Tokyo Must-Eats! 10 Downtown Gourmet Spots to Have Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Nov 12 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Tokyo Must-Eats! 10 Downtown Gourmet Spots to Have Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki

Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake) is usually classified as a specialty of Osaka and Hiroshima, but Tokyo has several restaurants that boast their own version as well. Many of them also serve monjayaki (a runnier version of okonomiyaki), a typical delicacy of Tokyo's downtown areas. Discover the 10 most recommended places in Tokyo to enjoy them!

See full listings of Okonomiyaki restaurants found in and around Tokyo.

1. Jinroku

Jinroku, a prestigious Shirokane restaurant, provides luxurious Teppanyaki in a relaxed yet sophisticated setting. The menu features high-end dishes like Wagyu steak and lobster, as well as dinner-friendly Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki. The famous Jinroku Gomoku Takoyaki is a celebrity favorite. The restaurant offers counter seats for watching the chef's expertise and private rooms. Frequently visited for business entertainment or after-work meals on weekdays, it's a weekend hotspot for dates and families. Its wide-ranging menu, friendly service, and refined cuisine ensure a memorable dining experience.

Jinroku

Open: [Tuesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day Before National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY
Access: From Hiro-o Station Exit 2, go south on Tokyo Metropolitan Road 418. It's on the right side after passing two intersections. 15-minute walk from Ebisu Station and Shirokanedai Station Exit 1.
Address: 1F, WATOREI Shirokane, 6-23-3, Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo Map
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2. Ocomo (Asakusa)

Tokyo Must-Eats! 10 Downtown Gourmet Spots to Have Okonomiyaki & Monjayaki

This is a popular restaurant in Asakusa, one of the working class areas of Tokyo. In its classy interiors, whose design evokes a resort lounge, you can savor lots of delicious dishes. For both your okonomiyaki and monjayaki, you get to choose your favorite toppings among pork, cheese, garlic, kimchi, and many more. Create your original combo! In addition, the menu also offers several teppanyaki (ingredients grilled on an iron griddle) dishes, as well as snacks to pair with your alcoholic drink so that you can enjoy a variety of foods.

Ocomo

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm Dinner 5:00 am - 12:30 am *During lunch on weekdays, only groups reservations are accepted.
[Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 5:00 pm Dinner 5:00 pm - 12:30 am *We are open non-stop 11:30 am - 12:30 am
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: A 1-minute walk from either exit 1 from Asakusa station on the Toei Asakusa line, exit A4 from Asakusa station on the Ginza line or exit A1 from TX Asakusa station.
Address: KN Asakusa Bldg. 2F , 1-10-5 Asakusa , Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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3. Okonomiyaki Monjayaki Asakusa Tsurujiro (Asakusa)

2. Okonomiyaki Monjayaki Asakusa Tsurujiro (Asakusa)

This place has the refined interiors of a top-class restaurant. Trained in a traditional Japanese kitchen, the chef-owner prepares a large variety of dishes, focusing on okonomiyaki and monjayaki. There are also several a-la-carte options. One of the most recommended types of okonomiyaki is the [Asakusa-yaki], wherein ingredients like shrimp, squid, and perilla leaves create a nice and refreshing flavor. Also, don't miss their richly flavored [Monjayaki], which incorporates dashi (broth) created by boiling chicken and vegetables for 3 days. They have multilingual staff (English, Chinese, and Korean).

