With just over 48 hours in Tokyo, Japan I had one mission; it was food.

Before my trip to Japan I was very concerned on the topic of where to eat in Tokyo. And that’s for good reason! To my best knowledge, Tokyo has more restaurants than any other city in the world. To put the food scene into perspective, Tokyo has about 140,000 restaurants, compared to New York City with 26,000. Even more, Tokyo continues to have the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. As of 2019, Tokyo has a total of 230 Michelin-Starred restaurants, compared with Paris’ 90. Tokyo is a foodies paradise, to say the least.

While I didn’t dine in any of those Michelin restaurants, I did eat some darn-amazing food and thought I’d share it with you, here. The following list includes my adventures of conveyor belt sushi, a grilled cheese with rainbow cheese, and even underground Ramen. Let’s dig in to the list on Where to eat in Tokyo, Japan!

Uoebi Sushi 

Location: Shibuya

Where to eat Sushi in Tokyo: Uoebi Sushi offers conveyer belt sushi like you’ve never seen it. This place completely re-defined the concept of conveyer belt sushi that I knew from the US. Each seat is equipped with it’s own iPad to order from. The iPad lists all of the types of sushi with pictures so you can see what you’re getting and you order straight from there. No waitstaff, no servers; just you and technology.

You can order up to 3 items at a time. I started out with fatty tuna, salmon and shrimp maguro. It only takes a few minutes and viola! Your sushi is shot out on a personal tray, directly to you from the kitchen at what seems like lightning speed. Seriously, it comes out super quick; I’m surprised the fish doesn’t shoot right off the plates.
Grab your sushi, then confirm on your iPad that you received what you ordered and you’ve completed one round. It is so easy, so good and so much fun! I highly recommend you try out Uoebi sushi if you’re in the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo. It’s exciting, it’s different, give it a whirl!

Gyōza-rō

Location: Harajuku

Gyoza are these little dumplings of goodness, hand stuffed, hand rolled and cooked to perfection. After you’ve had one, you won’t be able to stop, even once you’ve reached your point of fullness. Have them sui (boiled) or yaki (pan-fried); we had both.

Gyoza-Ro has a main seated section at the bar which essentially is a rectangular-shaped counter with the kitchen in the middle. We were seated at the bar so we got the pleasure of watching  all the dumplings being cooked which was super fun. The chefs are on display, cooking your dumplings like clock-work. Fry, Steam, Pan-Fry, Scoop, Serve. They don’t keep track of orders, there are not any checks for them to look upon; they just keep cooking rounds upon rounds of Gyoza. Somehow, your server will bring you exactly what you ordered.

If there is one thing to note, it’s the fact that you might wait up to an hour. The waiting area is outside, as the restaurant itself is pretty small. Make sure you are in the right line. You wont be able to ask other people if you’re in the right line, because if your luck is like ours, no one in the line will speak English. Luckily, you should be able to point at the line, then point at the restaurant and you’ll get a friendly smile and nod. Regardless of the time and effort it is getting into the restaurant, it is so worth the wait.

If you’re in the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo, add this to your list of must-eats. If you like Gyoza, this is a must. If you haven’t had Gyoza, this is the place to try it.

Ichiran Ramen

Location: 15+ locations around Tokyo

Ichiran Ramen: The best ramen I have ever had. If you’ve gotten through the list of where to eat in Tokyo and haven’t found yourself intrigued by anything yet, stop here because Ichiran is a must. You’ll probably have to wait a bit for a seat, but it’s worth it, 110%. If there is one thing you eat in Tokyo, it better be Ramen from Ichiran. The good news about Ichiran is that they are located all over the city. Just pop it in google maps and find the nearest one to you. And just so you know, they might be located in random alleys or up/ down random flights of stairs in weird buildings. The Japanese use their space very effectively, so these restaurants are really tucked in wherever they can fit.

Hop in line and wait for an employee to come to you with a pad of paper and clipboard. This is where you order; you choose your broth strength, broth richness, garlic level, green onion amount, meat, spiciness, and noodle texture. Then head on in and you’ll see a big vending machine-like contraption. This is where you order sides and pay. You can opt for extra noodles, a side of vinegar, a bowl of rice or something to drink.

