![]() While they technically accept phone reservations, the reality at Sugita and other similar high-end restaurants is that seats for the following month are booked by visiting customers during their meal. Sushi Sugita Sushi being prepared at Sushi Sugita ( photo by City Foodsters CC BY)Īnother tiny sushi restaurant where it’s just as difficult for the average traveler-and resident-to snag reservations. ![]() However, if you’re lucky enough to wrangle a seat here, you’re pretty much guaranteed a transcendental meal. Apparently, you’ll still have to dine with one of the “regular regulars” for several months to a year until you’re allowed to make bookings independently. Even if you do manage to get in once, you’re not immediately considered a regular (for obvious reasons). Even Tokyo’s most hallowed hotel concierges are unlikely to be able to help you. It is notoriously difficult to even be able to dine here. This is the kind of restaurant you should eat at after you’ve eaten more extensively at other high-end sushi restaurants, simply because you’ll be able to discern and appreciate the subtle differences and extraordinary care taken with even standard pieces far more. His shari is made with mild red vinegar and is a tad saltier than at most restaurants it’s then paired with impeccably prepared neta (topping) ranging from aged fish to rigorously temperature-controlled sea urchin. Just watch Chef Saito make the sushi: the economy of movement, the deftness of his hands when shaping each piece. While perfection technically doesn’t exist, the sushi is so consistently well-executed that it’s hard to imagine anything better. Sushi Saito Takashi Saito at work inside Sushi Saito ( photo by City Foodsters CC BY)įor most sushi eaters, the holy grail of eating experiences is at the tiny, eight-seat, introduction-only Sushi Saito in Ark Hills. Let’s get right into our list of 25 outstanding Tokyo sushi shops. As the saying goes, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. But if your heart is absolutely set on eating at a particular restaurant, there’s probably no harm in at least trying to obtain a reservation there. You won’t miss out on much if you never eat at Jiro or Saito. Maybe one day, you’ll meet someone kind enough to take you to one of these restaurants. That’s the unfortunate reality of some high-end sushi-ya, who cater to their regular customers first. You’ll notice that some of these are exclusive, introduction-only restaurants. It’s up to you to decide which one to try! ![]() All of them have their strengths and drawbacks. There are hundreds of them in Tokyo, and this is but a fraction of them. I’ve put together a list of great sushi restaurants in Tokyo. (Learn more about common sushi myths and misconceptions). The more widely you eat, the more you’ll be able to discern and appreciate at each meal. Is it best for first-time diners to experience a certain style of shari (seasoned sushi rice), at a particular price point, or for the relatively experienced sushi connoisseur who can distinguish between fish in different seasons? The answers vary depending on who you are, how well you know sushi, and how much you’re willing to pay relative to the experience. “Best” is an extremely subjective metric. The more you pay for sushi, the more discerning you’ll have to be about your likes and dislikes. But in the last few years, I’ve come around to the idea that it is far more rewarding to work your way up to top-quality sushi by eating widely at different price points, rather than jumping straight into the deep end with “Tokyo’s best sushi” Why is that? The cult documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi made the rarefied sushi meal highly sought after by gourmands all over the world. If you’re like most travelers visiting Japan, a high-end sushi meal is on your culinary bucket list - it’s no surprise, as eating sushi in Tokyo (and Japan in general) is on an entirely different level!
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