5 Totally Affordable Michelin-Star Restaurants in Tokyo
- AS
- May 1, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: May 4, 2019
It's not often that one can dine at a really fancy restaurant, let alone a Michelin-starred restaurant. However, not all Michelin restaurants are totally-over-your-budget eateries; in fact, Tokyo is one of the best cities to experience top-notch, Michelin-starred restaurants at a very affordable price.
Here are 5 of the cheapest Michelin Star Restaurants in Tokyo that are easily accessible via public transit, and of course, worth every minute of your travel.
(1) NAKIRYU (Otsuka, Tokyo)
(source: https://r.gnavi.co.jp/akadann10000/)
This small ramen eatery located in a rather discreet area in Metropolitan Tokyo might have an unimpressive appearance, but a book must not be judged by its cover. The restaurant prides itself with not one, not two, but three one-stars from Michelin, for three years in a row.
Since there are only 10 seats available, and the place is small and easy to miss, I would recommend giving yourself plenty of time to find the place to line up.
Their two best-ranked ramen are "shoyu ramen" (soy-sauce based ramen) and "tan-tan men" (spicy ramen). Their broths are made from chicken, oyster, and beef bones; noodles are hand-made by the owner. And the best part? These bowls are priced at a mere 850 yen, which only comes to approximately $10USD. Talk about a cheap Michelin experience!
Location: SKY MINAMI-OTSUKA 2-34-4 Minami-Otsuka, Toyoshima Ward, Tokyo (located first floor)
Hours: Monday 11:30~15:30; Wednesday to Sunday 11:30~15:30, 18:00~21:00 *will close as soon as they run out of broth. Tuesday is CLOSED.
(2) NAKAJIMA (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Located in the heart of downtown Tokyo, Restaurant Nakajima is the place to experience top-notch, traditional Japanese food. Since its opening in 1925, the restaurant prides itself with numerous awards and distinctions, including TV appearances and several books written by its owner, Sadaharu Nakajima.
Their dinner menu is a little more on the expensive side, but lunch is extremely affordable, and thus recommended. Their sardine dishes are especially popular, with price ranging from 800~900 yen (approx. $10USD). They also provide course menus which comes to around $60USD. It's still not a bad price, considering this restaurant is one of the best places to experience authentic Japanese cuisine.
Here's their English website, if you want to take a look: https://pocket-concierge.jp/en/restaurants/243774
Location: NICHIHARA BUILDING 3-32-5 Shinjuku, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo (located basement floor)
Hours: Monday-Saturday Lunch hours 11:30~14:00; Dinner hours 17:30~21:30. Closed on Sundays and national holidays.
(3) TONKATSU MASAMUNE (Tameike-Sanno, Tokyo)
If you love tonkatsu (or anything fried for that matter) this place is a must. Masamune's pork cutlets are made with simple, yet extremely top-notch ingredients, including rice oil that are rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, homemade bread crumbs, and domestically-grown pork.
To enjoy the flavours of the pork to its greatest extent, I recommend you not to drench it in sauce (which is the mainstream way of eating tonkatsu), but to simply enjoy the cutlets with salt.
But the best part about this all? Their lunch special is only 980 yen, and it comes with pork cutlets, rice, Japanese pickles, and pork soup ("tonjiru"). That's approximately $10USD!
And if their portions aren't enough, they offer a bigger-portioned special for 1,680 yen. A Michelin experience for under $20? I'll take that any day.
Location: 2-8-19 Akasaka, Minato-ward, Tokyo (3-minute walk from "Tameike-sanno" station on the Ginza subway line and the Nanboku subway line.)
Hours: Monday to Friday Lunch hours 11:30~15:00; Dinner hours 18:00~22:00. Saturday 11:30~15:00. Closed on Sundays and holidays.
(4) UNAGI HASHIMOTO (Suido, Tokyo)
If you're a die-hard Friends fan like I am, the word "unagi" might bring you back to that one episode where Ross mansplains his kara(TEH) skills. But no, unagi does not mean "a total sense of awareness" nor is it a fancy, made-up-Ross-concept. It is the Japanese word for "eel", or more popularly, "grilled eel".
Established almost 200 years ago in 1835, Unagi Hashimoto is one of the oldest and the most prestigious unagi eateries in Japan. Their recipe remains unchanged since its opening, and their "secret sauce", which has been passed down for six generations, continue to be the key to their success.
Despite such prestige, they offer their most basic unagi-don (grilled eel on rice) from 3,100 yen~. It might sound a bit pricy, but this is a very reasonable price for a unagi-don.
Here is their English site, if you're interested: http://www.unagi-hashimoto.jp/english.html)
Location: 2-5-7 Suido, Bunkyo-ward, Tokyo (3 minute walk from "Edogawabashi Station" on the Yurakucho Subway Line. Take Exit 4.)
Hours: Lunch hours 11:30~14:00; Dinner hours 16:30~20:00 (last order is 19:30). CLOSED once a month on Wednesday (please confirm by telephone), and every Thursday.
(5) DA OLMO RESTAURANT (Kamiyacho, Tokyo)
Tokyo is a hub for high-quality cuisines from around the world and not just Japanese food. Da Olmo is an Italian restaurant located near the Tokyo Tower, and prides itself with a one-star from Michelin. Their lunch set comes with a generously-portioned salad, two kinds of pastas, bread, and coffee for just 1500 yen. Add another 300 yen and you get dessert.
Not a bad deal, huh? I would recommend making a reservation though, as it is, undoubtedly, an extremely popular restaurant in the area.
Location: 5-3-9 Toranomon, Minato-ward, Tokyo (2 minute walk from "Kamiyacho Station".)
Hours: Tuesday to Friday Lunch hours 11:30~14:00; Dinner hours 18:00~23:00. Monday & Saturday 18:00~23:00 (dinner only). Closed on Sundays and holidays.
Lastly...
If you think you cannot afford a Michelin-Star experience, think again. If anything, Tokyo is the place to experience top-notch food at a top-notch restaurant. And the best part is, you don't have to cry over a couple-hundred-dollar bill at the end of your amazing meal!
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