Refresh Yourself This Summer with Some Delicious Food! Top 14 Unagi Restaurants in Tokyo Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jan 30 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Eel Tokyo

Refresh Yourself This Summer with Some Delicious Food! Top 14 Unagi Restaurants in Tokyo

Unagi (eel) is a typical summer food in Japan. Not only is it delicious, but it is also full of vitamins and great for combating fatigue due to the heat. Below are 14 of the best unagi restaurants in Tokyo.

See full listings of restaurants found in and around Tokyo.

1. Unagi Takase (Komiya)

This restaurant serves a wide variety of unagi dishes. For example, in the classic [Unaju Matsu] (2,983 JPY) (grilled unagi basted with a special sauce on rice in a lacquer box), a live unagi is prepared and grilled upon order. The succulent meat melts in your mouth, and the delicious umami (Japanese savory taste) is not compromised in the cooking process. The menu also has an abundance of dishes that go fantastically well with alcohol, such as the [Grilled Liver], [Grilled Fin], and [Kabutoni] (simmered unagi head). The [Shio-yaki] (2,700 JPY) - domestic unagi grilled with salt and served with wasabi shoyu (soy sauce) - is particularly recommended. They use the highly reputed Koshihikari rice from Niigata Prefecture, polishing the unmilled rice in-house and then carefully cooking it in alkaline ionized water to give it a fluffy texture and mellow flavor.

Unagi Takase

Open: [Sunday, National Holidays] 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
[Monday, Tuesday, Thursday - Saturday, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm
*Ends when stocks of unagi run out
Closed: Wednesday, 3rd Thursday of the month
*Except in January, July, August, and December
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Address: 1112-4, Komiya-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo (Map)
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2. Unagiku (Koshinzuka, Nishi-sugamo)

Unagiku is a widely known unagi specialty restaurant with nearly 40 years of history. Their expert chefs remove around 200 bones in each and every unagi to ensure that the end result is the luxuriously tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture that this restaurant is famed for. They have maintained to keep their original sauce, by continuously adding the sauce on top for many years, which further enhances the rich flavor of unagi. Don’t miss out on trying the [Unaju Kiku] (3,600 JPY), which features a rich flavor kabayaki unagi (grilled eel that's basted with a special sauce) laid on top, as well as other dishes!

Unagiku

Open: 11:00 am - 8:45 pm
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY
Address: 1F, Iwata Bldg., 3-1-2, Nishi Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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3. Asakusa Unagi Sansho (Tawaramachi, Asakusa)

Located in Asakusa - a downtown part of Tokyo - this popular restaurant has around 30 years of history. The name "Sansho" refers to a type of Japanese pepper that perfectly accentuates the flavor of unagi. As per its name, this restaurant carefully selects the type of sansho they use, opting for a highly aromatic variety from Kyoto. Fresh, live unagi is procured from wholesalers every morning to ensure customers get only the freshest ingredients. The popular [Unaju] (from 2,900 JPY) consists of kabayaki unagi that has been carefully prepared and arranged over hot rice. It is recommended to try the refreshing combination of kabayaki unagi with cucumber through the incredibly popular pickled dish, [Uzaku] (1,950 JPY).

Asakusa Unagi Sansho

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, Dinner 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:30 pm)
Closed: Thursday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Address: 2-25-7, Nishi Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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4. Unagi Fujita Shirokanedai Branch (Shirokanedai)

This is the only unagi restaurant in Tokyo that's directly managed by a long-established restaurant, whose main branch is located in the heart of unagi cuisine - the city of Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. The unagi used here is predominantly caught in Lake Hamana, Hamamatsu. This unagi is kept for a week in water drawn from the basement of the restaurant. Special methods are used to make them throw up dirt, which removes any unwanted odors from the unagi itself. Their kabayaki sauce has a refined taste and is not overly sweet. The unagi is coated with this sauce and grilled over ubame oak, which makes for high-grade charcoal, after which they are slowly steamed to perfection. Some of their best dishes include the umami-filled [Unaju (Yama)] (3,800 JPY), as well as the crunchy yet slightly bitter [Liver Tempura] (700 JPY), which is one out of many liver dishes on the menu.

