Simplicité — Restaurant in Tokyo

A great and well-rounded Michelin Star Restaurant experience. While some Michelin Star Restaurants have good appetizers, or good service, or good presentation, or good deserts, this restaurant is managing to keep a high level of quality on all these aspects. We were welcomed by the team and the service was excellent throughout the meal. The presentation of the dishes was great and very innovative in some cases (see videos). The quality of the food prepares was consistently high for all the courses. And the vine pairing was spot on for the dishes served. Kudos to the place to managing to keep a consistent high quality on all these aspects; a well-deserved Michelin Star. We are still trying to figure out how you can box smoke 😊.

Update – 25 May 2025

I had the pleasure of returning to Simplicité this year, and I am delighted to report that the restaurant continues to excel on all fronts. Having visited a number of other Michelin establishments in the interim, Simplicité remains firmly in our top three dining experiences in Tokyo.

The quality of both the food and the service has not only been maintained, but I would venture to say that the cuisine has reached even greater heights. This visit was marked by consistent excellence across the board, with each course displaying precision, balance, and creativity.

Of particular note were two standout dishes, each representing a different facet of Simplicité’s culinary philosophy. The bonito fish, prepared with a focus on exceptional ingredients and careful technique, truly embodies the spirit of the restaurant—high-quality food, beautifully presented, and never over-complicated.

In contrast, the smoke box dish sits at the opposite end of the spectrum: a true feast for the senses. This presentation delivers a multisensory experience—engaging the eyes, the nose, the palate, and even touch—showcasing the restaurant’s flair for innovation and delighting guests in a thoroughly memorable fashion.

In summary, Simplicité continues to set a benchmark for quality and consistency among Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo. It remains a personal favourite and an easy recommendation for anyone seeking a superlative...

Food: The chef did a great job of making a menu that had a lot of complex flavours. I thought it was a fun and interesting to eat. The restaurant had a interesting concept of making things simple to eat by having the customer use their hands. It was definently interesting to say the least. I thought many of the dishes lacked a compnent that tied the entire flavour profile togehter. The goal of making the dishes simple and refined were overlooked in some of the courses where it often felt far too complex and confusing.

Service: I thought the service was good but not up to the standard I was expecting . The "sommelier" was not able to answer as much as I would have liked about the paring with the main courses and just recommended the expensive bottles becuase they were expensive. Additionally, the wait staff was not as informed about the flavors and contents of the food as I would have thought. Often they had no idea what they were serving.

Ambiance: The restaurant was very nice and cozy. The open kitchen and counter seated was a nice touch. There are only a few tables available for groups of people. As a group of 4 we were sat at the table but smaller groups are sat at the counter.

Overall: I had a good time at Simplicté but I was not amazed. I think that the chef has amazing technique and skill but the menu needs more refinement in order to follow the mission the restaurant has set for themselves. I would consider coming back to dine...

Came by for a second time for dinner. Food was as good as last time. Really loved all the seafood dishes. The best were the appetizers - all very balanced, rich, and refreshing all at the same time. Chef is also amazing. Highly recommend for those traveling to Tokyo. We had a lunch reservation at Simplicite on a Friday. We walked in and was immediately greeted by the chefs who were busy working away at the counter. The counter seats were great to watch the chefs work and have casual conversations. Chef Kaoru was simply amazing! He was super patient in explaining all the dishes to us and answering our questions. When he saw me eyeing his beautiful plates and looking for the maker label, he told me where to find them and airdropped the store's address. The food was impeccable and delicious. I will come back in a heartbeat and next time we will try to do dinner! Highly recommend anyone that wants to give it a try. Just book it and you will have an...