Higematsu — Restaurant in Frankfurt

Japan comes to Frankfurt I live in Japan and while during my tour around Europe, I had a craving for Japanese food, hence I went here for dinner. First thing I have to say is the menu at Higematsu is on the funny side. Typical Japanese restaurants in Japan focus in one type of food (sushi/sashimi, yakitori, soba/udon or tempura) but this one seems to focus on everything at once, which per se ain’t a bad thing. From the menu it feels like an izakaya kind of restaurant but without the atmosphere of an izakaya. We ended up ordering a little bit of everything: maguro sushi, tempura moriwase, yakitori, kitsune udon and miso shiru. Everything tasted reasonably good, while not exceptional (didn’t taste like home, or maybe I’m too spoiled for living in Japan). Miso shiru and the tempura were by far the best among the ordered dishes. The maguro had some wasabi on it, but it was such a weak wasabi that I barely felt the burning on my nose. If you feel adventurous, try asking for a stronger version of their wasabi. Staff was mostly Japanese, so I took the opportunity to practice my poor Japanese skills. As one would expect, staff was friendly and efficient. All in all, if you are craving for Japanese food in Frankfurt, and you have never been to Japan, you will be amazed with Higematsu quality. If you have been to Japan, you will feel something is lacking, but you won’t be disappointed. Pricing is also adequate, we ended up paying around 30 euros per person, having drunk 1 bottle of Kirin beer (which I...

On point, fresh, and authentic! — lunch ordered for takeout at Higematsu was fantastic. We ordered the Torikara and Yakizakana Bentos. Both did not only have outstanding main menus but also had the best quality of side dishes (assortment of pasta salad, cabbage, slice of tomato, edamames, piece of orange and grapes) separately packed rice and miso soup; which is a very rare quality to expect from a lunch menu for only 10-11 euros. The fried chicken (Torikara) was extra crispy while being tender and juicy inside. Grilled Mackerel was also very fresh, which made us also want to try the mackerel sushi next time. In addition, the packaging was awesome. Everything was carefully packed in compact recyclable containers, and the miso soups were legitimately sealed to prevent any leaking. Thus, every part of the Bento tasted and looked like it was thoroughly prepared with attention.

I unfortunately forgot to take any pictures… and by the time I realized, my box was empty! By the quality of food just judging by the lunch Bentos, I’m already looking forward to my next visit to try other menus they offer. Thank you for a wonderful...

Higematsu is a classic Japanese bistro. If you've ever been to Japan, this kind of restaurant is very, very widespread and popular. Home-style cooking of the highest quality, fair prices and very good service are typical of such small, usually family-owned restaurants. It's not rarified cuisine, but it is extremely good.

Higematsu is, I think, family-owned. First of all, if you just pop in hoping for a table at lunch time, good luck with that: reservations are a must, especially if you are on limited time. That said, the service is excellent, the food invariably good and above all authentic Japanese. The daily menu is an excellent value.

The day-time menu is fairly set, with Udon soups, classic Japanese dishes like Kontasu (Japanese Schnitzel), as well as classics like tempura, sushi and sashima. The mixed grilled fish is excellent as well. The evening menu is where Higematsu shines: classics of the Japanese kitchen abound.

Highly, highly recommended. One of the hidden gems of the Frankfurt...