12 Best Restaurants in Tokyo: My Top Picks From 3 Trips (2026)

Tokyo is my favorite city that I have visited in the world, after having visited over 50 cities in 10+ different countries over the past three years. There are many reasons for this such as the overwhelming number of unique and exciting communities to explore, numerous recreational activities, and stunning shrines / temples, just to name a few. As a food vlogger / blogger it should be obvious that arguably the most important reason Tokyo is my favorite city in the world is because of the incredible food. This isn’t an unpopular opinion whatsoever, with Tokyo ranking first in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for best food city. There is an overwhelming amount of options to choose from though so in this blog post I wanted to share the best restaurants in Tokyo that I have tried over my past three visits in the city. While I typically like to highlight hidden gems, and I have visited many random/lowkey restaurants in Tokyo, I have found that interestingly the most popular spots have been my favorites. Although I would love to highlight some more hidden gems, in this post I am simply presenting the restaurants I enjoyed the most during my visits to Tokyo. If you do not know anything about the food scene in Tokyo keep reading for a useful guide for some wonderful spots, and if you are familiar with the food scene hopefully this list has some surprise entries or reinforces your desire to visit these incredible restaurants.

Kaiten Sushi Toriton

When you think of Japanese food, the first food that comes to mind is probably sushi. There is a tremendous number of sushi spots in Tokyo, ranging from expensive omakase to affordable conveyor belt sushi. I have not had the pleasure of experiencing any of the more expensive omakase sushi dining experiences in Tokyo because when I travel I’m typically on a pretty tight budget, but out of the range of affordable sushi spots I’ve tried in Tokyo and in Japan in general, my absolute favorite is without a doubt Kaiten Sushi Toriton.

Kaiten Sushi Toriton is a local Japanese chain of restaurants, and of their many locations I tried their location at the Tokyo Skytree. I found this restaurant the first time I went to Japan by just going on Tabelog, which is the main restaurant review platform in Japan, and looking for high rated sushi places that weren’t very expensive in Tokyo. This one came up in my search and when I went I noticed that there isn’t that many tourists, at least not Western tourists, and yet the wait time was still about 3 hours. So clearly a lot of people know that this place is a great spot to get sushi!

Apparently this chain delivers fresh seafood from Hokkaido to all of their restaurants across Japan daily and I feel like you can really taste it. All of the seafood that I’ve had when I’ve gone to this spot is consistently phenomenal. Generally, the sushi chains in Japan that I’ve tried have very solid offerings, but I feel like Kaiten Sushi Toriton really excels at providing exceptional sushi for every different type. In fact, I have probably had the freshest, most delicious sushi in each variety and type of fish that I’ve ever tried at this spot. Additionally, the sizes of the nigiri are massive. The fish in particular is really big and you can opt for less rice, but I think the ratio of fish to rice is already so high that it works really well with the regular rice option.

Now this place is sort of a pseudo conveyor belt sushi, but not quite because for the most part you just order what dishes you want from the menu and there’s kind of promotions for dishes going along the conveyor belt. Additionally, the workers also will bring out plates of a certain dish and hand it out to people every so often and they kind of make a bit of a show out of it, which is really fun.

I think that my favorite sushi here is the tuna nigiri, which makes sense because tuna nigiris are generally my favorite and here it is exceptional. I would highly recommend trying their three types of tuna nigiri sets, which has a leaner tuna, a fattier tuna, and then minced tuna. As far as the prices go, you usually get two pieces of sushi per plate and the plates range anywhere from $1 to $5 Canadian dollars, with $4 or $5 being the more expensive premium cuts, which is incredibly affordable for two large pieces of sushi.

If you want an incredible sushi experience that is relatively affordable, especially for the portions that you’re receiving, then I would definitely recommend going to Kaiten Sushi Toriton. Just make sure to come about three hours before your anticipated mealtime and put your name down on the waiting list. Once your name is on the waiting list, you can check your position online via a QR code. While you wait, take the opportunity to go up the Tokyo Skytree, explore the great shopping offered inside (especially on the bottom floor), get a snack from the food market, go to the aquarium (to which I haven’t been but I am sure it is lovely), or go to the outer deck where there is usually some sort of event / festival going on! Then have some of the best sushi of your life.

Ginza Kagari

Ramen in Japan is somewhat dominated by pork-based broths. There is, of course, the famous tonkotsu ramen, which is a rich, creamy pork-based broth, but even most shio and shoyu-based ramens typically contain pork bones. So, as someone that doesn’t eat pork, my ramen eating options are somewhat limited in Japan, but there are a lot of incredible chicken-based options for ramen as well. One of these places is called Ginza Kagari, which is a spot that makes their broth from chicken and also provides chicken slices as the topping meat. This is a really famous spot for their super-rich chicken ramen, and I personally can sometimes find very rich soups to be a bit heavy, but once you try this ramen, you won’t be able to stop. The chicken flavor is exquisite, the slices of chicken are cooked to ultra-tender perfection, and the extra toppings and the noodles all come together to create a really perfect bowl of thick, creamy chicken ramen. With the addition of some pepper on top this pretty much becomes the perfect bowl.

