Sangenjaya Izakaya COMARU — Restaurant in Tokyo

Summary: Don’t know any Japanese but the staff was able to recommend us items on the menu. Everything tasted great and made right in front of us. I could tell that the staff love their jobs by the amount of energy they put in cooking and conversation.

Food: My girlfriend and I live in California and was staying in Tokyo for 2 weeks. I’ve tried different restaurants every meal and many of the food was good/average but nothing that stood out. We had the beef stew, sashimi, ham and cheese croquette, and karaage with a totally of 4 drinks.

The beef stew was mind blowing! The flavor was intense but not too salty. I had 2 other sushi restaurant which were disappointing and the best sushi I had thus far was from the grocery store, but Comaru redeemed the sushi experience I had in Japan. The ham and cheese croquette was good and tasted even better with some alcohol. I was still a little hungry, so ordered the karaage. It wasn’t oily and the chicken was very juicy. It also came with a spicy yuzu sauce that complimented well with the chicken (was so good I forgot the picture). I wish we tried this place sooner so we could have tried more food.

Ambiance: We came in around 6:10 pm on a Monday and became busy at 7. The cook definitely held the conversation between multiple groups to make sure everyone felt included in the conversation. Language barrier wasn’t a issue since we communicated with simple words and that made the conversation funnier. Anything that we didn’t understand we translated with our phone. The environment the owner and staff created shows that it’s not just a business.

Other: The owner and staff are attractive and single. SHOOT...

A standing Izakaya, the vibe is very cool. It is casual but the exceptional food and environment also gives them some sophistication. The food is tastes wonderful and is presented well. I don't know how they make the croquettes so crispy and also soft, but I like it. I also had the pork shumai (豚肉シュウマイ), potato salad, tempura and sashimi and it is hard to pick a favourite. They have a large array of sake in the fridge for you to choose from, as well as craft beers and more. Order on the notepad given to you, and place your yen in the box. You can grab the sake bottle out of the fridge that you want and they will pour you your drink. Japanese menu only. Reserve ahead of time, but also some walk ins accepted if lucky. Popular...

After reading the previous review, my partner and I decided to try this standing bar as we were exploring the Sangenjaya area. Despite us not knowing any Japanese besides the few basic phrases, the staff was welcoming and kind. There was a friendly local who could speak English who kindly helped us order and communicated with the staff. (Kaku - when I am back let me buy you a drink!)

We came around 5 PM for an early dinner and had pickled oysters, xiao long bao, shumai, sashimi (mackerel was a standout), and karaage (phenomenal with a spicy sauce). The food was delicious.

I would highly recommend and I look forward to...