Isana Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Tokyo

Isana

It was our last night in Tokyo. We have been trying all sorts of nigiri ranging from fish market to Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Surely, they all have their own style but none of them can compare with this hidden gem. We both were totally amazed and speechless.

Upon arrival, we felt the warmth and relaxing atmosphere. I particularly like the lighting of the restaurant and the simple decorations. We felt great that we could share our views on the food with other customers and of course the chef.

Sushi Chef Junichi Onuki takes great care of every customer with a big smile, personal attention and clear explanation of the food served to you. His creations are what we called delicacy of flavours with a couple of signature dishes of his own, like octopus and bonito with delicious ginger carrot garlic sauce. I have to say, every dish was simply WOW.

Even when everything is omakase, there’s never a rush for you to finish the wonderful mix of sashimi and nigiri that melts in your mouth. It actually took us 2.5 hours to finish the amazing dinner! I felt like it’s a private fine dining. Chef Junichi wants your palette to take the time to savour all his creations. Every single piece is extremely fresh and has its own character. You taste not only the delicious food but also the chef’s passion and connection with it. You can see and feel it while he’s making every piece of nigiri. His dedication to every of his creations is absolutely wonderful. Without a question, the best omakase we have ever tried. 12,000 yen/person for more than 20 pieces of sashimi and nigiri. Worth every single yen!

When you are in Tokyo, make time to go to Isana sushi bar. Then, your trip to Tokyo...

Chef Junichi Onuki welcomed me warmly to his restaurant. Each dish, a new story - from octopus from Kanawa to seared red snapper, all flawlessly paired with sake that left my face soooo red 🍶😆

The sushi was a masterpiece, as the Chef said, 'When you see sushi, you can see the person too' 🙂

Each piece freshly prepared with care and attention, reflecting the passion of its creator.

I found out that Chef's dedication runs deep - using rice with less moisture and procuring fish from the same trusted fishmonger for over a decade.

My seat at the 9-seater sushi bar felt like a front row ticket to a warm performance.

Isana Sushi Bar, can't wait for the encore ☺️

What we had roughly: Octopus from Kanawa

Sashimi: Flounder from Aomori with Sodachi Red carp from Chiba Silverfish with the aged sake Bonito from Kawashima with house-made onion sauce

Sushi: Sea bream from Ehime Horse Mackerel from Kawashima Scallop from Iwate White Shrimp (usually available from April to June) from Toyama Lean tuna then medium fatty tuna Seared red snapper

I might missed a few 😆, but I tried my best to write down all of...

I’ve eaten at Isana on two occasions in July 2023 and October 2024 and both times were exquisite. This restaurant excels in all facets of the experience. The food is outstanding and memorable (absolutely the freshest tuna I’ve ever consumed and the bonito sashimi with homemade miso onion marinade is incredible). Come hungry and just enjoy the steady stream of the most delicious fish you’ve ever had, and not just nigiri and sashimi, but all types of interesting fish prepared in different ways.

What stands out besides the food is the relaxing and welcoming atmosphere created by the chef. He is such a lovely person who speaks fluent English, explaining all of the dishes after serving and receptive to any and all questions about his dishes, Tokyo’s food scene, Japanese culture, etc. We spent three hours at our most recent omakase meal here and it flew by. I can’t...