This spot also has quite a queue, and you do have to wait in the line, but when I’ve gone, it’s usually been just under an hour, and I think it’s well worth the wait, especially if you’re looking for a chicken-based option. There are a lot of other spots that serve up toripaitan, which is this style of thicker/creamier chicken-based ramen, and I have had some pretty good ones, but this one just stands out for me and is probably my favorite ramen spot in Tokyo.

69men

Speaking of chicken-based ramen, when I was visiting Tokyo this time, I was coming around New Year’s Eve, so a lot of ramen shops were closed. I was having a lot of trouble finding ramen one day so I gave up in the morning, and I went to go shopping in Koenji. Once I did a little bit of shopping I decided to see if there was any chicken ramen spots nearby, not really expecting to see any results, but I saw a chicken ramen spot just a couple hundred meters from where I was, called 69men. This ramen spot serves up shoyu ramen, shio ramen, and thicker toripaitan-style chicken ramen. It seemed that they were famous for their shoyu ramen, based on the reviews, so I got a shoyu ramen, and my friend got the thicker toripaitan-like ramen. This was probably the best shoyu ramen that I’ve ever had. I’m personally more of a shio ramen person, I find that the soy sauce doesn’t really add a desirable flavor for me. I feel like if I want soy sauce I would just want to add it separately, so I don’t usually go for shoyu ramen, but this shoyu ramen was absolutely perfect.

The richness of the flavor and the umami of the broth was really impressive. The noodles were also quite unique at this restaurant, where they opt to use thick noodles, which is pretty uncommon for ramen in Japan. I’m personally a sucker for thick noodles, so I thought that this was really great. They also provide chicken balls and chicken chashu in the ramen, which is really great. There’s also pork chashu, so if you don’t eat pork, make sure to ask for your bowl without the pork added. Overall, this is a really satisfying bowl of chicken shoyu ramen that I definitely recommend if you are in the Koenji area, but make sure to get the shoyu ramen. I tried my friend’s ramen and I was not very impressed, it was definitely a massive step down. So I can’t recommend anything else on the menu, but the shoyu ramen at this spot is excellent!

Nihonbashi Kaisen Donburi Tsujihan

In terms of raw seafood dishes in Tokyo, my second favorite spot after Kaiten Sushi Toriton is undoubtedly Nihonbashi Kaisen Donburi Tsujihan. This restaurant only serves up seafood rice bowls (kaisen donburi) in a decadent fashion, including toppings like salmon roe, crab, and sea urchin (uni) along with fresh raw fish. There are four options ranging from $13 to $39 Canadian dollars, depending on how loaded up with topping you want your bowl to be, which may sound a bit pricey by Japanese standards but for the quantity and quality it is unmatched. In fact, I have actually had a lot of pretty bad kaisen donburi experiences in Japan, so investing in a spot that provide superior quality at a slightly higher price point is well worth it in my opinion.

All of the seafood at this restaurant is perfect in both texture in flavor. I find the uni to be particularly impressive and much better than other uni I have tried. Beyond that, you are also offered two pieces of sashimi at the beginning of your meal accompanied by a sauce, which is also delicious. After you finish your bowl, you also get seafood soup and I believe you can get more rice as well. The seafood soup here is also an incredible dish in its own right, if it as a separate menu item I would order it every time I visit! Unlike many seafood soups, the seafood flavor is quite mild but the soup is still rich in flavor and umami.

This spot is very popular, but for good reason, the food is ridiculously good! Due to this popularity though, try to arrive before opening to avoid long wait times. Last time I came 30 minutes before opening and got in about 45 minutes later.

Udon Maruka

Continuing with famous restaurants, Udon Maruka is one of the highest rated udon spots in Tokyo on Tabelog and probably the most popular. They are known for their affordable bowls of delicious udon, coming in at around $5 Canadian for a bowl. There is also a perpetual queue in front of this restaurant but luckily compared to some of the other restaurants on this list it moves incredibly quickly.

I am usually biased towards stronger flavors when it comes to noodles and broth, so I am not the biggest fan of simple udon noodle dishes, but this spot simply does it perfectly. This broth has this ultra-pleasant umami flavour and aroma that is difficult to put into words, and the noodles are just perfection. This is a pretty simple spot so I don’t have much to say except that, regardless of how you feel about udon, you should check out this spot if you are in Tokyo!

Ramen Kamo To Negi

Prior to visiting Japan, I was aware of the popularity of pork and chicken-based ramen broths, and thought that there may be some beef-based ramen broths here and there as well. What I didn’t expect, is just how popular duck-based ramen is in Tokyo! While it isn’t pervasive, there are quite a few duck ramen shops, at least enough that blogger/vlogger 5 AM Ramen was able to compile a list of his top five favorites in Tokyo. Admittedly, I haven’t been to any other duck ramen shops aside from Ramen Kamo To Negi, with many being closed during my recent visit, but if this spot is any indication duck ramen is amazing!

