Eat Like A Local In Tokyo

Tired of eating with tourists? Want to eat where Tokyo locals actually eat? Then check out our guide to some of Tokyo’s best local restaurants.

[Sushi restaurant near Tsukiji Market - image © Jeena Paradies]

If you crave authentic local food and want to dine with the locals, this page is for you. The other restaurants on this site are all great, but they’re all fairly well known to tourists. The restaurant on this page are largely unknown to foreign travelers and have a local clientele. However, most have some form of English menu. In cases where they don’t, we give you some menu translations so that you can order with confidence.

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Most of the places listed here are reasonably priced, because locals certainly know the best values. The restaurants here are divided by district, so you can easily find a great local restaurant near you.

Shinjuku Eat Like A Local:

[The “special” grilled flying fish ramen with egg, seaweed, and two types of chashu at Takahashi. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Funabashiya Honten
  A short walk from Shinjuku Station takes you to Funabashiya, which is the place to go for elegant, tasty tempura set meals.
• Kabuto
  Kabuto, in Shinjuku’s Piss Alley, takes you back to 1950s Tokyo with its no-frills head-to-tail (unagi) eel dining experience.
• Takahashi
  If you find yourself craving some delicious ramen in Shinjuku, Takahashi’s fantastically smoky ramen bowl will save your stomach and your soul.

Roppongi Eat Like A Local:

[Gomadare seiro soba - cold buckwheat noodles with sesame sauce at Honmura-an. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Honmura-an
  For a slow lunch of soba in serene surroundings, try Honmura-an in Roppongi. It’s an oasis of calm amid the chaos of Roppongi.
• Butagumi Dining
  Craving a quick meal in Roppongi? Head to Butagumi Dining - a casual tonkatsu restaurant taking this B-grade cuisine staple to heavenly heights.
• Jomon
  For slightly upscale but unpretentious, umami-packed Hakata-style grilled skewers, Jomon in Roppongi hits the spot.

Ueno Eat Like A Local:

[Kashiwa-nan soba - buckwheat noodles with chicken and negi (Japanese leeks) at Okinaan. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Kaisentango Ami no Shokudo
  Kaisentango Ami no Shokudo in Ueno serves up a hearty sashimi and egg rice bowl fit for a fisherman. Venture further afield from the station for this quiet cozy neighbourhood restaurant.
• Okinaan
  Hearty soba in an atmospheric, local noodle joint that’s just a stone’s throw from Ueno Station.
• Mihashi
  Lovers of sweets should make a beeline for Mihashi in Ueno for their Japanese-style desserts. Come for the anmitsu, stay for the red bean paste and soft serve ice cream!
• Kadokura
  Kadokura in Ueno is a standing izakaya for the people - it has a lively atmosphere, cheap drinks, flavorful small dishes. Set your expectations accordingly and come here for a fun night out.
• Izakaya Kanoya
  Izakaya Kanoya in Ueno is a crowd pleaser of an izakaya. Like many places in the area, the food is decent and prices reasonable, but the best part is that it opens at 10am - so you can have beer and sashimi even before noon.

Ginza Eat Like A Local:

[The hitsumabushi set meal. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Chanpuru-ya
  For hearty, homestyle Okinawan cooking, check out Chanpuru-ya, an underground izakaya in Ginza.
• Yomoda Soba Ginzaten
  Ginza doesn’t have to be all about pricey eating. Yomoda Soba is a down-to-earth canteen-style soba and curry operation that’s a great choice for a quick, inexpensive meal.
• Mugi to Olive
  Sometimes eating like a local means queuing like a local. Thankfully, at Mugi to Olive in Ginza, the lines don’t last long — which is a boon when you want some good shoyu ramen.
• Hitsumabushi Bincho Ginza
  If you’d like a refined meal of unagi while exploring Ginza, then this Nagoya-style restaurant is sure to please.
• Tempura Mochiku
  Mochiku is an intimate, counter seating-only tempura restaurant in a quiet part of Ginza. The food? Delicious and unpretentious, if slightly unorthodox for tempura.

