Monkfish specialty restaurant Isegen — Restaurant in Tokyo

Almost a century of history specializing in monkfish, this restaurant is a gem that not many lnow about. We booked it from the web a few days before we came for their special JPY15000 per person menu. When we arrived, it was as if we went back in time to a traditional Japanese restaurant. Near the door, a monkfish was lying on ice facing the door with its sharp teeth agape. What a monster. We were welcomed by the hostess and asked to take off our shoes before entering our private room. The decor was a subtle Japanese style with a simple inked painting of a monkfish on the wall along with other antiquated items. The table was slightly raised above the floor with an opening underneath for our legs. We chatted to a few drinks as we waited for our feast, a feast featuring monkfish with every dish. We started off with a sashimi featuring filet meat, cheek meat, fish skin, and fish liver. Afterward, we were greeted with a big hotpot of various fish parts and veggies, etc. Various dishes continued to be brought in: wasabi flavored monkfish, sliced monkfish liver with ponzu sauce, fried monkfish... Near the end of the meal, the hostess came back in and poured some rice into the rich soup left from the hotpot. She then cracked open and scrambled some eggs into the mixture. It became a heavenly flavored porridge that warmed our souls. The meal ended with a gelatinous pudding, which, while not too sweet, soothed our palate after this intense experience. It was near 9:30 pm and we were politely but strongly suggested to leave soon. How time flies when we have such good food and such good company. As we stepped out of the restaurant, we noticed that the monkfish displayed near the entrance was gone. It turns out to be the very monfish we enjoyed. They had even provided us with a certificate as to the origin of the monkfish. Definitely not the usual Japanese restaurant experience and well worth the price. Our party of 5 ended up spending around JPY90000 for the food and drinks. If you ask what was the most memorable part of the meal, it has to be the creamy fish liver with...

Man this place is awesome. The service staff are so polite and accommodating, and the variety of monkfish were all pretty impressive the jelly-like things were really tasty; I have to look at my photos again to remember what exactly it was, but it was really good i liked it i liked it the ball of like, stuff, was also like really good; i have like no hope of ever knowing what this was lol :Y finally yes the hot pot: this was so good. there were different parts of the fish in here, and you could really taste the variety. they paired well with all the veggies and tofus and mushroomies and stuff, and the broth was great as like a flavor enhancer (for lack of a better description) rather than something the dish is centered around. Some parts of the fish were pretty gelatinous, and others pretty um idk fishy? but like with a slight idk how to describe it, something was different about it in some way and i just don't know how to describe it lol it was really good, loved this stuff the chawanmushi was pretty much what you'd expect of a good chawanmushi, but with some monkfish flavor too, so that was quite good tbh

Disclaimer: Given a 5-point scale, I'm faced with the issue of rating some random Izakaya joint in Shinjuku against something like The French Laundry - specifically, how can this be done fairly? I've decided that my rating will be based on my expectations of the place (with something like an 85% weight on food and a 15% weight on service and ambience), so my 5-point scale will look something like this: 1 - Severely failed to meet expectations 2 - Failed to meet expectations 3 - Met expectations 4 - Exceeded expectations 5 - Greatly exceeded expectations This way, each review will be written in a "given what it is" (e.g. a fast-food joint, a Michelin restaurant,...

We recently visited Isegen, a restaurant that specializes in angler and monk fish, and it was a truly memorable experience. Here are a few things that stood out to me:

Authentic Japanese dining experience: As soon as you enter the restaurant, you're asked to take off your shoes and head upstairs to the dining area. The seating arrangements and decor are distinctly Japanese, with low tables and floor cushions for a truly authentic dining experience.

Fresh and delicious seafood: The angler and monk fish dishes we tried were absolutely delicious and expertly prepared. The freshness of the seafood was apparent in every bite, and the flavors were perfectly balanced.

Warm and welcoming staff: The staff at Isegen were incredibly friendly and welcoming, making us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. They were happy to provide recommendations and answer any questions we had about the menu.

Unique and tasty side dishes: In addition to the main seafood dishes, Isegen also had a great selection of side dishes and appetizers. We particularly enjoyed the grilled eggplant and the pickled vegetables - they were the perfect complement to the rich and savory fish dishes.

Great selection of drinks: Isegen had a wide variety of drinks to choose from, including sake, beer, and Japanese whiskey. The staff was happy to provide recommendations and help us find the perfect drink to pair with our meal.

Overall, I highly recommend visiting Isegen for an authentic Japanese dining experience and some truly delicious seafood dishes. The warm and welcoming staff, unique and tasty side dishes, and great selection of drinks make it a standout...