SABAR Shinbashi Ginza — Restaurant in Tokyo

【鯖愛は伝わるけど、もう一歩惜しい】

Tucked just five minutes from Shimbashi Station, SABAR offers a quirky concept—an entire izakaya dedicated to mackerel—and we were curious enough to stop by for a quick post-work bite and a drink.

Welcomed warmly around 6pm on a busy Friday, we appreciated being squeezed in before the dinner rush. The interior hums with casual afterwork energy, and the staff were friendly despite the clear time crunch.

We ordered two dishes: the raw mackerel with sesame sauce and the grilled scallops and asparagus in foil, along with a round of lemon sours. While the mackerel was fresh and the sesame touch enjoyable, the portions were notably small. The grilled scallops dish felt particularly underwhelming—mostly a steaming pile of onions with a few sparse pieces of scallop and asparagus, far from the photo’s promise.

At ¥4000 for two drinks and two light dishes, the cost-performance didn’t quite land. The concept is fun, and for die-hard mackerel fans, perhaps worth a try. But based on this visit, it’s not a place I’d be rushing back to.

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Features 🚃 5 minutes walk from Shimbashi Station 🍽️ Order: Raw mackerel with sesame sauce, Grilled scallops and asparagus in foil 👫🏻 Waiting time: Seated quickly but limited to one hour 💰 Payment: ✅Cash and Credit Card 🔙 Would I visit...

I love saba and this was the perfect place to accommodate my appetite for a late night saba craving. It seems a bit pricey per Japanese standard, but coming from the US, the price is nothing to be worried about, as long as you can get by with Japanese-speaking crews there. Order Popular Menu#1 and Aburi Bouzushi (5 pieces or 10 pieces, depending on your hunger gauge) PER PERSON, and you can thank me later. Eat vinegar ginger + green leaf + wasabi + ground ginger + a few drops of soy sauce + bouzushi altogether and you will...

As a fan of Saba, I had to try this place! We got the sashimi moriawase plate and it’s amazing to be able to taste a variety of Saba sashimi. The service here is good and very friendly. The menu has English translation so that’s convenient. Definitely a must try for people...