OT Japan Restaurants

[cordeodato]

Looking for restaurant recommendations in Tokyo and Kyoto. Since I will probably only make it there once would like to try a place on the upscale side. Recommendations for your favorite places are also most welcome. .

thanks

 

[Drumguy]

I have some places I can recommend, I'll put a list together. One very cool place in Tokyo is Gen Yamamoto' s cocktail bar, he's a world class mixologist. I'll include that as well.

 

[husky99]

My day traveled to Honshu alot for business
Loves

Mo-Mo-Paradise Shibuya Center Street store​

 

[Leebo]

I live in Hyogo, so I go to Kyoto occasionally, but not really for upscale dining. If you wanted to know about good cheap ramen I could probably help haha.

 

[Fishy]

There’s a Shake Shack in Tokyo. Actually, I think there’s two. One is nicer than the other.

Pretend you had to make a reservation. She’ll be impressed enough.

 

[auror]

Stay at a high end ryokan for a night with an onsen and get a kaiseki meal.

My best non-sushi omakase meal in 2019 was at Tempura Matsu somewhat near the bamboo forest in Kyoto.

Stumble around Pontocho Alley.

Have hotel concierge's make reservations at some places so they think you're Japanese.

Bar Nayuta speakeasy in Osaka for cocktails.

 

[husky429]

There are DOZENS of michelin starred places in Tokyo. You can't go wrong.

 

[Waquoit]

I would go to wherever Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai is still involved. He was the master.

 

[husky429]

One trick I use in countries with a different alphabet is to search names for the type of cuisine you want using Google Translate. Helps avoid the tourist spoys with English names.

I've never been to Japan but found some great places in Arabic countries and Sputheast Asia that way.

 

[District-Husky]

You can get an amazing meal anywhere in Japan and not pay that much. The best udon I’ve ever had was in Sankeien Park in Yokohama at a park pavilion noodle stand. I still think about that udon.

Kyoto - I stayed here back in 2001 for 4 nights:

京の宿 柊家

木造二階建て数奇屋造りの本館21室と新館7室の和風旅館です。ほとんどのお部屋からは緑豊かな坪庭をご覧いただけ、目と舌で味わえる京懐石と共に柊家の伝統が息づいています。

www.hiiragiya.co.jp

Super cool experience, but 4 nights was too long b/c you’re eating breakfast and dinner in the ryokan. I think 2 nights is all you need to experience a traditional ryokan.

To me, Tokyo is overrated.

 

[husky99]

There is a killer Benihana in Tokyo

 

[TroyHall98]

Musashi at the Aman hotel in Tokyo is one of my faves.

 

[caw]

Dropped a message.

 

[Drumguy]

Stay at a high end ryokan for a night with an onsen and get a kaiseki meal.

My best non-sushi omakase meal in 2019 was at Tempura Matsu somewhat near the bamboo forest in Kyoto.

Stumble around Pontocho Alley.

Have hotel concierge's make reservations at some places so they think you're Japanese.

Bar Nayuta speakeasy in Osaka for cocktails.

Second on tempora matsu

 

[nomar]

There are DOZENS of michelin starred places in Tokyo. You can't go wrong.

Yes, you can. Went to one of them and have never been so disappointed. $700 to get treated like crap and served fish no better than we got at the $35 pp place near the fish market.

 

[Waquoit]

Yes, you can. Went to one of them and have never been so disappointed. $700 to get treated like crap and served fish no better than we got at the $35 pp place near the fish market.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'll be in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo next week.
I have no idea what is on the restaurant schedule yet. I use restaurant recommendations as a good ice breakers with clients/customers.

 

[auror]

I'll be in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo next week.
I have no idea what is on the restaurant schedule yet. I use restaurant recommendations as a good ice breakers with clients/customers.

It's unclear if you want recommendations or not from the post, but Fūunji Ramen in Shinjuku was good. It's the tsukemen style of ramen, so you can check that off your ramen bucket list if you've never done it.

 

[Lafayette]

Okinawa is your best bet for farm to table. Probably some of the best food I've every eaten and I have been everywhere man.

I tend to avoid big cities like Tokyo bc once you've been to NYC, London, Istanbul, etc, you realize all big cities are "similar" - can be comforting if you want the safety of predictability and public transportation, but I like to meet the people, see how they live, what they eat, and I get the truest sense of the people outside of the big cities.