Den — Restaurant in Tokyo

That's the number of times I failed to connect with this audaciously popular two-Michelin-starred restaurant exactly two months from the day I was planning to be in Tokyo with my husband hoping to dine here. There had been forewarning of such a frustration, and in fact, I had given up on two attempts made before previous holidays in Tokyo. What drives my persistence?

Well, Den currently ranks #32 on the revered World's 50 Best Restaurants list, and Phil Rosenthal, everyone's favorite foodie mensch, aired a Tokyo episode of his first food travel series in 2015 and it prominently featured a visit to this restaurant. It only took me a decade to make a visit real on my 69th repeat dial when I made contact with a pleasant English-fluent staff person who confirmed our reservation.

Nestled in a quiet neighborhood close to Japan National Stadium, the restaurant has a casually intimate feel that felt immediately welcoming thanks to the family ambiance that Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa has clearly established with his team. His lovely wife Emi performs hostess duties in a traditional kimono, and toward the end of the meal, their cuddly chihuahua Pucci effortlessly attracts infectious admiration.

Noriko was our server, and she was an ebullient presence having been in Zaiyu-san's employ for over a decade. She guided us through the leisurely paced nine-course kaiseki dinner set. It started with the signature Monaka, a sweet, light cracker sandwich typically filled with red bean paste. This wagashi, however, was filled with a rich mix of foie gras, sweet spring fruits, and minced cucumber.

It was a refreshing bite with a complexity of flavors that worked synchronistically. Next was a uniquely delicious take on Chawanmushi, the classic steamed egg custard with yuba, milk, soy sauce, a dab of fresh wasabi, and a swirl of what I could only guess was a savory honey. With his younger face on a cardboard takeout box, Zaiyu-san showed off his cheeky sense of humor with Dentucky Fried Chicken.

The box contained a chicken wing with a lightly crispy skin and stuffed with sticky rice and fresh seasonal ingredients like edamame and softshell turtle. It was a delightful bite again with a complexity of unexpected flavors. The Sashimi course came next, and even the slices of fresh horse mackerel (aji) came with subtle pleasures like wasabi, nori sauce, rice vinegar and dashi.

Next was the Seafood course anchored by freshly steamed Sea Bream served with snap peas, broad beans, baby cucumber with miso, and a local specialty, Fuji mountain vegetables. It was a culinary pleasure simply executed but not more than the Salad course, the most famous dish Zaiyu-san presents with fifteen uniquely locavore vegetables.

Assembled in a bowl with a kombu seaweed & sesame oil dressing, the bounty included sweet leeks and baby squash. Next came the surprisingly hearty Soup course as it was a full-bodied fish broth filled with pike conger eel and sweet onions. The main entree arrived with Zaiyu-san making a tableside appearance with his large claypot of tender beef rice.

Our servings came with pickled vegetables and a bowl of white miso soup mixed with bonito flakes. It was a hearty and filling climax capped by the Dessert course, soy milk pudding with almond milk sauce, fresh raspberries and blackberries, and green truffle mushroom jelly only found in nearby lakes. True and tasty. A couple of high-end bottles of sake kept us nicely lubricated throughout the evening.

Our tab? ¥63,500... which converts to...well, let's just say it was a genuinely special evening.

FOOD - 5 stars...Zaiyu-san knows his craft and how to source AMBIANCE - 5 stars...more casual than you'd expect and all the better for it SERVICE - 5 stars...Noriko-san knew how to make us feel at home with the Hasegawas TOTAL - 5 stars...hope your phone's auto...

An utterly disappointing, and as has been covered widely in reviews, completely inadequate booking system. There is one single landline phone through which reservations can be made, and people all over the world must call in between 12 noon and 5 PM local time. As a result, you literally generally must call in hundreds and hundreds of times, with no guarantee you will ever even get to talk to the reservationist.

I've tried 3 times in 3 separate years, and finally decided to post something after an utterly dismal experience. The first time, I gave up on reaching anyone after maybe 400 calls. The second time, I finally managed to get through to someone (with around a similar call count) only to be waitlisted and never to be contacted again, presumably because no reservations came through. This last time, I finally got through after days of calling all day, and there was space for a reservation.

