Uni Murakami Hakodate main store — Restaurant in Hakodate

This place is hyped up as "Uni central" in Hakodate. A very small, family run restaurant - you do need to call ahead (preferably via the hotel concierge or host who can speak Japanese). The menu is reasonably varied, with other seafood delicacies such as scallops, squid, grilled fish etc. But the uni is what brings most people here. The catch can vary with season and by day, so temper your expectations accordingly. A bit on the pricey side; best to hit as a pair or group so that you can share some of the other appetizers.

In addition to the uni bowl, I tried the whole live scallop, which was chopped up as sashimi and served with the rest of the stuff that you don’t normally get in typical sashimi - namely, the edible innards, the muscle etc. They also had a small seasonal grilled fish, which tasted delicious. I probably ordered more than I can eat for a single person, which is all the more reason that you try such places in a small group (you might have trouble getting seated if you are a large group). There was a large party of what looked liked local workmen in one of the partitioned rooms to the side...

We were immediately seated upon arrival on Tuesday 2pm. No queue time.

We ordered the rice bowls with 2 ingredients (sea urchin and salmon roe) 5940 yen with complimentary miso soup. The sea urchin was fresh and delicious. The best after tried more than 10 famous shops among sapporo, otaru and hakodate. The salmon roe just mediocre. 5 stars

The complimentary miso soup really caught us by surprise. It has some jelly type of bouncy ingredients inside the miso soup stock. After asking the reception, thrn only we know that they specially mixed 2 types of tororo (kunbu 昆布) inside the miso soup. One is pieces, and the other one is hairy style. We bought these 2 special tororo from them at package price 1500 yen. 5 stars

On top of the main dish, we topup another 1750 yen to receive extra 3 items (salad, Japanese omelette with sea urchin stocks and homemade sea urchin gratin. The homemade sea urchin gratin was seriously delicious and other two just mediocre. 5 stars

Price wise, quite pricey. But, for me, the price was justified by the quality and uniqueness...

Uni Murakami is a must-visit for uni lovers! I had the pleasure of dining there and was blown away by the exceptional quality of their uni. The baffun uni was incredibly creamy, rich, and clean-tasting, with no bitterness or metallic aftertaste that I’ve encountered elsewhere. It was clear that it was freshly processed without preservatives, which added to its overall quality.

The seafood they serve is also of the highest quality. Their salmon and tuna were equally delicious. I was pleasantly surprised to find that their tuna sashimi was one of the few times I’ve enjoyed a regular tuna cut. It was incredibly fresh, with a great texture and rich flavours.

They may not be the most affordable option, but the purity and intensity of the flavours make it absolutely worth the price. The long line is a testament to its popularity, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. You’ll be savoring top-notch uni that will leave you craving for more! This store has my highest possible...