If you think that all of the best restaurants in Tokyo require an advance reservation to get in, you'd be wrong.
As long as you can stand a bit of a wait, there are plenty of amazing top-class restaurants where you can get a great meal in the gourmet city of Tokyo.
This article will introduce 35 of these "well-kept-secret" restaurants!
If you have trouble making reservations in a foreign country due to the language barrier or want to visit a popular local restaurant while you're in Tokyo, be sure to bookmark this page!

This popular izakaya is known as the "Holy Land for Tokyo's old men."
There's always a long line outside of the restaurant before it opens at 4:00pm every day.
The customers are all looking for the same thing: fresh seafood purchased every morning from Tsukiji Market.
A number of quality dishes are served here at a surprisingly low price, including "Maguro no Nakaochi (310 yen)," "Nodoguro no Shioyaki (380 yen)," and "Nama-Uni (650 yen)."
We recommend taking a seat at the lively counter on the 1st floor. If you're visiting as a group of 3 or more, you'll be given a seat at a table on the 2nd or 3rd floor, so it's best to visit in a small group of 1 or 2.

"Tendon Masaru" is known for offering up the most delicious tendon, or tempura served over rice, in all of Tokyo.
Their signature dish is their "Ooiri Edo-mae Tendon (3700 yen)," which is dynamically packed with not only luxurious kuruma ebi, but also whole tempura-fried anago (conger eel) and fish like kisu (sillago) and megochi (big-eyed flathead) fished up from Tokyo Bay.
The tendon here is made by a chef who is so particular that he refuses to open up shop if he cannot get the ingredients he wants, and it's truly one of the few remaining authentic "Edo-mae" establishments left in Tokyo.
If average tempura and tendon aren't enough to make you happy, this is absolutely the restaurant for you to stop by for a quality meal.

This popular yakitori restaurant is located near Shinjuku Golden Town.
Its menu is centered around its "Omakase (8 types of yakitori)" orders (and there's an unspoken rule that first-time customers should order the omakase).
The restaurant's extremely talented owner takes decidedly not high-class ingredients, skillfully skewers them, and prepares them into absolutely exquisite yakitori.
Torihana not only offers standard yakitori fare like "Kawa (skin)" and "Reba (liver)," but also more uncommon delicious options such as "Ninniku Me Maki (garlic sprout roll)" and "Shimeji Cheese Maki."
If you're looking for delicious yakitori in Shinjuku, this is the place to visit!

This is Tokyo's most iconic yakiniku restaurant, to the point that even Japan's Prime Minister has stood in line waiting for a meal here.
Many customers make their way out to this restaurant in the suburbs every day hoping to get a taste of Sutamina-En's carefully crafted and luxurious "Wagyu Beef Fattened Over 36 Months."
Other must-try dishes include their "Miso Nikomi (1000 yen)," "Ue-Tan (2200 yen)," "Tokujo Harami (2100 yen)," and "Mixed Horumon (1800 yen)."
No matter your class or social standing, everyone is sure to enjoy the yakiniku here!

Akitaya is a popular kushiyaki (skewers) restaurant at the base of Tokyo Tower.
Local businessmen and workers visit in droves every day to enjoy the delicious kushiyaki turned out by the grilling stand facing the street, putting off appetizingly aromatic smoke.
The kushiyaki served here are primarily made with pork offal, and they're sold at the amazing price of 360 yen for 2 skewers.
The accompanying beer to sip while you enjoy the kushiyaki brightens the flavors, and the delicious combination is sure to draw the gazes of hurried businessmen passing by!

This authentic udon restaurant is owned by a chef who used to work at "Yamagoe Udon," a super-popular restaurant that is still one of the top udon restaurants in Kagawa.
The noodles here give off the enticing aroma of wheat and have a delicious umami flavor and are lauded as being incredibly authentic thanks to being made with the highest quality iriko (dried sardines) dashi.
Here you can find a lineup of over 20 types of udon, from basic versions to novel and unique takes on the dish.
A great combination is adding "Chicken Tempura (280 yen)," cooked so well even tempura chefs would be impressed, as a topping for the simple "Kake-Udon (420 yen)." Alternatively, you could try their signature dish, "Kamatama Calpis Butter Udon (580 yen),"which is freshly-made udon mixed with raw egg, dashi soy sauce, and Calpis butter. There are so many ways to enjoy your meal here at Tokyo's #1 udon restaurant!