However, they make no dietary accommodations whatsoever for a fish allergy. I'm honestly OK with lack of accommodation, but they further insisted that they would accept a reservation, even if you indicate that you are OK to skip any components of the course with some level of contamination. At this point I'd put in well over 1000 call attempts, and I was completely happy to pay for both seats, and skip any components that might contain fish. Despite trying to explain that it was not life threatening, that cross-contamination has no real risk, and that I was perfectly happy even to show up and pay for a meal and eat only what was possible or even forgo any dishes, even just to accompany a friend at the meal, they refused.

From what I understand, this is not a sushi restaurant, and I've dined at a wide range of restaurants in Japan with no issue. So it was really shocking hear they implemented this hardline restriction. Pictures show a wide range of ingredients and components, and I got the impression they just didn't want to bother with me. It's really unfortunate when similar establishments demonstrate much more care and ethos when it comes to sharing their cuisine, and this just showed a total lack of care or compromise.

Their website claims they try their best to accommodate allergies. This is clearly not the case, and it's misleading to say so. It would deeply behoove them to indicate which allergens are highly restrictive, so people don't end up spending hours of their lives on the line hoping to get a reservation.

The level of English was also completely below par, where at even a basic level of communication I had to re-iterate slowly and repeatedly what I'd said. That's understandable as it's a Japanese establishment, but it's really compounded by the horrific phone reservation system. There were several times where the communication was broken and borderline unintelligible.

With respect to hospitality and communication: on my end, I'm always cordial and polite from the get-go especially since it's an honor to get to speak with restaurant professionals at the highest level. However, I cannot say that this respect was reciprocated. The lady on the phone appeared immediately upset from the get-go when she heard English on the line. Again, understandable for a Japanese speaker at a Japanese restaurant, but the entire experience, from reservation to communication, felt as if they only wish to cater to a domestic audience. Before any mention of allergy, it felt as if she was impatient and upset with me, and I shifted from cordial to almost apologetic from the get-go. It seems that those lucky enough to get a reservation are shown a good time by the staff at the restaurant, but as a person seeking to dine here, I felt so demeaning and disrespected that I had to say something. It's honestly so disappointing to go through this callous...

If you're looking for a dining experience in Tokyo that’s both world-class and genuinely fun — Den is the place. I’ve been to a fair number of upscale restaurants, but this was the first time I ever laughed during a kaiseki meal. And not because anything was wrong — quite the opposite — it’s because Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa has created something truly special: high-end Japanese cuisine served with heart, humor, and surprise.

From the moment I walked in, the team made me feel like I was a regular, even though it was my first time. The energy is warm, the vibe relaxed, and the service feels more like being invited into someone’s home than a traditional fine dining establishment.

Let’s talk about the food. Den’s take on kaiseki is creative without ever feeling gimmicky. Every dish is rooted in Japanese tradition, but with playful, unexpected twists. One of the most talked-about items — and now I totally get why — is the “Dentucky Fried Chicken.” Yes, it’s served in a red-and-white fast food-style box. Inside? A perfect piece of chicken stuffed with seasoned rice and herbs. It’s funny at first, but then you taste it… and it’s delicious.

Another standout dish was the “Garden Salad” — served in what looked like a flower pot, complete with edible “soil” made from dried vegetables and mushrooms. It was fresh, earthy, and surprisingly emotional. You get the sense that everything here tells a story — about seasons, memory, and identity.

But it’s not all show and style. The craftsmanship behind every bite is serious. Even simple-looking things like a piece of grilled fish or a bowl of soup are executed with the precision you’d expect at a Michelin-starred restaurant (Den has two, for the record).

The pacing of the meal was perfect. I never felt rushed, and I never found myself waiting long either. The staff were incredibly attentive, often stopping to chat or share little stories about the food. At one point, Chef Hasegawa himself came out to greet the diners — I was surprised by how humble and approachable he was. You can tell he genuinely cares about every guest’s experience.

As for drinks, they have a thoughtfully curated sake and wine list. I went with the sake pairing, which complemented the food beautifully without overpowering it.

Price-wise, it’s high-end (around 30,000 yen for the menu), but I found it absolutely worth it for the creativity, quality, and hospitality. It felt less like a restaurant and more like a joyful, edible adventure.

Final verdict: Den is unlike anywhere else I’ve eaten. It’s the kind of place that reminds you food isn’t just about flavor — it’s about joy, personality, and connection. One of the best meals of my...