Unagi Fujita Shirokanedai Branch

Open: [Tuesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from Exit 1 of Shirokanedai Station on Tokyo Metro Namboku Line or Municipal Subway Mita Line.
Address: 3F, IGAX Bldg., 4-19-21, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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5. Unagi Komagata Maekawa Main Branch (Asakusa)

This long-standing unagi restaurant has a proud 200-year history. From their large windows, customers can dine while enjoying views overlooking TOKYO SKYTREE, traditional downtown cityscapes during the day, and romantic nightscapes. Though the unagi used here is not wild, it is top-quality domestic unagi that has been raised to meet the highest possible standards. It is characterized by its tender, melt-in-the-mouth fat. Their signature dish is the [Unaju] (from 4,212 JPY), in which unagi is coated in a special sauce that hasn’t changed since the restaurant's establishment. Another popular dish is the mild [Umaki] (1,296 JPY) - a dish of unagi rolled in egg that has sauce, sugar, and other ingredients mixed in.

Unagi Komagata Maekawa Main Branch

Open: 11:30 am - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Address: 2-1-29, Komagata, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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6. Unagi Uomasa (Yotsugi)

This is well-known, yet a hideaway in Tokyo’s old downtown. It serves trademark-registered Tokuchu Katsuman, where each and every unagi is prepared only upon order. This time-consuming process obviously takes 40 minutes before your meal is served, but the food is most definitely worth waiting. Popular dishes include [Unaju Bandotaro (Tokujo)] (5,880 JPY), which uses Bandotaro unagi - a brand of unagi that, though farmed, is as close to wild as you can get. It is well-known for being tender enough to melt in the mouth, as well as for its fine umami. While waiting for your entree, [Bone Senbei] (bone crackers) is recommended to order. It is deliciously crispy and goes well with sake (Japanese alcohol).

Unagi Uomasa

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:00 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Tuesday, 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,500 JPY
Address: 4-14-4, Higashi Yotsugi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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7. Unagi Fugu Kaiseki Imai (Kuramae)

Unagi Fugu Kaiseki Imai is located in traditional Kuramae, Tokyo. Though Japanese cuisine using seasonal ingredients such as fugu (blowfish) is what's served here, their unagi dishes hold the most popularity. The unagi is procured from suppliers across Japan, with only the freshest ones that are in the season being selected. A popular dish is the [Special Unaju] (3,200 JPY plus tax). This meaty dish has been beautifully grilled using age-old methods. Their special sauce with a concentrated, deep umami also enhances the delicious flavor of unagi.

Unagi Fugu Kaiseki Imai

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 950 JPY
Address: 4-23-1, Kuramae, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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8. Akasaka Inageya (Akasaka)

With over 80 years of history, the rich sauce used at this restaurant was inherited from the restaurant’s main branch when the founder went independent during the Edo era (1603 – 1868). This sauce is what makes the unagi at this restaurant so delicious! The unagi is first steamed before they are aromatically grilled, making them tender and fragrant. Besides the classic [Unaju] (from 3,800 JPY), they also serve [Hitsumabushi] (from 4,300 JPY). This popular dish consists of cuts of unagi on rice, eaten after pouring in some skipjack tuna dashi (broth). Private rooms are also available, allowing customers to kick back and relax while enjoying their meal.

Akasaka Inageya

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 1:30 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (Food L.O. 9:30 pm, Drinks L.O. 10:30 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
*Only open on Sunday and national holidays if there are reservations for course meals (minimum 5 people)
Closed: Summer, Beginning and end of the year
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 1F, Kiyokawa Bldg., 2-13-21, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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9. Torikadoya (Shimbashi)

Established in 1912, this restaurant adheres to a strong set of beliefs. It never makes any part of the dish in advance, and it stocks live unagi on a daily basis. Each and every dish is made upon order, so you can be assured of its freshness. After repeated trial and error, they have settled on using Koshihikari rice produced in Ibaraki and Aioi mirin (sweetened sake for cooking) from Aichi Prefecture, which has a refined sweetness. These ingredients were examined closely to ensure they perfectly match the umami of the unagi. Don’t miss out on the deliciousness of their [Unaju] (from 2,200 JPY), where kabayaki unagi is served on top of hot rice. Chicken dishes are also available, along with an extensive a la carte section that goes amazingly well with alcohol.

