Asia is a paradise for unique and exotic cuisines. Have you ever tried devouring a stingray in Singapore? How about eels in Japan? Here, there’s a popular freshwater fish dish known as unagi.
Unagi, or eel, are best served grilled with a sweet and savory sauce on the side. The taste will make you feel like you’re lounging on the sands by the beach waters. Rich in flavor and with a moist and tender texture, unagi has swiftly become a worldwide sensation.
It is traditionally popular in summer as it can help boost your tolerance for heat. Aside from this, it also promotes heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as being abundant with antioxidants, helping beat cancer. If you happen to find yourself in the bustling city of Tokyo, here are the best places to try unagi.
1. Mejiro Zorome
This unagi restaurant in Tokyo is part of the official Michelin list. Convenient as it is located just outside Mejiro Station, this place allows you to watch how your unagi is prepared if you sit at the counter table. The unagi is so in-demand here that you will have to reserve yours either online or by phone. It is highly recommended that you order sake and wine as they are good pairings with your unagi and side dishes.
Price: From 5,000 yen
Hours: 11 AM-2 PM, 5-10 PM (closed on Wednesdays)
Contact: +81 3-6908-3653
Address: 3 Chome-3-1 Mejiro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0031, Japan (Mejiro Square Building, B1F)
2. Uomasa
Meanwhile, this Tokyo unagi restaurant is regarded by many as where the classic unagi is. In fact, this should be one of the first unagi restaurants you must visit as you arrive in Tokyo. Their style is à la carte Kanto style, which is quite unforgettable.
Beyond the unagi itself, the tare sauce is remarkable. This sauce has been kept alive since the restaurant opened 40 years ago. You can choose from various sizes of unagi, depending on your appetite. When someone thinks of unagi in Tokyo, Uomasa is what first comes to mind.
Price: From 10,000 yen
Hours: 11:30 AM-2 PM, 5:30-9 PM (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Contact: +81 3-3695-5222
Address: 4 Chome-14-4 Higashiyotsugi, Katsushika City, Tokyo 124-0014, Japan
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3. Ishibashi
In Tokyo, you must try unagi or go home. Ishibashi is an internationally recognized unagi restaurant. The eel here is meticulously prepared as you await to appreciate the recipe amidst a pre-war nostalgic ambience, with your unagi complemented with sashimi, pickles, and irresistible sake. Ishibashi is also awarded with a Michelin star. Reservation is required.
Price: From 10,000 yen
Hours: 5-9:30 PM (closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Contact: +81 3-3251-3580
Address: 3 Chome-6-8 Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0021, Japan
4. Aikawa
If you’re looking for unagi that can make you feel like tasting it at home, you better visit this restaurant. It is a family-run Kanto-style unagi restaurant that will not only feel nostalgia at every turn but also make you feel like you’re a character in your favorite anime.
Price: From 6,000 yen
Hours: 11 AM-1:30 PM, 5-7:30 PM (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Contact: +81 3-3200-3717
Address: 1 Chome-17-22 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 169-0075, Japan
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5. TAKAHASHIYA
What’s the best food to eat after watching a spectacular kabuki show? Unagi, of course! Situated just near Kabukiza Theatre, TAKAHASHIYA, no Takashimaya, allows you to enjoy Kanto-style unagi cut, steamed, and grilled to fluffy and tender perfection. The restaurant also serves luxury tempura if you want to give this a try.
Price: From 10,000 yen
Hours: 11 AM-11 PM, 5-7:30 PM (closed on Mondays)
Contact: +81 3-3547-0021
Address: 4 Chome-12-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan (VORT Ginza East II, 4F)
6. Nodaya
Don’t miss Nodaya in Tokyo. It is the only unagi restaurant in Japan that serves six distinct brands of eel – two wild and four cultivated. The unagi here is perfect for the health-conscious as they are enriched with lactobacilli. They also offer cold-weather eel and unataro, a secret menu item that’s a bowl of rustic grilled eel liver, as well as umaki or soft omelets wrapped around unagi chunks, with their signature unagi fillets. To be sure, before you head over here, you can watch BTS's unagi preparation online. Credit card payments are accepted.
Price: From 10,000 yen
Hours: 11 AM-2 PM, 5:30-8 PM (closed on Mondays)
Contact: +81 3-3872-0517
Address: 2 Chome-3-1 Shitaya, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0004, Japan
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7. Unazen
If there’s Kanto-style unagi, there’s also Kansai-style. While Kanto-style unagi is a melt-in-the-mouth unagi, Kansai-style is crispier. One of the best places to find Kansai-style eels is Unazen. It is a family-run restaurant for over 30 years, with the father and son taking charge of the cooking, while the mother and daughter take charge of serving and omotenashi, or the art of the Japanese warm hospitality.
Price: From 4,000 yen
Hours: 11 AM-4:30 PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11 AM-3 PM Saturday and Sunday (closed on Mondays and Thursdays)
Contact: +81 3-3624-0475
Address: 3 Chome-6-18 Azumabashi, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0001, Japan
8. Unagi Tokitou Azabujuban Washoku
The story of how delicious the unagi is here is reflected in the story of its chef. For 15 years, Chef Keiji Tokito-san trained in another famous eel restaurant that has been in the business for over 200 years. After that, he even went to Paris to learn how European cuisine can influence the making of fine unagi.
Price: From 10,000 yen
Hours: 6-8:30 PM Mondays, 12-2 PM and 6-8:30 PM Tuesday to Saturday (closed on Sundays)
Contact: +81 3-6812-9671
Address: 2 Chome-5-11 Azabujuban, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0045, Japan (Azabu Maison, 201)
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9. Watabe
Last but certainly not the least is Watabe, also officially listed on Michelin. The most recommended unagi here is Enma-ju, named after the nearby Genkaku-ji Temple, whose nickname is Konnyaku Enma. This upscale eatery also offers other seafood dishes, such as tofu and salad.
Price: From 6,000 yen
Hours: 11:30 AM-2 PM, 5-9 PM (closed from Tuesday to Saturday)
Contact: +81 3-3812-7448
Address: 1 Chome-9-14 Koishikawa, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0002, Japan
Tokyo is a mingling of experiences, from shopping to food. If you wish to experience everything, a week in Tokyo isn’t enough. While you’re here, be sure to try Tokyo’s tastiest unagi. Indulge.
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