Shibuya Eat Like A Local:

[Uoriki’s daily special sushi set. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Echigoya Sandayu
  Echigoya Sandayu is a tasty, inexpensive teishoku lunch spot that’s open all afternoon in Shibuya. You can’t argue with that!
• Fukudaya
  A narrow back street in Dogenzaka houses some of the best soba noodles in Shibuya - a great lunch between all the shopping.
• Yakitori Tetsu
  Tetsu is a cheap and cheerful yakitori restaurant right by Shibuya Station. Just stick to drinks and grilled skewers - avoid everything else on the menu.
• Morimoto
  For an old-school yakitori experience in the heart of Tokyo, eat some grilled chicken with the regulars at Shibuya’s Morimoto.
• Uoriki
  If you’re in Shibuya and craving fresh, tasty sushi that won’t break the bank, look no further than Uoriki.

Harajuku Eat Like A Local:

[Mokubaza’s keema curry - the moment after breaking the yolk. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Fukuyoshi
  Looking for tonkatsu in Harajuku? Skip the queues at Maisen and visit Fukuyoshi instead - a charming mom n’ pop shop with tasty pork cutlets.
• Teuchi Soba Matsunaga
  For high-quality soba noodles in quiet, relaxed surroundings, Teuchi Matsunaga Soba is a great choice when you’re in the Harajuku area.
• Mokubaza
  Mokubaza’s keema curry is the heavenly holy trinity of stewed meat, melted cheese and egg yolk. It’s a great way to fill up while exploring Harajuku or Shibuya.
• Mi no Ringo
  Mi no Ringo’s keema curry is saucy, soul-warming, and spicy - a perfect lunch break on a chilly autumn day in Harajuku.
• Ohitsuzen Tanbo Omotesando
  Wander down Omotesando’s back streets for solid set meals at this hole-in-the-wall teishoku restaurant.

Tokyo Station Eat Like A Local:

[A delicious, spicy bowl of vegan tantanmen at T’s Tantan. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• T’s Tantan
  Looking for a tasty vegan bowl of noodles while in Tokyo Station? Then look no further than T’s Tantan Ramen for a delicious and spicy meal.
• Manten Sushi
  There’s no shortage of high end sushi restaurants in Tokyo, but very few can match Manten Sushi Marunouchi’s cost performance in this category. This is one of the true must-visits for affordable sushi dining.
• Soranoiro NIPPON
  Think ramen’s all meat and fish? Think again. Whether you’re vegetarian or not, the vegetable noodle bowls at Soranoiro NIPPON in Tokyo Station’s Ramen Street are sure to steal your heart.
• Suju Masayuki Raku
  Soba restaurant Suju Masayuki Raku near Tokyo Station doesn’t go in for refined slurps. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but their rustic, unabashedly hearty noodle bowls are sure to win some folks over.
• Ippei
  Even with hundreds of lunch options around Tokyo Station, Ippei is a clear favorite with many office workers in the area. Hearty, solid, inexpensive set lunches of Japanese favourites that arrive within 5 minutes - what’s not to like?
• Yoshinozushi Honten
  If you’re pressed for time but still want decent sushi, skip the conveyor belt chain restaurants and come over to Yoshinozushi Honten in Nihonbashi. Their reasonably-priced lunch nigiri sets put the fast in fast food.
• DOMINICA
  Dominica’s soup curry is a fine example of the genre - spicy and hearty, generously portioned with meat and vegetables in equal measure. It’s no wonder this Kyobashi restaurant is so popular with local office workers!

Asakusa Eat Like A Local:

[Tentou’s signature ten-don. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Tentou
  Tentou’s tempura rice bowl is hearty enough to power you through a full afternoon of sightseeing in Asakusa — so long as you don’t mind the smell of frying oil clinging to you afterwards.
• Asakusa Naniwaya
  Fried noodles and shaved ice to start the day? Don’t knock till you’ve tried it - this combination at Naniwaya in Asakusa makes one hell of a power breakfast.
• Asakusa Ramen Yoroiya
  If you’re in Asakusa over the Japanese holidays and you need a place that’s open for business, Ramen Yoroiya serves a very decent classic Tokyo shoyu ramen year-round. It’s a good place to have on your list when you’re in the area.
• Hinatomaru
  Whether it’s lunch, tea, or supper, you can’t beat a good sushi meal. Hinatomaru, a stand-and-eat sushi bar in Asakusa, serves up fresh, well-made sushi that’s great value for money.

Akihabara Eat Like A Local:

[Black curry rice with garlic pork and a marinated egg. - image © Florentyna Leow]

• Karē wa Nomimono
  Curry rice isn’t pretty, but it is soulful and immensely satisfying. Karē wa Nomimono in Akihabara serves voluminous plates of curry rice that’s pure comfort food on every level.

Where Are These Places Located?

• Open the Tokyo map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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