14 Delicious Seafood Izakaya in Ueno Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jun 15 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Thanks to its many cultural facilities, such as the Tokyo National Museum and National Museum of Western Art, as well as to its proximity to Asakusa and Akihabara, Ueno is a hot spot for tourists. Moreover, it's scattered with a multitude of great restaurants. Use this list of 14 izakaya (Japanese pubs) specializing in seafood as a reference for where to go in-between your tours!

See full listings of Izakaya restaurants found in and around Ueno.

1. Kouya Ueno Eki-mae Branch

Walk 3 minutes from Ueno Station to get to this conveniently located izakaya with private rooms. Their signature dish is [Ike Kani Sashi (1,280 JPY)], which is made with crab - a top Japanese winter seafood. For this classy sashimi dish, they use ultra-fresh crab directly delivered from production areas. Its incredible sweetness makes it a perfect match with premium alcohol. Apart from a variety of fresh sashimi assortments, you should try exceptional dishes carefully made by the chef to enhance the umami (Japanese savory taste) of fish, such as [Nagasaki Masaba no Kabosu-jime Hyoketsu Plate Mori (1,080 JPY)] (a cold platter with chub mackerel and kabosu (citrus fruit) or [Ehime Madai to Iwa Mozuku no Aburi Namero Senmai Ayame Kabu-zoe (850 JPY)] (tai and seaweed that's been minced and scorched).

Kouya Ueno Eki-mae Branch

Open: [Weekdays, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
[Saturday] 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: None, Beginning and end of the year (December 31, January 1)
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: 3F, Nagafuji Bldg., 4-9-6, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)

2. Sakanoue Ueno Branch

This is a Japanese-style izakaya offering casual table seats and relaxing private or semi-private rooms. The menu has a rich variety of options, but something you should try at least once is their [Kujukuri-san! Hamaguri no Sakamushi (current price)]. Orient clams from Kujukuri Beach (Kujukuri-hama) in Chiba Prefecture, which faces the Pacific Ocean, are renowned for their abundant and tender meat, and the amazing umami that spreads in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. In this dish, they are steamed with alcohol, combining the juiciness of the clams with a uniquely delicious dashi (broth)! Make sure you drink down every last drop of it!

Sakanoue Ueno Branch

Open: [Monday - Thursday] Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm (Food L.O. 10:30 pm, Drinks L.O. 11:00 pm)
[Friday, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (Food L.O. 11:30 pm, Drinks L.O. 12:00 am)
[Saturday] 2:00 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
[Sunday] 12:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: 3F, Gomi Bldg., 6-8-4, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

3. Sakaeya

This restaurant is popular not only for its easy access (being only 2 minutes on foot from Ueno Station), but also for its creative Japanese dishes made with seasonal products that you can enjoy in its modern Japanese interior. If you love seafood, you absolutely must have their [Tai no Uni Shabu]. This dish is made with fresh tai (sea bream) directly delivered from Kagawa, and it truly shows the chef's expertise. It is served with uni (sea urchin), known as a high-quality product in Japanese food culture, which you eat in shabu-shabu (sliced meat parboiled with vegetables). Be sure to enjoy the mellowness and marine scent of this amazing dish to your heart's content.

Sakaeya

Open: 4:00 pm - 12:00 am
Closed: None
Average price: 3,000 JPY
Address: 3F, 455 Ueno Bldg., 4-5-5, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

4. Ikka Ueno Branch

Tsukiji is the largest fish market in Japan, and it's where countless species of fresh seafood are delivered from all over the country. It is also where the chef of this restaurant heads every morning to select the best products to use in his highly appreciated seafood dishes. If you don't know what to order, a must-try is their [Otsukuri 5-kind Assortment (1,980 JPY plus tax)], which is a sashimi platter of seasonal seafood. This allows you to enjoy maguro (tuna), octopus, yellowtail amberjack, and other fish when they're most delicious. Another gem of theirs, the [Anago no Kunsei Ichiya-boshi (730 JPY plus tax)] consisting of a meaty conger eel that's been salted and dried overnight, tastes just amazing with alcohol.

Ikka Ueno Branch

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday] 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:45 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 3,700 JPY
Address: 8F, Ueno Lakeside, 2-14-31, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)

5. Maguro Basara Ueno

Japan's most-loved seafood is, beyond doubt, maguro. As you can guess by its name, this restaurant specializes in maguro dishes, offering a rich variety of ways to prepare the fish, from sashimi to stews. If you're into sashimi, you should have their [Maguro Zen-mori (2,280 JPY plus tax)] that will allow you to taste different types of maguro. If you are lost on what you should order, then try [Kaisen Hoseki-bako (3,980 JPY plus tax)]. This amazing must-eat wooden box of sashimi comprises of top-rank seafood, such as maguro, uni, botan shrimps, ikura (salmon roe), and abalone.