This long-standing sushi restaurant is highly respected by core sushi fans.
As a descendant of post-war sushi restaurant "Ginza Kozasa Sushi," this is somewhere you can enjoy authentic Edo-mae sushi at a very reasonable price.
Most customers at Kozasa Sushi order their specialty, "Anago no Kiji-yaki (Market Price)."
Raw anago is dipped in a shoyu-based tare sauce, then grilled to fragrant perfection. Pairing this delicious dish with sake makes for an indescribably good experience.
The restaurant has a scant 8 counter seats. If you want to secure yourself one of these seats, we recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before opening.

Chika no Iki (Basement Chic) is an oyster restaurant tucked away in the basement of a building near Tsukiji Market.
It is a popular "Tsukiji-esque" restaurant with an open-air stall-like atmosphere.
No matter which oyster dish you choose, from "Raw Oyster Tasting from Various Areas (1000~ yen)" to "Ajillo," "Pâté​," and "Curry Soup," you're sure to enjoy a deliciously authentic meal.
Additionally, this restaurant functions as an izakaya run by "Tsukiji Sandai," an oyster wholesaler at Tsukiji that knows the ins and outs of the ingredient.
If you're able, we highly recommend visiting during the winter when oysters are in season to enjoy the lovely atmosphere of Tsukiji at night.

This kaisen-donburi (seafood rice bowl) specialty restaurant located near Tokyo Station is famous for its long lines of customers.
They offer 3 levels of their signature dish, "Zeitaku Donburi (Luxury Kaisen-Donburi)," ranging in price from 1080 yen to 1980 yen (as well as another limited-quantity "extra-special" level).
The kaisen-donburi here are absolutely luxurious! Your meal starts out with the donburi, and once you've finished it you can follow up with ochazuke made with madai (red sea bream) sashimi!
As Tsujihan is a very popular restaurant, the wait may exceed an hour on some days. However, many happy customers leave singing the restaurant's praises, saying it was "absolutely worth the wait"!
If you're looking to enjoy luxury dishes at an affordable price, this is the restaurant for you!

This elusive yakitori restaurant is only open for 2-3 hours per day.
Its menu features one item only: the 5-skewer "omakase" course.
Perhaps it is because the ingredients used are of great quality, but the yakitori at Edomasa is indescribably good even though they aren't grilled over a charcoal fire.
Their specialty is their "Tori Tsukune (chicken Japanese meatballs, served skewered)," which is cooked to your preferred doneness from raw, medium, and well-done.
The amazing flavor of raw tsukune paired with their special sauce that's packed with wasabi is an absolutely unforgettable taste.

This super-popular standing kappo-ryori (traditional multi-course meal) restaurant is run by a talented chef with over 40 years of experience with Japanese cuisine.
Around 80% of the menu, which changes daily, costs only 315 yen while still being made with seasonal ingredients, so it's no surprise that there's a perpetual line outside of customers waiting for their chance to get in.
On the day of our visit, we ordered several dishes: "Shimesaba (vinegared mackerel; 324 yen)," "Tennen Kanpachi-Toge (wild-caught amberjack spine; 324 yen), "Ankimo (monkfish liver; 432 yen)," and "Hiramasa Shioyaki (salt-grilled yellowtail; 324 yen)."
Our bill came to just 1,404 yen even though we ate our fill of delicious fish that was of better quality than you'd find at any izakaya.
Tokudawara is a great kappo-ryori restaurant that truly embodies the essence of being "every-man friendly."

People in the know consider Okonomiyaki Fukutake to be the best okonomiyaki restaurant in all of Tokyo.
The okonomiyaki here is made on a base of incredibly finely-chopped cabbage, creating a surprisingly fluffy dish that has an almost souffle-like texture.
All of the options on the vast and unique menu, including "pizza" and "curry" okonomiyaki, are incredibly delicious, showing the true talents behind "Fukutake."
If you're looking for delicious okonomiyaki in a local gem-esque restaurant, this is the spot for you!