I recommend this place if you’re dining by yourself or with just one friend because there are no tables to share. Each place setting is an individual stall that is sectioned off from neighbors. Everything about the experience is different and fun from anything at home and I absolutely love it. So seriously, have a meal or two or three at Ichiran and you will love it. We traditionally went to Ichiran for breakfast, don’t ask me why; it just worked.

7 Steps to get your Ichiran Ramen on

Rainbow Sweets

Location: Takeshita Street, Harajuku

If you are walking down Takeshita Street in Harajuku then you will happen upon Rainbow Sweets. You cant miss it; the place is throwing up with color. The restaurant is exploding color out into the street, and go figure, everything served here is rainbow. Come here for a lot of food die, and some good pictures. And if you’re not in the mood for sweets, snag the Rainbow Cheese Toast (Grilled Cheese). It looks incredibly scary and radioactive, it tastes just like a regular, grilled cheese. I promise you can’t taste the food coloring.

Calbee

Location: Takeshita Street, Harajuku

The first snack shop on this list of where to eat in Tokyo, please be aware that this is not a restaurant but more of a relaxed shop with counter service. Calbee was founded in 1949 and one of Japan’s best known snack companies. Calbee’s focus is on potato-based snacks.If you’re walking down Takeshita Street in Haraujuku, drop in for a snack of potato sticks, known as Poterico. A little sweet, mostly savory, starchy, crunchy with a soft core; served up hot. These little potato sticks are odd, but because they’re unlike anything I’ve ever had, they’re super fun! Can you liken them to French fries? Maybe a little but honestly, not really. Either way, don’t pass them up.

SoRaToRaYa 

Location: Oshiage

If you’re heading to Tokyo Skytree and find yourself hungry, then SoRaToRaYa will be your first stop off the Subway. Seriously, you get off the train, walk towards Tokyo Skytree and find yourself walking down a strip-mall style hallway with this cute little restaurant tucked away on the side. The name for this shopping center is actually Tokyo Solamachi and there’s a handful of fun shops and cafes inside, but this one caught our attention the most.

Promising banana size dumplings and big bowls of ramen, we got a table for 2 and had a grand time ordering our lunch. The menu is surprisingly large so we sampled a few items.

Ougisushi

Location: Shinjuku

Surprise, Surprise; a second sushi restaurant on this list of where to eat in Tokyo. It is Japan after all! Located in a random alleyway, in the middle of Shinjuku you’ll stumble upon Ougisushi. Actually, odds are that you won’t stumble upon it because there are a million tiny sushi spots in Shinjuku, and this one is hard to find. We literally stumbled into it, as we were walking around and decided to give it a try ‘on a whim.’

Let me tell you, eating sushi on a whim from a random, tiny, alley-side sushi joint is totally not my style. BUT I was with 5 friends, they said to give it a try and I’m so glad they pushed me out of my comfort zone because this place is SO awesome. So awesome actually, that I’m here sharing it with you.

Once you’ve arrived, ask for a seat at the bar. And if you don’t know Japanese, then simply point or sit where they tell you to. None of the waitstaff here speaks English… Perfect! That’s how you know you’re in the right spot. They’ll probably offer you an english menu and if they don’t then you should be ready to whip out your basic Japanese terms for the sushi you like to eat. Ex) Maguro Nigiri= Tuna, Sake Nigiri=Salmon, Kappa maki= cucumber roll, etc. Do your homework if you don’t know the names of your favorite sushi items. Be ready to use your Japanese food terms.

The itamae’s (Sushi Chef’s) are there to work. They might crack a smile but they are very into their work. You are there to enjoy their work as they are masters at their craft. And clearly these guys have been doing it for a long, long time, based off not only the color of their hair, but also the quickness of their skill.

If you’re having a hard time finding it, I completely understand. But good news is, if you’re anywhere near the Robot Restaurant, then this place is located about 2 blocks away! Or, if you take one of the following 2 addresses and copy and paste them directly to google maps, you’ll also make it just fine. The first is in english, the second obviously Japanese.

1. 3-chōme-21-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tōkyō-to 160-0022, Japan
2. 〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿３丁目２１−4

Have you eaten at any of the above restaurants or cafes? I’d love to hear about your experience! Have a cafe or restaurant that’s not on this list? I’m always looking for recommendations on where to eat in Tokyo. Drop a comment below.