sushi zanmai — Restaurant in Tokyo

You tried the conveyor belt sushi, I want to try something of an upgrade, but not quite ready for the omakase experience, Sushi Zanmai is the perfect option. Dedicated only to sushi and sashimi, you won't find deviations here. The staff was welcoming and friendly. We came in as a group of 8 and they easily accommodated us, but know it might not always be as easy as space is limited, so book in advance or choose times outside of rush lunch and dinner times. If you come alone or as a duo, you can sit at the counter and watch the chefs preparing meals. You sit down, get your oshibori towel and explanations how to order with the tablet (simple). You have a wide range of choices, from very accessible sushi rolls and sashimi cuts, to premium slices of fatty tuna. Try as much as you can, it will be amazing! Some modifications are allowed, such as wasabi preference or rice quantity for your nigiri. My favourite dish was the don, a rice bowl covered in fresh cuts of different types of sashimi, prawn and salmon roe (with a little side of lovely miso soup) Alcoholic drinks come with otoshi, a little "service" dish. At Sushi Zanmai it was a cold stew, with different types of fish, octopus and vegetables (most of my friends were not keen on it, so I ended up eating 4 of theirs, profit!) Definitely a place to visit if you want to expand your sushi taste, without going too crazy and break the bank. Prices are higher than conveyor belt sushi, but the quality matches that...

Very conveniently located in Asakusa. Sushi here is reasonably priced (not cheap, but not too expensive) and menus are available in English. Individual pieces can be ordered as well as a "set menu" that includes a variety of dishes. Both alcoholic and soft drinks are served, including sake, which is available both hot and cold. Counter and table seating gives options for group sizes, and you will be met outside by a staff member who manages access, so just wait in line until shown inside. One thing I observed at busy periods was some tourists struggling to get the attention of the sushi chefs to place their order. Don't be afraid to calmly but forcefully say "Sumimasen" ("Excuse me!"), as this will usually get them to take your order. Menus have photos of each dish, so you can order by politely pointing and saying (or gesturing) how many dishes you would like - due to the proximity of the restaurant to various sightseeing spots staff seemed very used to non-Japanese speakers, even though English was not...

I feel like compared to some other sushi chains, this particular one is a bit more expensive than the others. We ended up paying around 7000 yen for around 25 pieces which is reasonable but still a bit on the expensive side. The ordering is made through a tablet ehich mades it more traveller friendly than some other sushi restaurants in the area. Even though the fatty tuna was not as amazing as some other places, it was still delicious. The soya sauce on the other hand was a bit too salty for me but I feel like it would suit the taste of other customers. The service was kind and efficient. The food was served under 10 minutes and even though they had forgotten a piece in our order, the waitress apologised and quickly corrected our order without any issues. The restaurant itself has 2 floors but I felt a bit cramped in the smaller tables which made it a bit less enjoyable but overall, it was still a great...