Maguro Basara Ueno

Open: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Food L.O. 11:00 pm, Drinks L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: 5,000 JPY
Address: 4F, Central 21 Bldg., 2-12-1, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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6. Banyayoichi Ueno Branch

This is a seafood izakaya that offers mainly shichirin (earthen charcoal grill) BBQ, nigiri-zushi, and sashimi in an atmosphere as lively as that of a market. Other than their freshness and deliciousness, their seafood dishes are notable for their surprisingly reasonable prices. For example, their top shichirin dish, [Kara Hotate] (scallops), costs only 380 JPY! Even their flavorful nigiri-zushi, made with seasonal ingredients, can be enjoyed from only 75 JPY per piece. If you're coming by for lunch, the voluminous [Maguro Zuke-don (500 JPY)] (marinated maguro over rice) and the sashimi-loaded [Kaisen-don (980 JPY)] (rice bowl with seafood) dishes come highly recommended.

Banyayoichi Ueno Branch

Open: [Monday - Saturday] 11:45 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
[Sunday] 11:45 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
*Lunch 11:45 pm - 3:00 pm
Closed: None
Average price: 2,500 JPY
Address: 4-9-10, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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7. Kamadoya Ueno

This one is popular for its authentic Japanese cuisine made with premium ingredients directly delivered from production areas. The flagship dish, called [Umi no Donabe Gohan (around 300g, from 1,980 JPY)], consists of [Akitakomachi] - a variety of rice produced in Ogata (a village in Akita) that is cooked in a donabe (earthenware hot pot) with seafood, such as fish, shellfish, and octopus. The umami of fish pervading the fluffy rice makes this perfect either as a stand-alone meal or as a snack for alcohol. Don't miss their [Honjitsu no Okemori Shungyo (from 1,480 JPY)] - a daily special dish made with a whole seasonal fish that is prepared in 2 different ways. You can choose the ways from the following list: sashimi, grilled, stewed, karaage (deep-fried), minced with a knife, or nigiri-zushi style.

Kamadoya Ueno

Open: 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 10:45 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 2:00 pm - 11:30 pm
Closed: Beginning and end of the year
Average price: 5,000 JPY
Address: 6F, Shintonoda Bldg., 6-13-9, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

8. Sadogashima e Watare Ueno

Sadogashima is an island on the Sea of Japan that belongs to Niigata Prefecture, and is located in the northern part of Honshu. The fact that this island is referred to in the name of this restaurant should give you an idea of the multitude of typical seafood products that are directly delivered from there. Above all, the one you just can't miss right now is [Sanchoku Magaki (380 JPY)]. It's a winter dish where fresh and tasty raw oysters - notable for their incredibly tender meat - are served together with rich Sado ponzu (citrus-seasoned soy sauce). Alternatively, you can enjoy the gifts from the sea prepared in many other ways, like karaage, tempura, or through the traditional dish, [Ichiya-boshi (from 650 JPY)], where sailfin sandfish, dottyback, or righteye flounder are dried overnight.

Sadogashima e Watare Ueno

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 5:00 am
[Sunday, National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
Closed: None
Average price: 5,000 JPY
Address: 7F, Central 21, 2-12-1, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)

9. Sui-sui Ueno Branch

Choose from a total of 100 different brands of sake (Japanese alcohol) from every part of Japan! They may be coupled with a variety of delicious dishes made with super-fresh seasonal seafood. If you cannot bring yourself to choose something, first order their [Sashimi 4-kind Assortment for 2 People (1,600 JPY)] with your favorite sake. Enjoy the amazingly fresh fish directly delivered from Tsukiji, known as the "Kitchen of Tokyo", in a luxurious assortment platter. If you're a sake expert, try [Saba no Heshiko (700 JPY)], which is a typical dish of Fukui, where fresh mackerel is aged for a year in rice bran.

Sui-sui Ueno Branch

Open: [Weekdays] Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm) *On Friday and day before national holidays, the seats are available for a maximum of 2 hours and 30 minutes
[Saturday, National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday *Open if Monday is a National Holiday
Average price: 6,000 JPY
Address: 1F, Adorer Ueno, 3-35-9, Higashi-ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

10. Ueno Ichirin

This izakaya lets you taste seasonal Japanese dishes, overflowing with flavor, together with over 50 types of sake selected by the owner himself. Their most recommended seafood dish is [Aburi Salmon no Rare Steak (990 JPY)], which has a fatty texture and deep flavor that matches divinely with sake. This stunning dish consists of lightly seared fresh salmon sashimi, served with homemade lemon sauce and Japanese-style sauce. If you're a Japanese food connoisseur, you should definitely try their [Aburi Shime Saba with Homemade Ponzu (890 JPY)], which is a dish that really shows the skills of the chef. "Shime saba" is mackerel pressed with salt and vinegar. By scorching the surface of this carefully prepared delicacy, its umami is enhanced to the fullest, offering you an unforgettable taste.

