There’s a lot of hype around this pizza. It is indeed very good. The sauce tastes fresh and the salty crust is perfect. Watching the chef make your pizza is almost better than the pizza itself.
Cute natural wine shop/bar. Just tell them what you want (white, red, sparkling...) and they’ll bring over some options.
Smaller and more intimate than its sister bars, Bar Trench offers amazing cocktails and great ambiance. No smoking! Lots of tourists/ex-pats if you care about that.
Hip place in a hip neighborhood. My Japanese friends tell me this is more of a spot for tourists, but a great place to try okonomiyaki and monjayaki.
Best thing about this bar beside the owner and ambiance: no smoking! So many of the bars in Golden Gai and Tokyo are filled with smoke.
Cool bar tucked on a side street on the 3rd floor of a building. Come drink some whiskey and lIsten to records. Pick your own to play juke box style.
Beautiful tea spot on the 5th floor of the Spiral building. Try the tea and liquor tasting menu.
This is an amazing experience where everything is tactile and interactive. The crystal light forest is my favorite. So well done.
Super cute coffee shop with good iced コーヒー Try the ham and cheese Sammy.
Fancy whisky bar with a huge selection of whisky. Get it over a perfectly clear ice ball.
A beautiful example of failed design. Go back in time to 1972 by taking a tour of an original capsule. Believe it or not people still live in some.
If you’re craving BBQ, this is your spot. Even if you’re not, come for the drinks and cool ambiance.
Amazing tonkatsu. They explain the different cuts and pork brands well. There’s usually a wait but the line moves quickly. Upstairs is traditional Japanese seating.
Get the egg omelette sandwich. It’s like nothing I’ve ever had. Made with care by an ex-sushi chef. Fluffy egg on a buttery bun infused with a hint of spicy mustard.
Good coffee in a more business district. Only open on weekdays. Try a English muffin sandwich with your coffee.
Hidden bar. The door is in a wall. The entire wall is made of plants. Cool vibe.
Delicious bakery in a renovated building tucked in a little courtyard. Get a sourdough cinnamon roll after checking out the Nezu Shrine.
I think this shrine is highly underrated. It’s one of the oldest places of worship in Tokyo. There’s a multitude of small torii surrounding the shrine. Walk around Yanaka afterward.
Cool izakaya. Everything seems to be in Japanese. They have shirako, aka fish sperm.
Beautiful market with freshly made foods. Great to grab a quick bite for lunch. Try the homemade onigiri.
A great alternative to Savoy. Same salty crust and fresh sauce, but more pizza options and easier to get into.
The iced matcha coffee latte is pretty good. They sweeten it a little which was surprising at first, but it’s just the right amount.
I’m not a fan of the ramen here. However the spicy (kara) tsukemen is amazing. Not too spicy, just the right amount of kick and flavor.
Great Japanese restaurant where you can get everything from sashimi to karaage to udon. Chic, modern Japanese decor. A great escape from the craziness of Golden Gai & the Love Hotel District.
These sandwiches are pricey but delicious. Bring a friend and go splitty splitty on two types. Their signature sandwich melts in your mouth.
This standing room only bar specializes in sours. Try the lemon sour. Books cover the wall from floor to ceiling. Great ambiance.
One of my favorite Golden Gai spots. Ran for 40 years by Tomoyo Kawai. You won’t find random tourists here due to the 2nd fl location & 1000 ¥ cover. Come & chat w/Tomoyo about her fascinating life.
This is an entire basement full of purikuras. Go down and do one Bc they’re super fun, but also observe the crazy culture that is teenage girls and プリクラ, it’s fascinating.
Great pizza, the first of the Tokyo Neapolitan joints. I think I prefer this pizza over Savoy. The atmosphere is great with cool spiral staircase.
Conveyer belt sushi! Long line that moves fast. Sushi isn’t the best in the world, but you’re there for the fun experience and that doesn’t disappoint.
I loved this. Understand what you’re gonna get: crazy performance, anime style stories, tongue-in-cheekness about foreigners stereotypes of japan. Get a little drunk before & just enjoy the silliness.
Cool beer bar with an outdoor seating area and a food truck. Don’t worry if you’re not a beer fan they also make highballs.
Wonderful high end design shop featuring glass artists, potters, jewelry makers and more. Great place for a gift or if you’re looking to outfit your apt.
Cute store tucked on a little street in Nakameguro. Go look at all the little travel notebooks and daydream about that next adventure (or how to document the one you’re on).
Cool vibe. Amazing sandwiches in both taste and presentation. Served on a warmed wooden board. Try one of their homemade sodas as well. The ruby lemonade is fizzy and tart.
Many tour companies offer experiences to watch Sumo practice. Some also offer lunch with the wrestlers. Watching the practice is really interesting. So much dedication to their sport!
Hip coffee shop/store with amazing coffee. But the real winner here is the sandwiches. The patty melt is amazing, as is the bbq pulled pork. And they have curly fries!
Modern store with an extensive selection of film cameras with knowledgeable staff.
Beautiful design museum designed by Tadao Ando. Always interesting exhibits, but also worth it just to see the building itself.
SG stands for “sip and guzzle”. Upstairs is Guzzle. You’re gonna want to go downstairs for Sip. That’s where you’ll get to try the drinks with ants and wagyu. Also, the atmosphere is sexier.
