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1 / 6 · Joan Germaine
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Tokyo Omakase · Tokyo
Trust the chef
1 / 6 · Joan Germaine
Trust the chef
Tokyo Omakase · Tokyo
Food Luxe Culture
Ready to make it real?
Book it yourself on the next step, or let a GoSmart specialist plan it with you.
Find things to do in Tokyo Talk to a specialistWhy you’ll love it
Ten seats, no menu, the best meal of your life. A GoSmart specialist tailors the route, the stays, and the pace to you.
Why it works
You take one of eight seats at a blond-wood counter, the chef nods, and for the next two hours pieces of fish you cannot name arrive one at a time, each set down at the exact moment it is meant to be eaten. Omakase means you trust the chef, and in Tokyo that trust is richly repaid.
Worth knowing
Omakase means leaving the menu to the chef, and the best counters are tiny, expensive, and booked weeks or months ahead, sometimes only through a hotel concierge or an intermediary. Confirm the price and the reservation rules before you go.
Do not be surprised if the chef expects sushi to be eaten with your fingers, since either fingers or chopsticks is perfectly acceptable at most counters. Eat each piece the moment it is served, and go easy on soy and phones, since the etiquette is part of the experience. A lunch omakase is a cheaper way into a great counter.
Beyond the famous sushi counters, Tokyo has extraordinary omakase for tempura, yakitori, and more, often in unmarked basements. A good concierge or a local guide is the key that unlocks the hardest tables.