3 Affordable Restaurants to Eat at in Tokyo, Japan
The Japanese have a love for high-quality ingredients and are masters of technique. It’s hard to not eat well in Japan. Given all the options, where to begin?
General Tips
- Bring cash. Most restaurants throughout Japan (except the exceptionally fancy) are cash only.
- Go right when doors open (or even before) to avoid lines. Most restaurants can only seat 12~15 guests. Like most places in SF, if you’d rather not congregate with the crowds, it’s best to go early.
Let’s dive right in.
1. Gyoza no Fukuho
Shinjuku City (2 Chome−8−6 KDX新宿286ビル)
When you roll-up with your crew, put your name down on the wait-list and hangout around the area until they call your name. There may be a 30~60 minute wait depending on the hour and the day, as this seems to be a popular spot for locals on the weekend.
Easily the best gyoza I’ve ever had.
The menu is exceedingly simple (my favorite). First of all, they’re all pork. You can then decide if you like garlic or not (we do), and whether you want fried or boiled (we got both obviously).
We sat at the counter and had fun watching the head gyoza-fryer expertly use the industrial-grade gyoza fryers to make fried gyoza with uniform brown bottoms. Like most people, we came here for the fried gyoza. However we surprisingly L O V E D the boiled ones too. Although both are inherently the same gyoza, the boiled ones showcase the great texture of the wrapper. It was thin, near-translucent, and had just the right amount of chew.
2. Udon Shin
Shinjuku City (2 Chome−20−16 相馬ビル １F)
Because this shop can only seat about 12 guests, the queue is typically >60 minutes. That said, It’s worth it. And that’s coming from someone who hates lines.
And people are willing to wait due to the quality of the food. We could see them making the udon noodles fresh in the kitchen as we were queuing and waiting for our food. And each bach of tempura was individually battered and fried.
We had the classic (udon noodles in soup + tempura) and a spin on Carbonera pasta (hot soy-sauce dipped udon + butter + pepper + soft boiled egg). The tempura was crispy and done incredibly well. For my dish, like Carbonera pasta, it looked deceptively simple, yet once the egg yolk was broken it became a rich buttery dish. Bon appétit.
3. Rokurinsha
Chiyoda City, on Tokyo Ramen Street in the Tokyo Train Station (1 Chome−9−1 東京駅一番街 B1 東京ラーメンストリート内) Side note: If you’re in a rush, you can actually also find Rokurinsha at Haneda airport.
Ramen Street is a bit of a misnomer because it’s actually a conglomerate of 8 ramen shops in the labyrinth under Tokyo Station. Rokurinsha is one of the most popular ramen joints located on Ramen Street, with waits of ~45 minutes at lunch.
Specifically, they’re known for their Tsukemen (dipping soup) ramen, and that’s the one we’d recommend especially having tried both the Tsukemen and the Tonkatsu ramen (traditional pork based ramen). You might be asking yourself, “What is Tsukemen?” Well, it’s essentially deconstructed ramen — cold noodles on the side and rich, hot soup as the main focal point of the meal. The rich pork and seafood broth is simmered for 13 hours to achieve the rich soup that is meant to serve as a dip for the al dente noodles.
Having tried a few ramen shops throughout Japan, I’m now of the belief that unless you ordered on a vending machine and they offered you a bib, it’s not authentic (lol)
The founder, Ryosei Mita, actually studied under the creator of Tsukemen ramen (Kazuo Yamagishi) himself. Explains the popularity.
If we had more time, we would have liked to try:
Fūunji (Shinjuku City, 〒151–0053, Yoyogi, 2 Chome−14−3 北斗第一ビル１F) for their Tsukemen
There you have it, our list of quick and easy places to stop by when you’re looking for a delicious, easy meal with friends and family. Enjoy!