Come marvel at the beautifully reconstructed lobby, then head up to the Starlight for cocktails overlooking the city.
Really beautiful shrine up on a hill (walk the very steep Success Steps). Perhaps not a destination if you’re a tourist (unless ur in the Andaz), but a lovely oasis away from the city below.
I know everyone loves this place but I only thought it was ‘okay’. Much respect for the craft and care that goes into each drink though. There was something off with the ambiance of the bar.
Lots of izakayas in a cool indoor yokocho. Mostly locals which gives it a cool vibe. Take someone who speaks Japanese!
Spicy ramen! Come early for lunch. Get your ticket then wait in line. Spice level 3 is medium but still caused sweat to drip down my face. There are tissues under the bar for this! Great for hangovers
This is a 1 of its kind resort. There are no other DisneySeas in the world. Pbly not something to hit if you’re only here for a week, but if you have more time, it’s a really well done theme park.
Maybe you don’t care about Lost in Translation. That’s okay! The view is great, the drinks are impeccably made and the jazz is soothing.
I thought the original pancakes were great. Fluffy and flavorful. That scoop on top is a buttery cream situation and it’s amazing. Long line but like most lines in Tokyo, it moves fast.
Don’t be alarmed but there is a giant fish in that fish tank. I thought it was a mermaid, but also I had a lot to drink.
Little bar on the third floor. Extensive whiskey selection. Be respectful and follow the rules.
Stop here after checking out the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. Cool vibe, good whiskey selection, and records. Be aware: 500 yen cover and smoking allowed. (Also a cigar fee).
Beautiful space. Pick two items from the basket and a liquor and they’ll make something original for you. No drink menus.
This bar might have been made for Instagram. Don’t let that deter you tho. Awesome vibes, great drinks and curry every 2nd Tuesday of the month.
Amazing place to take classes/workshops for wood turning, chopstick making, jewelry, ceramics and more. They don’t speak much English.
Great little club in 2-chome (the gay district). Get a highball in a cute glass and dance under the disco ball.
This place is known for its fishy broth and handmade noodles. Definitely good and worth a try if the line isn’t long. Not sure it’s worth a long line though. Go at 5am after a fun night out.
Spicy tantanmen noodles! This is the soupless and might be the best. Ask for spice level 2 (ni kara de). Tsukemen is also very good. Love the sesame flavor with the spiciness.
This is supposed to be the best eel in Tokyo and it did not disappoint. The unagi rice was amazing.
Craving American Tex-Mex? This is your place. Amazing guacamole, quesadillas and fajitas. They light the fajitas on fire with tequila.
This is a hidden bar. Push on a book in the bookshelf to open the secret door. Cool little space with inventive cocktails and dope DJs.
This hostel has a hip bar with cool interior design and good music. Grab a drink here of you’re in the area.
Another cocktail bar with a fruit bowl and no menu. This one is unique because of what they serve the drinks in. Mine came in a bathtub complete with rubber duck.
Farm to table concept in the heart of Omotesando. Attached to a flower shop. Good food, very San Francisco restaurant ambiance.
Delicious Omakase experience. This is a seared toro with “the best mushroom in the world”. Very good.
Great sandwiches. The meatball is amazing. Bonus if you’re from San Francisco. The owner is from SF, so lots of great SF vibes.
Great little bookstore and coffee shop with a ceramics studio upstairs. Order pizza from next door and eat in the bookstore.
The best Indian curry I’ve had in japan. Make a reservation for dinner. Get the two types of curry and cheese nan with mini rice.
Like most Japanese burgers, this one has a thin patty, so get a double if you like a lot of meat. It’s perfectly seasoned with just salt and pepper. They mix the ketchup and mayo into a sauce.
Nice onsen with restaurant, massage, hot stone beds and several different bath types. Also lots of place to relax. Get a 60 min body massage. More like a Thai massage!
An incredible experience from start to finish. The staff is kind, knowledgeable and funny. The food is unique, elevated and delicious. The famous Dentucky chicken is amazing.
This place serves one type of pasta with truffle and one wine each night. And while it may seem gimmicky, the pasta is delicious and the service is great.
Great bbq with a hip vibe. Get the ribs if they have them. Order a beer on tap and listen to records.
This is my favorite pizza in Tokyo. People visiting tend to prioritize Seirinkan or Savoy, but I prefer this. Get the marinara or margarita if it’s your first time. The Bismarck is my fave.
Really solid burger. One of my faves in Tokyo. Some places have dry patties but this place is good. Burgers are flavorful.
Fruit sandwiches never sounded good to me, but these are delicious. Ripe strawberries throughout the whole sandwich, sweet whipped cream and fluffy white bread to hold it together.
Favorite tsukemen so far. Rich, flavorful broth that sticks to the noodles. Noods firm but not too chewy. Line moves fast.
Some say this is the best ramen in Tokyo. Def one of my faves with its rich, creamy chicken broth. Get the number 1!
The Chiba location is supposed to be the best ramen in Japan. The thick broth clings to the firm noods. I still prefer Rokurinsha across the street for tsukemen tho. The broth is less acidic there.
Amazing views and beautiful facility. The roof is best, but you can also lounge inside if it’s too cold outside. Come for magic hour and watch the city light up!
A classic Japanese dining experience. Explore the surrounding garden after your meal. Delicious tofu, make a reservation.
