Marugo tonkatsu is said to be one of Japan’s finest tonkatsu and on a “another level of tonkatsu”. This thick, juicy, crispy tonkatsu has won the hearts of Michelin, enough to win a Bib Gourmand. They are quite popular during both lunch and dinner time so be ready to queue up for this delicious tonkatsu. It’s in the Akihabara region so you can also get familiar with anime and manga as you’re in the area!

Photo Credit: Japan Travel

Location: 1-8-14 Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0021

Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday, 11:30am - 2pm, 5pm - 8pm

Review: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Walk in only

How to get there: A 3 minute walk from Akihabara Station on the JR Line

 

Thirty years of tempura making experience at Nadaman, a well-known restaurant expertly informs this chef's decisions on which oil, and especially, which vegetables to use.
This expertise can be particularly experienced via the shrimp kakiage dish (mixed vegetables and seafood tempura) which master Abe proudly boasts of. Don't miss out on tasting this delicious dish for yourself!
Although only a small restaurant with 12 counter seats and 1 table seating 4 people, the chef doesn't shy away from showing off his expertise for the benefit of the customers.
Now also serving vegetarian courses!
*Please note that eggs are used in the tempura batter.

Summary Credit: Gurunavi

Photo Credit: Tokyo Story

Location: 4 Chome-3-7 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061

Hours: 11:30am - 2pm, 5pm - 9pm

Review: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Not required, but available, check here for more info: https://gurunavi.com/en/e540700/rst/

Website: https://tempura-abe-ginza.gorp.jp/

How to get there: A 6 minute walk from Higashi Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Asakusa Line

 

The fragrant, coarse-ground flour is made from buckwheat harvested by hand and sun-dried in a time-consuming, labour-intensive way. A full complement of shuko is available and portion sizes are small so you can try an assortment of items before the soba. The owner-chef cultivates the buckwheat himself, so at harvest time the restaurant may close on extra days. One rare dish is the ‘atsumori-seiro’, soba served with hot broth added to a beaten egg.

Summary Credit: Michelin

Photo Credit: Eatacity

Location: 5-23-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Hours:

Lunch = 11:30-15:00 L.O.14:30

Saturday 11:30-16:00 L.O.15:30
Sunday 11:30-17:00 L.O.16:30
Dinner = Tuesday-Friday 18:30-21:30 L.O.21:00 or when the day’s stock runs out
Saturday 18:00-20:00 L.O.19:30 or when the day’s stock runs out

Closed Monday unless public holiday then Tuesday

Review: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Not required but available. Check here for more info: https://gurunavi.com/en/gdnp600/rst/

How to get there: A 9 minute walk from Meiji Jingumae Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda or Fukutoshin Line.

 

One of the most well known and popular places to eat dumplings, Ni Hao has been a Bib Gourmand recipient for years. Their pan fried/steamed dumplings are some of the best in the biz. Once you arrive put your first couple orders of dumplings in immediately and order other small dishes to nibble on while you wait. Get some beers, shochu or sake to wash down your food and you’ve got yourself quite a lovely evening.

Photo Credit: Gurunavi

Location: 2F, Masumoto Bldg, 2-27-4 Nishihara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Hours: Closed Sunday and Public Holiday Mondays, 5pm - 11pm

Review: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Not required but available. Check here for more info: https://gurunavi.com/en/geku600/rst/

Website: https://nihaoshibuya.owst.jp/

How to get there: A 5 minute walk from Hatagaya Station on the Keio New Line

 

A small venue with only 11 seats, you can try traditional Japanese dishes called kappo - a cuisine where small dishes are served at a time, usually raw fish and seafood. What makes this cuisine unique is that presentation of the food is just as big as how it tastes. With a full meal and some drinks (usually expected) you’re looking to spend anywhere from 5000-9000 Yen (50-90 USD), which is relatively cheap for this type of food!

Photo Credit: Tabelog

Location: 4 Chome-13-16 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061

Hours: Closed Sundays, 11:30am - 1pm, 5-10:30pm

Review: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Not required but available. Check here for more info: https://gurunavi.com/en/ge6s400/rst/

How to get there: A 4 minute walk from Higashi Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Asakusa Line

 

Word of advice: go early. Shuko Takigiya is the last of the new izakaya entrants based in Shinjuku but they've been popular among salary-men for a long time before. The food here mirrors its traditional, rustic decor; dishes served are simple but delicious. No fanciful plating to be found here. And customers will be happy to know that they've got an extensive sake menu to accompany their food as well as beers, umeshu (plum liquor) and shochu (a distilled spirit made from fermented barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, rice and the like).

Summary Credit: Michelin

Photo Credit: Michelin

Location: 7-11 Arakicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0007

Hours: Closed Sundays, 5pm - Midnight

Reviews: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Not required but available, Check here for details: https://r.gnavi.co.jp/4g50hbfm0000/

How to get there: A 4 minute walk from Yotsuya-Sanchome Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line

 

To break into the world of sake, start here. With their excellent selection of Japanese sake with their delicious daily food specials like vinegar mackerel, pear with mullet roe, sushi, tempura and their signature ochazuke (rice with tea and trimmings), you won’t leave here dissatisfied. It helps that their drink menu is in English (although their daily food specials are not), so it helps to smooth your process at an izakaya.

