Delicious Must-Eat Tokyo Food With Long Queues & How You Can Shorten the Waiting Time in Line
Let’s admit it: Japan is all about the food. Everything just tastes better, fresher, and way more delicious in Japan, even more so in the capital of Tokyo. It’s not uncommon to see snaking queues for restaurants across the city, with queues lasting anywhere from one to four hours.
Even if you subscribe to the mantra that good food is worth the wait - arm yourself with these tips to skip the line, or at least shorten the wait, for a much-deserved feast.
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1. Tsujihan
Tsujihan takes the usual sashimi bowl and elevates it to a scrumptious bowl of utter goodness. There’s only one thing on the menu, and that’s the Zeitaku-don - which translates to “luxurious rice bowl”. It comprises a medley of tuna, fatty tuna, clam, salmon roe, crab meat, shrimp, squid, herring roe, and cucumber; with the option to add increasingly copious amounts of crab and sea urchin.
Don’t be too quick to polish off the whole bowl — ask for some hearty broth at the end to enjoy the rest classic Japanese chazuke style.
#KlookTip: The Nihonbashi outlet near Tokyo station is said to welcome queues of up to four hours! We recommend heading to the Kagurazaka branch where you can walk right in at 7pm, with the queue only starting to form around 8pm.
Where: Nihonbashi, Kagurazaka, Ark Hills
Nearest subway stations: Tokyo station, Lidabashi station, Roppongi station (all of these stations can be reached using the Tokyo subway pass for greater savings!)
Opening hours: 11am to 9pm, daily
2. Udon Shin
Who would have thought that an unassuming bowl of udon could attract queues of up to 3 hours? At Udon Shin, choose from a variety of hot udon, cold udon with a dipping sauce, and the star of the show — the ‘carbonara’ udon, which is topped with black pepper, hot soy sauce, butter, and a delightful Tsumande goran egg.
The buckwheat udon is all made in-house upon order, accompanied by delightfully crisp cheese and pork tempura.
#KlookTip: Grab a ticket number, and monitor the queue via a QR code. That way, the wait will zoom by as you shop at the nearby Keio or Odakyu department stores!
Where: Japan, 〒151-0053 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Yoyogi, 2 Chome−20−16 相馬ビル 1F
Nearest subway station: Shinjuku
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm, daily
3. Torikizoku
Photo credit: 鳥貴族/YAKITORIYA TORIKIZOKU on Facebook
Dining at an izakaya is one of the most quintessential Japan experiences. And Torikizoku has earned a reputation for being one of the most popular izakaya chains in Tokyo! Originating in Osaka, Torikizoku is famous for its affordable yakitori, which are priced at just 360yen (~S$3.30; inclusive of tax) per pair of skewers.
Choose to have your skewers shio style (salted), or covered with a thick and sweet tare sauce. The ingredients used are all locally sourced and, here’s our favourite part, the skewers are all prepared fresh by hand for each order.
#KlookTip: Feeling hungry? Check out this all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffet at Torikizoku for just S$32.49 per person. Even better, this offer is inclusive of a reservation, so you won’t have to join the queue at all!
Where: Multiple outlets all across Tokyo, more information on the official website
Nearest subway station: Multiple
Opening hours: 5pm to 4am
4. Fuunji
Don’t be fooled by Fuunji’s queue outside the building - that only makes up part of it! Inside the restaurant itself, hungry patrons continue queuing right behind diners seated at the table. The total waiting time can go up to 1.5 to 2 hours during peak hours; we recommend going half an hour before opening time to reduce the waiting time.
Fuunji is famous for its tsukemen: the basic bowl comes with seaweed, green onions, and bamboo shoots; the special version comes with an egg and char siew. The umami broth is made from chicken bones and fish powder, and is best slurped up with the addition of diluted dashi stock at the end. Fuunji also serves a fish-based ramen but really, most people are here for the tsukemen!
#KlookTip: Upgrade to a larger portion of noodles at no cost; simply let your server know once you’re seated.
Where: Japan, 〒151-0053 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Yoyogi, 2 Chome−14−3 北斗第一ビル 1F
Nearest subway station: Shinjuku
Opening hours: 11am to 3pm, 5 to 9pm, daily
5. Butagumi
Nestled in a beautiful traditional Japanese house (with a cute crescent-shaped window!), Butagumi is a much-revered institution when it comes to tonkatsu in Tokyo. It specialises in pork tonkatsu only, offering almost 50 types of different cuts from various regions in Japan. If you can’t decide, go for the Butagumi-zen, which is a tasting flight of five types of pork.
