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Heading to Tokyo for the first time can be extremely overwhelming. With countless restaurants to choose from, the real challenge doesn’t come from where to eat, but figuring out which of these places is actually worthy of a visit.

From famous chains to several of my personal Hidden Gems, it’s time to highlight some great and accessible restaurants that make for a well-rounded ‘Starter Pack’ of Japan’s food scene. Let’s get to it! Here are my Top 5 Restaurant Picks for First-Timers to Tokyo.

–Gyukatsu Motomura–
–Ichiran–
–Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu–
–Sushi no Midori–
–Matsuya–
–Honorable Mention: Yakiniku Uguisudanien–

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🥩 Gyukatsu Motomura 🥩

Full Reivew: Gyukatsu Motomura

My #1 recommendation anytime my friend heads to Japan for the first time.

Gyukatsu Motomura’s Gyukatsu (deep-fried beef cutlets) are served close to rare, with the store encouraging you to further sear off the beef on the hot stone grill until your desired doneness. 

Cook it only slightly to keep the beef’s bright flavors, or cook it to medium and beyond to truly experience the sweetness of the marbling.

In any case, it’s an experience that’s well worth your money!

⭐Recommended Items⭐
🥩 Gyukatsu Set (130g)
🥩 Double Gyukatsu Set (260g)

Gyukatsu Motomura (Shibuya Store)
🌏 Location 🌏
Japan, 〒150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Shibuya, 2 Chome−19−17 地下一階 グローリア渋谷ビル
🗺 Map 🗺
https://goo.gl/maps/ntSESW2S33EWi56MA
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
11A.M. to 11P.M. (Last Order – 10P.M.)
💻 Website 💻
https://www.gyukatsu-motomura.com/english-home
📖 Online Menu (English) 📖
https://www.gyukatsu-motomura.com/menu-english

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🍜 Ichiran 🍜

Full Review: Ichiran (Nanokawa Store)

The iconic ramen chain – famous for their Tonkotsu Ramen, order customization, and private dining booths.

Viewing past all the social media craze, Ichiran is still an extremely solid place! With its bold Tonkotsu broth, firm noodles, and your choice of toppings, it’s the perfect gateway into the world of Japanese ramen.

And it being a chain restaurant, the key strength here is “consistency.” No matter when or where you visit, the experience and flavors are exactly identical, making it a reliable “anxiety-free” choice on your first trip to Japan.

⭐Recommended Items⭐
🍜 Natural Tonkotsu Ramen*
*Default customization for the baseline experience, or play around if you’re feeling adventurous!

Ichiran (Ueno Store)
🌏 Location 🌏
7 Chome-1-1 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WA6wko77mYtJkLge8
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
Open 24 Hours
💻 Website 💻
https://en.ichiran.com/index_en.html

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🍖 Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu 🍖

Full Review: Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu

Venturing into ‘Hidden Gem’ territory, Tarekatsu is my #1 comfort food spot in all of Japan.

Thin pork cutlets dipped in a sweet/salty tare sauce, served on a bowl of hot steamed rice – the combination is extremely addicting, and will leave you with a desire for more!

Once you’re ready to try out some non-chain restaurants, this is the place to visit!

⭐Recommended Items⭐
🍖 Double Layer Pork Katsu-Don (6pcs)
🍖 Pork Katsu (2pcs) & Vegetables-Don

Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu – Shibuya Store
🌏 Location 🌏
1 Chome-5-9 Dogenzaka, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0043, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/oyPgU1HbWzE1wTM59
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
11 A.M. to 10:30 P.M. (Last Order 10 P.M.)
💻 Website 💻
https://www.tarekatsu.jp/
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://www.tarekatsu.jp/map/
📖 Online Menu (Japanese) 📖
https://www.tarekatsu.jp/menu/

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🍣 Sushi no Midori 🍣

Full Review: Sushi no Midori

Sushi no Midori is the place to head to for a high-quality, budget-friendly sushi experience.

