青山Ototo（青山おとと） — Restaurant in Tokyo

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Aoyama Ototo, and it was nothing short of astonishing. From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was impeccable.

The head chef, a young and incredibly charming individual, personally visited our table and engaged in a delightful conversation with us in English. We were so impressed not only by his excellent English but also by his genuine warmth and hospitality. It made us wish our Japanese were better so we could reciprocate!

The other staff were equally lovely. One of the waitresses kindly explained how to enjoy one of the dishes, doing so in the sweetest and most approachable way imaginable, making us feel entirely comfortable and at home.

The food was absolutely exquisite—every dish in the set menu was crafted with perfection and full of flavor. We also asked the chef for sake recommendations, and every sake suggested was phenomenal, perfectly complementing the dishes.

After 20 days of traveling through various towns in Japan, I can confidently say this was my favorite dining experience. It was a bit tricky to find the restaurant even with Google Maps and the address, but it was worth every bit of effort. While we were lucky to get a table without a reservation, I highly recommend booking in advance to secure your spot.

Thank you to the team at Aoyama Ototo for making this such a memorable experience. This is a hidden gem that should not be missed by anyone...

We made pre-paid reservations two days in advance for the 8:00 p.m. Omakase on Friday. Honestly, we were a bit nervous about our choice since we’d had a disappointing dinner the night before at another Michelin-recommended spot that didn’t live up to the hype.

But this place completely turned things around. We showed up 30 minutes early and were warmly welcomed and immediately seated at the counter. The head chef and his team were super friendly, made a real effort to speak English, and even joked around with us throughout the night.

The food was absolutely outstanding—each course was beautifully presented and full of flavor. We got to chat with the 32-year-old head chef, who was not only clearly talented but also humble and genuine. At the end of the night, he even walked us to the door, which was such a thoughtful and memorable touch.

The vibe was just right for a date night—cozy, calm, and welcoming without being too quiet or too formal.

Out of all the meals we had during our trip to Japan, this was hands down our favorite dinner. Amazing food, warm service, and a really special atmosphere. Would definitely come back on our next trip—highly recommend experiencing the Omakase, or dining...

OCT 2024

Dined here with a reservation and had the omakase menu which consist of three cold and three hot appetizers, sashimi, followed by several dishes including charcoal grilled fish and meat. The appetizers were tasty, offering a variety of meat, fish and vegetables cooked with different sauce and seasoning; a good start to the meal. The sashimi was very fresh, seasonal dish was deep fried moray eel which they serve occasionally and it was more meaty than regular eel. The charcoal grilled fish was lightly seasoned with a crisp skin and soft flaky meat, and the grilled steak was tasty as well, though some pieces had some silver skin which made it hard to eat. The meal ended with a grilled rice ball filled with fish, miso soup, pickles and grape sherbet for dessert. Overall it was a tasty and satisfying meal and the staffs and chefs were friendly and polite. They also have an ala carte menu which is great for sharing between two or...