Be prepared for long queues, especially at dinnertime. However, the restaurant does accept reservations over the phone, online or through third-party agents (with a fee).
#KlookTip: Butagumi has a strict no-perfume policy, so be sure not to wear any to avoid being turned away at the door.
Where: 2 Chome-24-9 Nishiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0031, Japan
Nearest subway station: Roppongi
Opening hours: 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 9pm; closed on Mondays
6. Orenoyakiniku
One of our guilty pleasures is a good BBQ meat dinner, and Orenoyakiniku ticks all the boxes. You’ll have to wait around 30 minutes to get a table if you didn’t make a reservation beforehand. The restaurant is famous for its 1kg beef platter, which offers nothing but some of the finest cuts of A5 wagyu beef.
#KlookTip: Ready to sink your teeth into some melt-in-your-mouth meat? We recommend the Matsusaka beef assortment set for S$63.55, the platter of six types of Matsusaka beef, or the special 12-tier selection. Even better, this offer is inclusive of a reservation, so you won’t have to join the queue at all!
Where: Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 4 Chome−10−10 地下１階 銀座山王ビル
Nearest subway station: Ginza
Opening hours: 11.30am to 3pm, 5 to 10.30pm, daily
7. Gyukatsu Motomura
Calling meat lovers! Gyukatsu Motomura is the holy grail of wagyu beef, offering a breaded version that you grill on a personal hot stone plate. In fact, it’s so popular that the queue starts forming outside each outlet as early as an hour before opening time.
There’s only one thing on the menu here, with the only difference being the amount of wagyu beef. Each meal comes with barley rice, cabbage, miso soup, cabbage, potato salad, pickles, and even two pieces of mochi. Pretty worth it, we say!
The beef is served ready to eat, but feel free to grill each piece to your preferred doneness. Garnish each piece with soy sauce, wasabi, rock salt, or horseradish and onion sauce.
#KlookTip: Celebrate, as the Shinjuku outlet has only just opened up online reservations via TableCheck!
Where: Multiple outlets all across Tokyo, more information on the official website
Nearest subway station: Multiple
Opening hours: 11am to 11pm, daily
8. Amam Dacotan
Photo credit: amam_dacotan on Facebook
Would you queue for two hours (or more!) just for bread? Judging by the long queues outside Amam Dacotan every day, we gauge that the common consensus is a resounding “yes!”. Hailing from Tokyo, this humble bakery looks like it came straight out of a storybook, complete with mysterious vines trailing across the walls.
Be spoiled for choice with around 140 types of bread, with the sandwiches deserving a special mention. Don’t miss out on the signature maritozzi, the bakery’s take on the Italian cream-filled version.
#KlookTip: If you know what you want, make a reservation online and head down to collect your goodies without having to join the queue.
Where: 3 Chome-7-6 Kita-Aoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0061, Japan
Nearest subway station: Omotesando
Opening hours: 10am to 7pm, closed on Wednesdays
9. Yamachou
Tsukiji Outer Market is a bustling street food haven, boasting narrow alleys lined with stalls touting sparkling oysters, the freshest sashimi, smoky unagi skewers, chewy mochis, and more. Snaking queues are a common sight, even more so at Yamachou - a popular tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette) stall.
You know you’re in for a treat when there’s only one thing on the menu: the fluffy tamagoyaki are cooked on the spot, and served steaming hot on a skewer.
#KlookTip: Come as early as possible so you can enjoy this treat and explore other food options at the market. P/S: Eating as you’re walking is frowned upon in Japan, so do remember to polish off your food before you move off!
Where: 4 Chome-10-10 Tsukiji, 中央区 Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
Nearest subway station: Tsukijishijo
Opening hours: 6.50am to 3.30pm, daily
10. Ichiran Ramen
Hailing from Fukuoka, Ichiran Ramen has captured the stomachs of travellers all around the world. Known as the ramen for solo diners, Ichiran Ramen puts diners in single booths, where you eat facing a wall — all the better to savour the flavour, they say.
There’s only one type of ramen here, but you can customise it according to your desired spicy noodles, noodle texture, and even add on toppings like vinegar or bamboo shoots. Simply place an order via a vending machine, and fill in your preferences on an order sheet.
Even better, most outlets open till the wee hours of the night, making it a fantastic supper spot!
#KlookTip: Head to the less popular outlets, and you won't have to wait too long for a seat! Or if you want to avoid the crowds, come in the wee hours for a delicious supper.
Where: Multiple outlets all across Tokyo, more information on the official website
Nearest subway station: Multiple
Opening hours: Varies
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