inside shopping centers or even in train stations. Don't let that scare you. But remember - you get the best sushi in Japan - so eat lots of it!
In Japan, the quality of food is so high that you will find perfectly good meals and snacks in places like 7/11, Lawson and Family Mart. You can find breakfast, lunch, dinner and between snacks. Once you've gone crazy at one of these places, you'll actually have to make an effort not to eat many of your meals in here. And it's super cheap. You'll find these shops on every street corner and are a great go-to place when you're on the go. You can buy fresh sushi, dumplings that they heat for you, noodle dishes and much more. However, we recommend that you also look at our long list of recommendations for where to find the best places to eat in Tokyo!
Here are our top recommendations for places to eat:
Kaneko Hannosuke, Nihonbashi
Tempura restaurant
Pignon, Shibuya
It's a small French/Japanese place where you often have to queue, but it's worth the wait. You cannot book a table.
Garden House Crafts, Daikanyama
Good breakfast, lunch, dinner, beer and drinks.
The Bird, Shibuya
Breakfast, lunch, coffee, drinks and dinner. The place is owned by a Norwegian, and is a wonderful mix between Japanese and Scandinavian.
Rin, Shibuya
A small cozy soba noodle bar, with plenty of sake and delicious Japanese dishes.
Okay, Fujimi
Gyoza place where you can only order 9 gyozas. If you are hungrier, you can ask the chef nicely. The menu is only available in Japanese.
Ore-Ryu Shio ramen, Shibuya
Ramen restaurant
Ichiran ramen, Shibuya
A chain restaurant in Japan that serves ramen. Don't be intimidated by the fact that it's a chain. It tastes really good!
Afuri ramen, Ebisu
Delicious ramen!
Gyukatsu Motomura, Nishi-shinjuku
A small cozy tonkatsu restaurant where you cook your meat yourself on a hot stone. Here, only one dish is served, where you decide between the portion sizes. However, you can therefore also be sure that the food is good. There is often a queue here, so come early.
Kirimugiya Jinroku, Shinjuku
Small restaurant specializing in udon noodles and tempura. The restaurant is included in Japan's Michelin guide.
Bonelan, Shinuya
French/Japanese restaurant on top of a shopping mall.