Photo Credit: Timeout Tokyo

Location: 1-33-15 Uehara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Hours: 5pm - 11:45pm

Reviews: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Required, Check here for details: https://gurunavi.com/en/ge3f600/rst/

How to get there: A 1 minute walk from Yoyogi-Uehara Station

 

If you’re around the Kanda Jimbocho area, your nose will probably guide you to Kyoeido curry. Specializing in Sumatran curry, this comfortable and cozy restaurant definitely deserves a Bib Gourmand. They only have the Sumatran Curry on their menu but you can get it with chicken, pork, prawn, beef or tongue. You can easily enjoy a meal for under 1500 Yen here.

Photo Credit: Timeout Tokyo

Location: 1-6, Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda City Tokyo 101-0051

Hours: Closed Sunday, 11am - 8pm

Reviews: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Walk in only, expect a queue

Website: http://www.kyoueidoo.com/

How to get there: A 3 minute walk from Jimbocho Station Exit A5 on the Tokyo Metro Mita Line.

 

A new kid on the block, this ramen restaurant joined the ranks of being the few ramen restaurants to be awarded a Michelin star in 2019. They specialize in shio ramen, but also have a signature shoyu ramen as well. The shio ramen is a salt based ramen using two salts (Mongolian rock salt and Okinawan sea salt), red sea bream and hamaguri clams for their soup base. With this delicious soup base, they use truffle oil, mushroom sauce, bacon bits and inca berry sauce. The noodles are also handmade. For any ramen lovers, this ramen restaurant is a must.

*When talking about ramen, soba can be interchangeable with ramen. It does not mean it is actual soba (the buckwheat flower kind) but rather referring to chuka soba which is Chinese noodles.

Our review

On a quiet Monday afternoon, I went to check out Sobahouse Konjikihtototogisu in Shinjuku. This is a restaurant that I had been wanting to visit for a long time and I was not disappointed.

With wait times often topping two hours, and opening hours restricted to Mondays to Fridays I hadn’t managed to find time until….. Covid!

From arriving to getting my food I waited about 40 minutes. There were 7 people in front of me in the queue. 3 outside and 4 inside. The restaurant seats 10 people. 6 seats at the counter plus two small tables that can accommodate 2 people each. There was a nice atmosphere with soft jazz music playing. It was very quiet in the restaurant nobody was talking everybody was focused on their food.

I ordered the ‘recommended bowl’ Shio Soba at 950 yen. Bargain for a one Michelin star meal! Details of the ingredients in the picture. In addition to the ingredients mentioned I also discovered chopped basil in my dish (the green in the photo) and what I think was sun-dried tomato. Pork sweet and tender The soup had quite as strong but delicate fishy flavor. I could taste the truffle oil. It was full-flavored but not overpowering.

Overall I would say it was a light dish with an interesting fusion and balance of flavors.

I can definitely understand why it's received so many awards. Compared to other ramen I've eaten this was a very cleverly balanced bowl.

-Laura. founder of Hello! Tours

Photo Credit: Japan Travel

Location: 2-4-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022

Hours: Closed Saturday and Sunday, 11am - 3pm, 6:30pm -9:30pm

Reviews: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Walk in only, expect up to 2 hour queue

How to get there: A 10 minute walk from Shinjuku Station South East Exit on the JR Yamanote Line.

 

Nakiryu Ramen in Otsuka, Tokyo - the second ever ramen restaurant to be awarded a Michelin Star - is a very affordable option to enjoy a tasty bowl of ramen.

The menu is actually one of the cheapest Michelin Star restaurants in the world costing only 850 Yen (about 8 USD) for their cheapest option - their specialty tantanmen. Tantanmen is a Japanese take on it’s Chinese counterpart - dandanmen made from Szechuan pepper and chili for a kick. The Japanese Tantanmen has less of a kick but is packed with flavors for a more subtle, umami bursting taste. You can add different toppings to it for an extra cost - something that should not be overlooked.

Their mouth melting braised chashu pork and soy sauce dipped eggs are just few of their delicious toppings that should be included in the ramen experience. Their other dish - shoyu ramen is also another option that is regarded as one of the best shoyu ramens in Tokyo.

Location: 2-34-4 Minamiotsuka, Toshima City, Tokyo 170-0005

Hours: Closed Tuesday and Monday night. 11:30am - 3pm, 6pm - 9pm

Reviews: Michelin Guide

Reservations: Walk in only, expect up to 2 hour queue

Website: http://www12.plala.or.jp/nakiryu/

How to get there: A 7 minute walk from Otsuka Station South Exit on the JR Yamanote Line.