This iconic long-standing yoshoku (western food) restaurant in Tokyo has been in business for 90 years.
Everything on their expansive menu (around 50 options!!) is exquisitely delicious, from their juicy "Menchi-Katsu (2000 yen)" served with plenty of demi-glace sauce, to the "Hayashi Rice (2300 yen)" made with plenty of tender beef and "Consomme Soup (1150 yen)" that's packed with beefy umami flavors! Supposedly many foodies visit frequently with the goal of trying every item off of the menu.
If you're tired of having sushi and Japanese food every day, stop by "Restaurant Kamiya"!

Akimotoya is one of Tokyo's iconic famous motsu-yaki (skewered and grilled pork offal) restaurants.
Enjoying lemon highballs (shochu diluted with lemon soda) and skewers with your friends at a packed counter is truly one of life's pleasures.
Even better, whichever loaded skewers you choose cost only 100 yen each!
If you want to experience an authentic izakaya and mingle with Tokyo locals, Akimotoya is a must-try.

This katsudon specialty restaurant is tucked away deep in Shibuya.
Despite its hard-to-find location, come lunchtime there's always a long line of businessmen who work in Shibuya and young adults who came to the area for fun all waiting to get in.
So as to keep the tonkatsu nice and crispy, the tonkatsu is placed on top of the cooked egg (while other restaurants simmer the tonkatsu with egg and dashi before placing it over rice).
The katsudon here are quite generously portioned, but you'll find yourself polishing off the whole bowl without feeling sluggish or stuffed.

This standing kappo-ryori restaurant was opened by a chef who worked at Michelin star-holding kappo-ryori restaurant "Azabu Yukimura" (restaurant is currently run by a different chef).
Ginza Shimada is quickly gaining popularity among foodies from Japan and from overseas thanks to its delicious Japanese cuisine made with quality ingredients (including Yamagata beef, unagi, crab, and spiny lobster) better than you'd find at a regular izakaya.
The signature dish here is their "Karasumi Soba (1600 yen)," inspired by a popular dish at "Yukimura."
The delicious salty and umami taste of the karasumi (dried salted roe) in this soba is a winner with Shimada's customers!

"Yuuji" is a super-popular yakiniku restaurant in Shibuya that is run by the younger brother of the owner of "Higuchi," a lauded high-class kappo-ryori restaurant.
Despite being based out of not much more than a shack, the smoky horumon (beef offal) grilled here is said to be some of the best in all of Tokyo.
Sweet liver, crunchy kobukuro (beef uterus), milky sweetbreads....
"Yuuji" is a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious quality offal that clearly stands out from the rest!

This is a chicken specialty restaurant that is highly lauded for its oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl) served at lunch.
The owner of 30 years skillfully serves up bowls of oyakodon one after the other while happily conversing with customers.
The chicken is tender and juicy, and the texture of just the right amount of liver adds a lovely accent to the oyakodon.
Soon enough the rice is soaked through deliciously with dashi and half-cooked egg, and most customers end up quickly devouring it all.

This kushiyaki restaurant specializes in unagi, a rare specialization even within Tokyo.
First-time customers are encouraged to order the "Hitosoroi," or set, which comes with 6 skewers.
The set gives you the full unagi experience, serving cuts like "hire (meat from the base of the fin)," "bara (meat from the stomach)," "liver," and "Hachiman-maki (a roll with unagi and burdock)."
As expected of a restaurant that uses unagi, a precious commodity, if you stop by too late you'll likely find that most of the menu is sold out.
If you're looking to try rare parts of the eel that you won't usually find at other restaurants, your best bet is to line up outside the restaurant at least 10 minutes before it opens at 18:00.

This popular curry restaurant is absolutely adored by Tokyo's local curry fans.
Yoshida Curry is a small restaurant with only 7 seats that is tucked away on the 2nd floor of an old building, but when it's open there's always bound to be a long line of customers waiting for a seat.
The only item on the menu here is their "Curry (850 yen)," an absolute labor of love. It is made by adding over 20 spices to a pork broth base, simmering for over 10 hours, and then letting it rest for 3 days.
A popular topping choice is their "Kiima (250 yen)," made with a base of sweet miso to pair with the spicy curry, and it somehow manages to make the curry even more delicious!
If you're looking to experience unique and delicious Japanese curry, this is our #1 recommended restaurant for you.

