五反田寿司 SUSHI TOKYO 81 — Restaurant in Tokyo

Very high-end cash-only omakase sushi restaurant. I just happened to walk in at 18:03, and as they had two empty seats (there are only 10 total), and after confirming I had 20k JPY cash, they let me join them. I believe they do two seatings a night with the first at 6 PM.

Eating here is all about the experience. I had fish just as good at other restaurants for 1/3rd the price, but if you're eating here it's not about the money. Hattori-san is meticulous and this is about having an experience where everything is well thought out, artistic, and perfect.

Do not expect anyone to speak any English. The waitress was very attentive and spoke a few words, and the gentleman sitting next to me may of had a year of English in school. Between them and Google Translate, I had a wonderful evening and really enjoyed myself. As we were all bonding over wonderful fish, there really wasn't a lot else that needed to be said.

There were two options for the omakase and I went with the more expensive one. As far as I could tell, it just included one additional dish which was aged ahi. While fine and interesting to try, it's probably not worth the extra 5k JPY (may have been 3k?).

The pictures below show Hattori-san making Tamago while I have Unagi on my tray. There is also a Toro/Uni nigiri, and whale (I know :-(. And having now tasted it, I can say that it's not much different from Ahi and I'd rather they left the whales alone).

If you decide to eat here, come hungry. The courses are endless and I was full way before the sushi stopped coming. I'd eat here again, but only if I was bringing someone for...

Amazing lunch omakase by chef, something you should not miss while in Tokyo. The tuna courses are a marvel, with the tube fatty tuna melting on the tongue like a delicate sea-borne cloud, and the medium fatty tuna offering a slightly firmer texture that carries the richness of the ocean’s depths. Each slice is a testament to the chef’s ability to highlight the natural flavors of the fish. The octopus is tender to the point of disbelief, a gentle chew releasing a burst of briny sweetness, while the black rockfish is a masterclass in subtlety, its delicate flesh enhanced by the sushi rice’s perfect seasoning. The horse mackerel is a standout, its robust flavor profile expertly balanced with a touch of vinegar and a whisper of ginger, leaving an impression that is both bold...

Extremely poor reservation management!! We had booked a birthday dinner for 4 well in advance, and even confirmed via email the day before. However, on the day of the birthday, we traveled all the way there only to find the door shut! It was 6:30 pm, which should be within operating hours, right? Why was the door locked and no one answering when we knocked? We arrived on time and unwillingly waited for nearly half an hour, but in the end, we had no choice but to find a random restaurant nearby to hastily resolve the birthday dinner.... What’s even more ridiculous is that we received an email when we got back to the hotel informing us that the reservation had been canceled without our consent🙃🙃How absurd! Well, Thank you for ruining my...