GYUKATSU MOTOMURA

This is a highly popular chain throughout Tokyo. Do I think it’s worth it? Yes BUT only if the queue is short and your wait is no longer than 20 minutes. GYUKATSU MOTOMURA serves tender beef katsu that is rare however you can cook it to your liking with the heated stone plate at your table. Several different sauces to choose from and each set comes with rice, miso soup and shredded cabbage. Just like In N Out, they only serve this simple dish however the difference is the amount you want to consume. The smallest set is about $11 USD while the largest is $20 USD. Be sure to go 30 minutes before opening OR during non peak hours as they can have 1-2 hour queues. You can also go to the Coredo location in Nihonbashi as it’s usualy the least busiest from what I noticed. This location is not far from SENSOJI TEMPLE or TOKYO SKYTREE which are other popular tourist destinations so you can plan your day with that as well.

UDON SHIN

UDON SHIN is a EXTREMELY popular spot with ONE location. The queue here is absoloutely insane so please keep that in mind. I strongly advise you arrive at 9 to put your name down on the iPad. If you made it in the first 10, return around 10:30 and stick REALLY close by. They start messaging everyone to queue up physically which you’ll eventually be led in. Trust me, I know their queue system is ridiculous but the udon here is truly the fantastic. Keep in mind I do avoid the soup based udon. I recommend spicy udon, beef yuzu or even the bacon tempura udon. The udon itself is damn good and you can probably find so many spots that do it similar however a lot of spots don’t have the mentioned flavors. CHECK OUT THE IG REEL LINKED BELOW.

IMAKATSU

IMAKATSU is one spot that I think is OFTEN overlooked. They’ve perfected chicken katsu in the most interesting way that really just resembles a nicer looking chicken tender. Super moist, tender and really inexpensive overall. At about $12 USD, each set comes with miso soup, shredded cabbage and rice. Try dipping each katsu in a little bit of salt, wasabi or katsu sauce! Be sure to go to the Akasaka Mitsuke location as the other location especially Ginza gets extremely busy.

HIKINIKU TO COME

HIKINIKU TO COME fantastic Japanese style hamburger spot in Shibuya that is just as popular though reservations are slightly easier to obtain. RESERVATIONS ONLY. Their TableCheck webpage does mention it’s released on certain days however I do notice they release same day reservations around 8:45. Keep refreshing every other minute until about 9:05-9:10 and you should be able to snag one! If you are locked out due refreshing (it happened to me once), turn off wifi and try using cell service or another phone. Each hambagu set comes with unlimited rice, 3 patties, 1 egg and miso soup for about $13 USD.

TAMAKE KAKE GOHAN (TKG)

Consuming raw eggs on a bowl of warm rice and a little soy sauce is quite common. Many might be apprehensive about consuming raw eggs but it is completely safe in Japan. There are some shops that will even do all you can eat for raw eggs such as Kichijoji’s TKG A STORY OF EGGS or even KISABURO NOJO. They’ll have a variety of eggs from all over Japan including my favorite yuzu eggs. All you can eat may sound nice but it can be overwhelming and I found i couldn’t eat more than 4.

TONKATSU

Tonkatsu just like sushi is everywhere. I tend to want more tonkatsu than sushi as there aren’t many great tonkatsu spots in the US. You’ll find shops everywhere with pork being sourced locally from all over Japan. You can find even find it at Denny’s! There are 2 kinds of Tonkatsu cuts: Hire and Rosu. Hire is a leaner cut of pork tenderloin however Rosu is richer and fattier though keep in mind it is fattier. My favorite place to get Tonkatsu is Harenochi Katsu in Ginza. CASH ONLY and known for their special LYB Pork which is produced by a farm in the Shizouka prefecture. Only 1,000 are shipped out annual with a few stores in Tokyo selling them. Be warned the Premium Loin is extremely fatty and can be rich for some. I think the Shoulder Loin should be adequate in this case for most. Just be sure you are ordering LYB Pork. Meal set comes with rice, miso soup and shredded cabbage.

JAPANESE ITALIAN

A lot of people seem to agree that pizza in Japan is unlike any other. They’ve put their own spin on the Italian classic and places like Savoy (pictured left) or Marumo. These are two popular spots so be sure to make reservations if possible!

YAKINIKU LIKE

If you’re a solo traveler or happen to be dining alone, places like Yakiniku Like has you covered. Yakiniku Like as the name implies is a yakiniku spot and is relatively inexpensive. There are several options whether you get a certain combo or protein and rice only, it will depend on how hungry you are. They’re mostly for solo diners however some locations have a 2 seater. You can still technically dine with a friend and be seated side by side if you’d like.