Okonomiyaki Monjayaki Asakusa Tsurujiro

Open: [Weekdays, Saturdays, Days before holidays] Lunch 11:30 am -3:00 pm (last order 2:30 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (last order 9:00 pm)
[Sundays, Holidays] Hours 11:30 pm - 9:00 pm (last order 8:00 pm)
Closed: Tuesdays
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 980 JPY
Access: A three minute walk from the number 1 exit of Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station. Head straight toward Asakusa Public Hall, on the right.
Address: 1-20-8 Asakusa , Taito-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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4. Azabu Juban Romantei (Azabu-juban)

If you want to experience a more formal and solemn atmosphere, eat here. This restaurant is mostly popular for its teppanyaki dishes made with high-grade ingredients like uni (sea urchin), abalone, and Kuroge Wagyu (a type of high-quality beef), to name a few. Without any limitations in terms of brand or production area, they only stock "the best products available on the day". They're cooked in ways that enhance their flavor, and served the exact moment they reach their peak deliciousness. A recommendation would be the luxurious [Deluxe (Okonomiyaki)], a sublime delicacy in which high-grade ingredients like shrimp, crab, and Iberian pork are wisely combined. They also have an English menu.

Azabu Juban Romantei

Open: [Weekday/Saturday/national holiday/eve of national holiday] Normal hours: 6:00 pm -11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm)
[Sunday] Normal hours: 5:30 pm -11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: -
Access: Exit Azubu-Juban Station on the Toei Oedo Line from Exit 7. From there it's a 1 minute walk.
Address: New Takao Heights 2F, 1-5-13 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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5. Ebessan (Ebisu)

Only 1 minute away on foot from Ebisu Station, there's this famed restaurant where a skilled Osaka-born chef offers authentic Kansai-style okonomiyaki to the citizens of Tokyo. If you don't know what to get, try the [Ebessan Special], voluminous okonomiyaki filled with shrimp, squid, scallops, and pork. You won't be able to stop eating or drinking when faced with its fluffy texture combined with the delicious sauce. Aside from that, there are many other popular Kansai dishes available on the menu, like the [Omu Yakisoba], wherein Chinese noodles are wrapped in a thin omelet, and the [Sujikon no Negiyaki] that consists of sweet-and-salty stewed beef sinew and konjac.

Ebessan

Open: Normal hours: 5:00pm - 1:00am (last order 12 midnight)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY
Access: One minute walk from JR Ebisu Station. 104 meters from the station. Next to the fish store.
Address: Daikoku Bldg. 1F, 1-8-14 Ebisu , Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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6. Chacha (Azabu-juban)

Walk 5 minutes from Azabu-juban Station, and you'll find this famous restaurant on the 3rd floor of a stylish building. Here, you can have many variations of okonomiyaki and monjayaki, such as the [Tonpeiyaki], consisting of pork wrapped in egg and grilled, or the [Okonomiyaki - Asparagus Tomato-yaki], made with plenty of vegetables. Other items worth a try are their teppanyaki (ingredients grilled on an iron griddle) dishes made with fresh scallops, squid, and other seafood, as well as juicy sirloin steak. Thanks to its fashionable atmosphere that offers a sense of freedom, as well as the lineup of cider and other sweet liquors, this place is particularly appreciated by many.

Chacha

Open: (Sunday) Normal hours 5:00pm- 11:00pm (last order 11:30, Food and Drinks)
(Tuesday-Saturday) Normal hours 5:30pm- 1:00am (last order: Food 12:00am, Drinks 12:20am)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: Five minute walk from exit 7 of Azabujuban station on the Toei Oedo line or Namboku line.
Address: Kadoru Azabu Juban 3F, 3-11-2 Moto Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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7. Monja Mugi (Tsukishima)

Established over 35 years ago, this long-established monjayaki spot is extremely popular among both locals and tourists. The diverse menu is comprised of delicacies like the [Kimchi Mix Ten], filled with kimchi, mochi (glutinous rice), and meat; the [Healthy Monja], made with shirasu (whitebait), tofu, and great burdock; and the [Sea Monja], whose ingredient list includes squid, shrimp, and mentai (walleye pollack roe). There are also okonomiyaki, teppanyaki, and a-la-carte dishes that accompany alcoholic drinks. If you decide to visit, make sure you order one of their original menu items, like the [Mugi Original Mugiyaki], a sort of grilled crepe stuffed with cheese and vegetables. Their menu also comes in English, Chinese, and Korean.