Ueno Ichirin

Open: Lunch 12:00 pm - 4:00 am (L.O. 3:30 am) *May be closed occasionally during the day or at late night, Dinner 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm) *Unless there are reservations for lunch or late night
Closed: None, Beginning of the year (January 1)
Average price: [Dinner] 4,500 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Address: 4F, GAOH Kuromon Bldg., 2-1-9, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

11. Nidaime Kei

Here, you can have fresh seafood carefully grilled with charcoal in a fireplace. In winter, it is recommended to have oysters, as their flavor is at its peak. This restaurant stocks the best brands of oysters according to the season, such as "Kakiemon" from Hokkaido, so make sure you try them - either raw or grilled! You may also want to try the rockfish, renowned as a premium product from northern Japan, that is grilled with salt (from 3,800 JPY). Remember that there's also a huge collection of sake that you can't easily find in Kanto, like [Toyo Bijin Chokara] from Yamaguchi or Shimane's [Ouroku].

Nidaime Kei

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday] 5:30 pm - 3:00 am (L.O. 3:00 am)
Closed: Sunday *Irregular closing on national holidays
Average price: 4,800 JPY
Address: 1F, Kojima Bldg., 2-3-5, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo Map
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12. Enya Okachimachi Branch

This Japanese izakaya is located a 1 minute walk away from Okachimachi Station, in front of the hustle of Ueno's popular sightseeing area, Ameyoko. It's made up of private rooms that can accommodate from 2 customers to large groups, allowing you to relaxedly enjoy your food and drink without being bothered by other guests. The restaurant boasts of a large number of seafood dishes made with fresh products stocked every morning from Tsukiji Market, known as the "Kitchen of Japan". Make sure you experience the deliciousness of seasonal fish with their [Osashimi 4-kind Assortment (1,190 JPY plus tax)]. Then, experiment with their elaborate and creative Japanese dishes, such as [Katsuo no Ninniku Shoyu (700 JPY plus tax)] (skipjack tuna with garlic soy sauce) or [Maguro no Aburi Carpaccio - Kogashi Ninniku (820 JPY plus tax)].

Enya Okachimachi Branch

Open: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 3,000 JPY
Address: 3F, Okachimachi Grandia Bldg., 5-25-8, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

13. Kyo Honoka Ueno Okachimachi Branch

Dive into tradition and elegance at this restaurant that imitates the design of an old Kyo-machiya (a Kyoto-style merchant's house). In their private rooms, you'll get to enjoy Japanese dishes based on Kyoto's traditional recipes, characterized by sophisticated flavors and seasonal ingredients. A classic seafood recommendation is sashimi of different seasonal fish, stocked daily to ensure freshness. Why not have their [Maguro no Otsukuri (680 JPY)] or [Hotate Gaibashira no Otsukuri (680 JPY)]? Other sublime options are their Western-style seafood dishes, like the octopus or salmon carpaccio (590 JPY each)!

Kyo Honoka Ueno Okachimachi Branch

Open: 6:00 pm - 12:00 am
Closed: None, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: 5F, Ueno Nishida Bldg., 4-2-6, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

14. Uogashi Nihon-Ichi Okachimachi Branch

This sushi restaurant is one of the few that are permitted to participate in direct auctions held at Tsukiji Market, where seafood from all over Japan is sold. This guarantees the supreme quality and freshness of the ingredients they use. Despite this, their dishes come at very reasonable prices, and anyone can enjoy them in a casual and friendly atmosphere. You'll smack your lips at their [Sashimi 10-kind Assortment (1,980 JPY)], which is made with the tastiest seafood of the season. The Edo-style nigiri-zushi set, [Tsubaki], starts from 1,600 JPY. The menu is also rich in à la carte dishes that testify to the brilliant skills of the chef, such as [Tempura Assortment (1,200 JPY)] and [Asari no Sakamushi (700 JPY)] (sake-steamed clams).

Uogashi Nihon-Ichi Okachimachi Branch

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 11:00 am - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 800 JPY
Address: 4-8-7, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)

15 izakaya in Ueno that have delicious seafood dishes have been introduced. Were you able to pick a place particularly appealing to your taste? Being a destination with lots of travellers, Ueno has many more great seafood izakaya. Have fun looking for your favorite place to enjoy the gifts Japan gets from the sea each season!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.