This standing (tachinomi) bistro is super popular among Tokyo locals.
They offer around an astounding 100 different dishes, all at a bargain price and carefully crafted by the owner, who trained at a French restaurant. Dishes include "Beef Cutlet (650 yen)," "Oyster and Roe Fricassee (950 yen)," and "Bisque Cream Pasta (1350 yen)."
As you'd expect of a restaurant that also advertises itself as having a "Wine Bar," Bistro-SHIN has a wide selection of wines available, from champagnes to Japanese wines.
The bistro opens at 17:00 every day. Some people also visit for an aperitif before going out for dinner at a sushi or kappo-ryori restaurant.

Obana is one of Tokyo's iconic unagi restaurants, ranked among the likes of famous restaurant "Nodaiwa."
Here you can enjoy deliciously tender "Unaju (5300/6300 yen)," cooked to such perfection that it tastes like the essence of Tokyo, in a Japanese-style tatami room.
As expected of an incredibly popular restaurant, on weekdays you can expect to find a queue of almost 50 people already waiting 10 minutes before the restaurant has even opened.
If you wish to enjoy the unagi here with less of a wait, we recommend arriving 30-60 minutes before opening before the line grows too long.

Jiyuusan is one of Tokyo's leading soba restaurants, run by its third-generation chef who honed his skills at famous restaurant "Takeyabu."
First-time customers are recommended to try the "Juwari Course (1890 yen)," which comes with the restuarant's pride-and-joy "Juwari Soba (soba made with 100% buckwheat flour)," "Warm Nishin Soba (soba served with herring)," and dessert.
This course lets you enjoy the strong flavor of the soba in both warm and cold form without being overwhelmed by the taste of the katsuobushi-heavy dashi.
There are long lines to get in, as you'd expect of a popular restaurant. If possible, we recommend arriving around 10 minutes before opening.

This popular izakaya is located in Nakano, a shopping area near Shinjuku.
Customers who shop by are enchanted by the delicious fish, grilled over the sunken hearth in front of the counter.
We highly recommend visiting for lunch.
When visiting at lunch time, you can enjoy hot, freshly-grilled fish for as low as 1000 yen.
You may think that yakizakana (grilled fish) would be the same wherever you go, but that's not true! If you're looking for authentic yakizakana, you absolutely need to visit Okajoki in Nakano!

Kishidaya is one of Tokyo's most iconic izakaya, to the point that any sake-lover is sure to know its name.
A long line outside begins to form an hour before the restaurant's opening at 17:00 every day.
Most customers line up looking for Kishidaya's "Ushi Nikomi (beef stew; 500 yen)," which is recognized as one of Tokyo's top 3 nikomi.
The nikomi here is made with various cuts of beef offal that are then simmered low and slow for a long time, resulting in stew-like rich and deep umami flavors.
Supposedly many customers end up eating 2 or 3 portions of the nikomi here while not even having finished their first glass of sake or shochu, a real demonstration of how delicious the food here can be.

Saitamaya is Japan's #1 kushiyaki specialty restaurant, on-par with the super-popular restaurant "Torishiki."
Unlike "Torishiki," which specializes in yakitori, Saitamaya serves kushiyaki, with a focus on pork offal but also using beef and chicken.
The omakase course comes with 9 skewers, including their delicious signature "Abura (Wagyu rib roast)" and "Liver" skewers.
While there are are some strict house rules, including "no visiting after drinking" and "no photos," the owner is typically very welcoming of overseas customers.
"Saitamaya" is the place to be if you're looking for incredibly delicious kushiyaki!

Ahiru Store is one of Tokyo's most popular bistros, run by an owner who is fascinated by the world of natural wines.
Droves of customers come by every day to enjoy the restaurant's delightful pairings of simple but ingenious food, such as "Avocado and Octopus Salad," "House-Made Mutton Sausage and Radish Couscous," and "Onion Pie," with wonderful wines.
A popular "secret" here is the amazing house-made bread, made by the owner's younger sister and sold for just 200-300 yen per slice.

Tomato is ranked as the #1 most popular curry restaurant in Tokyo according to Tabelog.
Customers queue up in long lines every day in search for this restaurant's delicious curry, slow-cooked for over 140 hours using 36 kinds of spices.
Their signature dish is their "Beef Tongue Curry (3000 yen)," which features thickly-sliced beef tongue slow-cooked to exquisite tenderness.
The rich curry is packed with the flavors and umami from the high-quality meat, resulting in a heavenly dish.