In my mind, I typically think of duck as being a bit gamey, at least compared to chicken, so I figured the broth might maintain this aroma but I was completely wrong. The broth is quite light with a strong yet incredibly clean duck flavor that lack any gaminess and almost has a sweet quality to it. The duck chashu is also excellent and works better than chicken chashu in my opinion. You can also choose two of three toppings, from which I choose the leek and green onions to balance out the slight richness of the ramen. Finally, the noodles are standard ramen noodles that are cooked to firm perfection. This restaurant always has a queue but apparently it is open 24 hours now so make sure to come at an unpopular time and it should be fine!

Suzukien Asakusa Matcha Gelato

There is a plethora of matcha flavored items in Japan. You would think that all of these goodies would have an excellent matcha flavor but this isn’t the case whatsoever. In fact, if you get a matcha latte or matcha ice cream at random in Tokyo, chances are it won’t be great, at least based on my experience. This spot is a massive exception, serving up what is probably the best matcha flavored item I have ever had with their signature matcha gelato. While many gelato shops in Tokyo have matcha ice cream this store specializes in it, with SEVEN different matcha ice creams of varying strengths of matcha flavor as well as a premium matcha gelato option. I tried both the strong premium matcha ice cream option and the strongest regular matcha option and while the premium is ever so slightly better, both are amazing and you would be totally fine getting the regular strong matcha. If that wasn’t enough, their other flavors like hojicha, black sesame, and black tea are all excellent as well, so you can enjoy some variety of flavors along with the matcha gelato. Ice cream is one of my favorite desserts and this shop has by far the best ice cream I have tried in Japan.

Okonomiyaki Osakaya Gold / Toakari

Teppanyaki is a form of Japanese cooking that utilizes a hot griddle to cook foods, with chefs oftentimes preparing the food right in front of you. Such restaurants can be found across Japan, serving up a variety of dishes including meat, okonomiyaki, monjayaki, and yakisoba. For me the highlight is okonomiyaki, which is a savory pancake that is prepared on the hot griddle along with vegetables and some kind of protein, usually pork, seafood, beef, or a combination of these options. The most famous cities in Japan for okonomiyaki are Hiroshima and Osaka, each with their own distinct style, but clearly I didn’t go to the best spots when visiting those cities because I think the best okonomiyaki I have had is in Tokyo!

Two spots stand out to me, Okonomiyaki Osakaya Gold in Shinjuku and Toakari in Shibuya, both with very different vibes. At Toakari, the chef prepared the okonomiyaki in front of me on the griddle and the flavor and textures were bordering on perfection. Equally as impressive were the side dishes, I got the cold tomato and it was by far the best tomato I have ever had, I still cannot fathom how the tomato tasted so incredible. This spot is great for a slightly more elevated and intimate experience. On the other hand, Okonomiyaki Osakaya Gold blends a sort of diner vibe with a traditional okonomiyaki experience, with individual tables containing their own mini griddles for preparation of the dishes. The server/chef then prepares your food for you at your table or you can prepare it yourself if you want! I tried monjayaki for the first time here which is sort of like a thin liquidy version of an okonomiyaki and it was absolutely delicious! The okonomiyaki and yakisoba were also great and while it wasn’t quite as refined as Toakari I think that it was an excellent vibe for a group of friends or a family that want a more casual vibe without compromising on flavor. The prices are also great especially if you get one of their set menus, you can try okonomiyaki, monjayaki, and yakisoba, while also getting desserts and unlimited drinks for just $30 Canadian dollars!

Honorable Mentions: Ayam Ya Halal Ramen Tokyo, Gyukatsu Motomura, Savoy, Tsukiji Peppers Cafe

These are four other spots that I think are really great and are serving up unique dishes. Ayam Ya Halal Ramen Tokyo serves up halal ramen and their spicy option is actually quite hot! So, if you enjoy spicy food this spot is definitely worth checking out. Gyukatsu Motomura has locations around Tokyo all of which seem to have perpetual lines, owing to this chain’s tremendous popularity. They serve fried beef (gyukatsu) that is pretty much raw/blue so you are given a hot plate on which you can cook the beef to your desired doneness. The beef is excellent, the accompaniments are great, and it can be fun to have some interactivity with your meal! Finally, Savoy and Tsukiji Peppers Café are both pizza spots that I visited on my Tokyo pizza food tour that are serving up very unique and delicious pizzas. Savoy does an excellent Japanese spin on traditional Neapolitan-style pizza while Tsukiji Peppers Café employs a unique cooking method and ingredients to provide a fresh has and fun pizza experience.

Tokyo has the most restaurants in the of any city by far, so the number of incredible food spots is endless. Hopefully this list serves as a useful guide for some spots that I think are really amazing but if you visit Tokyo, I highly recommend just popping into random spots that catch your attention or seeing what is popular on Tabelog in your area, you might just find a lowkey gem! If you want to learn more about food and travel in Tokyo make sure to checkout my other blog posts on the best areas of the city to get a bite, my favorite hidden gems and lowkey spots, and my guide for where to go when you visit Tokyo. Also, make sure to follow me on my social media platforms and checkout my other blog posts if you enjoy my content!