Monja Mugi

Open: [Tuesday-Sunday/Holidays/Day Before Holidays] Normal hours 11:30 AM-10:30 PM (last order 9:45 PM)
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY
Access: A two minute walk from exit 7 in Tsukishima Station.
Address: 1-23-10 Tsukishima , Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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8. Oshio Ataru (Tsukishima)

There's a high concentration of monjayaki restaurants in Tsukishima, and this is one of the most popular. Other than monjayaki variations like the praised [Ataru Original Monja - Mentaiko, Mochi, and Cheese], the menu includes several teppanyaki dishes - made with super fresh seafood and vegetables, which are served to you freshly grilled and piping hot - and okonomiyaki dishes. This restaurant is also appealing for its collection of wine and champagne, starting from the well-known Dom Perignon. These dishes are usually paired with beer, but don't miss this opportunity to taste them with champagne and wine!

Oshio Ataru

Open: Normal hours: 12:00 pm -11:00 pm, last order at 10:30 pm
Closed: None
Average price: -
Access: Leave exit 5 of Tsukishima station and turn right at the first corner, the restaurant is down the second left, at the first corner.
Address: 1-10-4 Tsukishima , Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Map)
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9. Nanja Monja (Kinshicho)

Another downtown area of Tokyo is Kinshicho, and it's where this well-known restaurant sits. Here, you should try the [Modanyaki], a type of okonomiyaki made from grilled Chinese noodles and pork, dressed with a special sauce and mayonnaise. This popular menu item has a rich yet pleasant flavor. Alternatively, you can choose among numerous original menu items like the piping hot and creamy [Camembert Monjayaki], made with a giant block of cheese, and the [Tomato Italian-yaki], a teppanyaki dish where fresh tomatoes are topped with a generous amount of cheese.

Nanja Monja

Open: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: 3,000 JPY
Address: 1F, Nakayama Bldg., 1-21-12, Mori, Koto-ku, Tokyo (Map)

10. Narimachi (Oshiage)

You'll love the homey atmosphere of this popular restaurant. Located quite close to Tokyo Skytree, it will soon be 30 years since this place started delighting its many fans, especially locals. If you're in the mood for okonomiyaki, go for their [Large Mixed Seafood Ten], made with scallops, clams, and all sorts of seafood, or the [Yukinko-yaki], where the mochi base is shaped like a snowflake and grilled. Apart from yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) delicacies like Wagyu kalbi and teppanyaki items like grilled seafood, you may also want to try their monjayaki, which are available with many different toppings.

Narimachi

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday] 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm) *For the raised tatami rooms, the last order is 30 minutes earlier.
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 4:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm) *For the raised tatami rooms, the last order is 30 minutes earlier.
Closed: Wednesday, Summer holidays, Beginning and end of the year, etc.
Average price: 2,500 JPY
Address: 1F, Machida Mansion, 1-9-9, Narihira, Sumida-ku, Tokyo (Map)

11. Temari (Tsukishima)

At the entrance of Tsukishima's Monja Street, lined up with countless popular eateries, stands an old restaurant founded in 1977. From classics to innovative dishes, the menu options are incredibly varied, allowing customers to enjoy many flavors. Some recommended items are the [Super Spicy Mapo Monja], spiced up by chili peppers; the [Beef Sinew Monja], filled with plenty of beef tendons that have been slowly stewed in house; and the [Spinach, Corned Beef, and Cheese Monja] that beautifully combines sweet and umami (Japanese savory taste) flavors. There's also a teppanyaki menu with items such as okonomiyaki and hot dogs.

Temari

Open: [Tuesday - Friday, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Closed: Monday *If it's a national holiday, it will be closed the next day instead
Average price: 2,000 JPY
Address: 106, 1-8-1, Tsukishima, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Map)

Next time you visit Tokyo, treat yourself to a fragrant, piping hot, freshly grilled okonomiyaki or monjayaki at one of the restaurants above!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.