Hitsuji SUNRISE is a jingisukan (grilled mutton) specialty restaurant that is frequently visited by Satoshi Furuta, the chef at one of Tokyo's most popular French restaurants "CHIUnE."
The pride and joy of Hitsuji SUNRISE is the Japanese lamb and mutton it sources from a Hokkaido farm.
While the price here is somewhat steep at 2800 per serving, you're sure to enjoy tender mutton with no gamey odor.
The restaurant is open until 3:00am on Thursdays and Fridays, so it's easy to just drop on by.
Why not follow the latest trends with Tokyo locals and finish your night with an after-dinner late-night round of jingisukan?

Kanemasa is one of Tokyo's great standing kappo-ryori restaurants, alongside "Tokudawara" and "Ginza Shimada."
While it's not a budget restaurant by any means, it's always packed with customers who've come all the way from outside of Tokyo to enjoy unique but delicious dishes such as "Nama-Uni Wagyu Maki (2300 yen)," "Kegani Salad (2300 yen)," and "Gyu Nikomi (900 yen)."
This is a great restaurant if you're looking to enjoy authentic Japanese food with your friends in a less stuffy atmosphere than other high-class kappo-ryori restaurants.

The female owner of Maruichi Bagel fell in love with the bagels at popular New York bakery "Ess-a-Bagel," and after training locally she opened this bagel specialty shop.
After letting the dough proof it is then boiled before being finished in the oven, resulting in bagels that are crisp on the outside with a soft, chewy interior.
As a customer, you can choose your preferred type of bagel from a wide variety, then fill it with your favorite toppings, making your own "bagel and lox."
You can choose your very own ideal combination of bagel and topping, anything from "Salt Bagel with Egg Salad" to "Seven-Grain Bagel Fruit Sandwich" or "Plain Bagel with Tofu Cream Cheese."

This popular tonkatsu restaurant is located in Akihabara, a famous tourist area.
While it is a tonkatsu restaurant, many customers visit for their "Butter-Sauteed Oyster Set (1750 yen)," available only in the winter.
The umami flavor of the soy sauce on the juicy oysters is multiplied even further by the rich flavor of butter, resulting in a mouthwateringly exquisite dish.
The al dente rice and white miso soup that are served with the butter-sauteed oysters are also amazing, and the three come together to make for a very satisfying set meal.

This popular hamburger shop is well-known for having served the United States' President Trump on his visit to Japan.
Even hardcore hamburger fans have given rave reviews to this restaurant's burgers, saying the house-made patties made from lean American Angus beef are like a tender steak.
Our recommended burger is their "House-Made Bacon Cheeseburger (1500 yen)."
The combination of house-made pork belly bacon, aged over 5 days, and the beef patty is nothing short of exquisite.
If you're looking for the trendy option, try the "President Trump Set (cheeseburger, coleslaw, fries, and a drink; 1400 yen, limited quantity available)," the combination ordered by the United States President!

This popular kushiyaki restaurant is located in Shirokane, a high-class residential area near the gourmet town Azabu-Juban.
Locals and visiting businessmen alike have given Suzukiya's skewers, made with fresh pork offal that have no gamey odor, overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Their signature dish is their pride-and-joy "Tsukune (Japanese meatballs grilled on a skewer; 170 yen)," which you can top with their iconic clear-broth "Nikomi (370 yen)" or "Nama-Piman (raw bell pepper; 130 yen)."
This is a great place to stop by in the evening when you're out sightseeing in Tokyo!

This established izakaya is tucked away in an alley in Ginza.
Sanshuya is open non-stop from 11:30am until 10:00pm. It's always packed with happy men and women of all ages, enjoying sashimi and boiled fish sets at lunch, or fresh fish and sake in the evening.
The menu is plentiful, with over 50 dishes available made with fresh seasonal seafood and vegetables.
Somewhere you can enjoy high-quality food at a reasonable price is an absolute treasure in Ginza, a place known for everything being exorbitantly high-class and pricey.
Sanshuya is an amazing budget-friendly option!