With  options starting at just ¥55, great freshness, and very generous portion sizes, this is the perfect entry point into the world of sushi before moving on to higher-end establishments (or just come back here again ‘cause it’s already good!)

Seriously, their Tamagoyaki Nigiri at only ¥55 is an insane deal.

Queue times can be notoriously long here. So arrive early, get your tickets, and go explore Ginza for a bit before heading back for some great sushi!

⭐Recommended Items⭐
🍣 Kohada Nigiri
🍣 Salmon Nigiri
🍣 Tamago Nigiri
🍣 Maguro Nigiri
🍣 Chutoro Nigiri

Sushi no Midori – Ginza Store
🌏 Location 🌏
Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 7 Chome−2−先 東京高速道路山下ビル１階
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LVNwEd2VksckAneA8
⏰ Opening Hours (Saturday-Sunday) ⏰
11 A.M. to 9 P.M. (Last Order 8:30 P.M.)
⏰ Opening Hours (Monday-Friday) ⏰
11 A.M. to 3 P.M. (Last Order 2 P.M.) & 5 P.M. to 9 P.M. (Last Order 8:30 P.M.)
💻 Website 💻
https://www.sushinomidori.co.jp/
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://www.sushinomidori.co.jp/shop-list/
📖 Online Menu (Japanese) 📖
https://www.sushinomidori.co.jp/grand-menu/#

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🍱 Matsuya 🍱

Full Review: Matsuya (Asakusa Store)

One of Japan’s “Big Three” Beef Bowl chains, Matsuya’s budget-friendly bowl of slow-simmered beef slices on rice (with whatever toppings you fancy) is my late-night favorite anytime I need something filling to round-up the day.

Starting at around ¥450, and with their largest sizes only barely above ¥1,000, this is a great option for when you need a good, hearty meal that won’t break the bank. 

⭐Recommended Items⭐
🍱 Gyumeshi
🍱 Grilled Pork Bowl w/ Green Leek Sauce
🍱 Grilled Boneless Short Rib Set Meal

Matsuya (Asakusa Kokusaidori Store)
🌏 Location 🌏
Wada Building, 2 Chome-11-7 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ym4gAtd5J8ySsjZ1A
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
Open 24 Hours (Varies by store)
💻 Website 💻
https://www.matsuyafoods.co.jp/english/
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://pkg.navitime.co.jp/matsuyafoods/?lang=en
📖 Online Menu (English) 📖
https://www.matsuyafoods.co.jp/english/menu/

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🥩 Honorable Mention: Yakiniku Uguisudanien 🥩

Full Review: Yakiniku Uguisudanien

For a great Yakiniku spot (that’s insanely worth the money,) Yakiniku Uguisudanien is the way to go! 

It’s a fairly small and local place compared to the other entries, but their stuff is absolutely top-notch.

From their Premium Lineup featuring Kalbi, Rump, and Gyutan, to their budget-friendly cuts like their Skirt Steak and Tontoro, the flavors and quality of their meats are really impressive, and can easily compete with a lot of higher-priced shops around Tokyo.

While I’d personally rank Yakiniku Uguisudanien near the top, I can only put it in Honorable Mentions due to the difficulty in making reservations, as they only accept them via phone calls – typically months in advance. But if you can clear that hurdle (either via a friend or phone reservation service,) This is one you don’t want to miss!

⭐Recommended Items⭐
🥩 Premium Rump
🍖 Tontoro
🥩 Premium Kalbi
🥩 Gyutan

Yakiniku Uguisudanien
🌏 Location 🌏
1 Chome-5-15 Negishi, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0003, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://goo.gl/maps/Qfsk3yS6374SRDvu9?coh=178572&entry=tt
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
3 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. (Saturday-Sunday)
4 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. (Monday-Friday)

Now that you’ve seen my list, what are some of your favorite restaurants to visit in Japan? Or if you’re planning your first trip, which of these would you try first? Let me know in the comments!

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