Torikadoya

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm (L.O. 7:30 pm)
Closed: Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY, 4,800 JPY (course meal) / [Lunch] 1,450 JPY
Address: Shinbashi Suzuki Bldg., 4-27-9, Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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10. Unagi Kushiyaki Shinten (Ningyocho)

Unagi restaurants may have a reputation for being too extravagant or hard to enter, but this restaurant has a great reputation for their comfortable, izakaya-like (Japanese pub) atmosphere where you can enjoy fresh unagi. Only domestic unagi is used, each of which are deliciously grilled over binchotan (high-quality charcoal). One recommended dish from their extensive unagi menu is the charcoal-grilled offal dish, [Unagi Kushiyaki] (from 280 JPY). The small organs are cut carefully from unagi that they procure every morning, separated by type, and skewered before being grilled. They have a slightly bitter taste, but are full of nutrition! They go perfectly with alcoholic drinks, such as their many varieties of sake.

Unagi Kushiyaki Shinten

Open: 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:15 pm)
Closed: None
*Closed during Golden Week
Average price: 3,500 JPY
Address: 1-14-7, Nihonbashi Kakigara-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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11. Iriya Kishimojin-monzen Nodaya (Iriya)

Ever since its opening in 1868, Nodaya Chef Introduction Agency - known as the headquarters of unagi chefs - have been sending chefs to a vast number of restaurants. It is the head of the agency that stands at the grill of this restaurant, which is directly managed by Nodaya and demonstrates its essence – the most important part being "Manben Kaeshi" (a method of continuously turning the unagi for even cooking). Not only does this method protect the flesh from getting charred, but it also results in fluffy meat and incredibly aromatic skin. Recommended dishes include the [Vinegared Eel Served with Shredded Plum Sauce] (1,650 JPY plus tax). This signature dish consists of raw unagi, which has been soaked in vinegar before being mixed with an ume (plum) sauce. Its exquisite acidity goes amazingly well with the natural flavor of unagi.

Iriya Kishimojin-monzen Nodaya

Open: Lunch from 11:00 am, Dinner from 5:00 pm
*Closes when stocks run out
Closed: Monday *Closed the following day instead if Monday falls on a national holiday
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Address: 2-3-1, Shitaya, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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12. Tsukiyomi (Akasaka)

Tucked away along the main street of Akasaka, this restaurant feels like a hidden getaway. The unagi used here are rare, wild ones whose fat tastes refreshing. Some of their best dishes include the simple [Wild Unagi Shirayaki] - in which wild unagi that's been freshly fished out of their tank is broiled without oil or seasonings - as well as the delicately rich [Unaju] (from 5,000 JPY). All their dishes are guaranteed to be full of rich umami, as they only use wild unagi.

Tsukiyomi

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:45 am - 2:00 pm, Dinner from 5:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
[Saturday] Dinner from 5:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
*Unagi is available until 8:30 pm. Kimagure Bar starts from 10:00 pm.
*Operates as a Japanese-style bar when the lights outside are on.
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
*Closed December 31 – January 3
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 6-4-17, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)

13. Akihabara Santomo (Akihabara)

This restaurant in Akihabara has been operating for more than 80 years. Besides serving a wide variety of Japanese cuisine and fugu dishes, it also has a fantastic reputation for delicious unagi. Each and every unagi is handpicked and of high-quality. Each unagi is grilled differently and steamed for varying durations. Their delicious sauce, which has been added to since their establishment, perfectly brings out the umami of unagi. Those wishing to savor as much delicious unagi as possible should opt for the luxurious [Unagi Manzoku Course] (8,680 JPY), which consists of appetizers and even a dessert, as well as simple shirayaki dishes, tempura, and unagi that has been gently steamed with yuba (tofu skin).

Akihabara Santomo

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
*Closed during Obon (mid-August) and New Year
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 15-1, Kanda Matsunaga-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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14. Unasho Main Branch (Shinjuku)

This restaurant is just a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. While an extensive menu is available, the [Special Hitsumabushi] (3,150 JPY) is the most popular dish! It consists of sliced kabayaki unagi on rice, served with condiments like wasabi. Customers pour dashi over the dish before eating. Other recommendations are dishes where liver or dorsal fins are skewered, as well as [Umaki] (1,000 JPY) - consisting of unagi rolled in egg - and [Shirayaki] (2,950 JPY), which is a simple dish of grilled unagi served with wasabi.

Unasho Main Branch

Open: [Monday - Thursday, Saturday, Sunday] 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm)
[Friday] 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (L.O. 1:00 am)
Closed: None
Average price: 4,500 JPY
Address: 1F, Taniai Bldg., 1-3-15, Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (Map)

Beautifully grilled unagi dishes are wonderful to eat even during the summer, when your appetite might be reduced. Please take this article with you and visit the restaurants mentioned if you happen to visit Japan during the summer!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.