Ranking
The best places to eat in Japan
An editorial ranking of restaurants, cafés and bars: grades from A+ to F, price range, and the Tabelog score where one exists.
Places ranked: 2,446
Yakitori Mochizuki: Stop-Order Omakase Yakitori
Nara · Fine Dining
A reservation-only yakitori counter in Nara, where a single chef serves a 'stop-order' omakase. Skewers are grilled over charcoal and served continuously until you ask him to stop, making for a focused and personal dining experience.
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Katsuya charcoal grill steakhouse: Theatrical Charcoal Steaks
Osaka · Steakhouse
A members-style steakhouse in Osaka's Kita ward, where guests choose their cut from a whole joint before it's grilled over charcoal. The experience is theatrical, from the locked door with its lion knocker to the tableside meat presentation.
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Patsu Curry: Authentic Odishan Home Cooking
Aichi Prefecture · Casual Dining
A rare specialist in home-style cooking from India's Odisha region, located in Nagoya's Showa ward. It's a destination for its unique, well-composed thalis featuring fragrant dal and distinctive mustard-based fish curries.
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Choko Sorae: Refined Chinese Dining with an Ocean View
Kagawa · Fine Dining
In a quiet house restaurant in Takamatsu with a full ocean-view terrace, a Tokyo-trained chef serves refined, course-only Chinese cuisine. It's a destination for special-occasion dining, prized for its exemplary hospitality and signature dishes like…
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Deglacer: Sommelier-Run Wine Bar
Osaka · Bistro
In Osaka's Sonezakishinchi district, Deglacer is an intimate counter bar run by a senior sommelier who also prepares the food. It's a destination for expertly chosen by-the-glass wine pairings and refined French-European small plates.
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Alpenjiro Honten: Charcoal-Grilled Soup Curry
Kanagawa · Steakhouse
A unique soup curry specialist in Yokohama's Yayoicho district. It's known for its camp-style dining, serving large cuts of charcoal-grilled meat on skillets alongside rice presented in a traditional *hangō* mess tin.
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Mutepou Souhon ten: Ultra-Rich Tonkotsu Ramen
Kyoto · Casual Dining
The original shop of a cult ramen group, famous for its incredibly thick, pork-bone-marrow tonkotsu broth. Located in a rural part of Kizugawa, Kyoto, it's a pilgrimage site for fans of the heaviest style of ramen.
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Shokusai Shubo Matsumoto: Aguu Pork Shabu-Shabu
Okinawa · Izakaya
Experience a celebrated Aguu pork shabu-shabu in the Matsuyama district of Naha. The restaurant is known for its signature set menu where the pork, arranged like a rose, melts in a clear broth and the meal finishes with a rich rice porridge.
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Osaka Naniwaya: Classic Taiyaki and Artisan Kakigori
Osaka · Dessert Shop
A celebrated sweet shop in Osaka's Nakazaki district, famous for its ultra-crisp taiyaki and elaborate, fruit-topped kakigori shaved ice. Expect queues for these expertly crafted treats, which have earned the shop multiple awards.
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Ganesh N: Daily Rotating Curry Plates
Osaka · Casual Dining
A tiny, 9-seat counter in Osaka's Tenjinbashi area, celebrated for its daily rotating plates of multiple Indian curries. Expect queues for its expertly spiced sets, which are built for mixing and offer exceptional value.
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