Unagi Hashimoto — Restaurant in Tokyo

Unagi Hashimoto (1835) is currently the fourth oldest operating restaurant in Tokyo, after Kenuki Sushi (1702), Momonjiya (1718), and Komakata Dojo (1801). Kawajin (1699) has shut down permanently due to COVID-19, and Sasanoyuki (1691) and Tamahide (1760) are both undergoing renovations until fall 2024. Unagi Hashimoto has been recognized by the Michelin Guide as a Bib Gourmand restaurant.

I was seated immediately without a reservation by arriving a couple minutes before the 11:30 opening time. The staff can understand some English, and there are English menus available. I ordered the regular set, a rib meat skewer, a fin skewer, and a fried eel bone. The liver (labeled as stomach on the menu) was out of stock: I suspect this is something you may been to call ahead to order in advance, as I was one of the first tables of the day.

The fried eel bone and the skewers arrived first. I didn’t think much of the fried eel bone: It was enjoyably crunchy but not remarkable. The skewers, similarly, were good but hard to differentiate from any other eel restaurant.

The eel itself was good. I enjoyed the roasted aromas, the subtly sweet flavors, and the delicate texture as well. The regular size was just right for me; any more, and I wouldn’t have an appetite come dinner time.

Overall, it was a good meal. The food was not incredible, but it was still tasty, and it’s fun sitting down and eating at such a historical...

Where do i start?

I arrived at around 1pm for lunch, and also my first meal of the day. Theres no queue and the lady shows us to our seat, youll have to take off your shoes. They have options for you not too. But we did it japanese style. We ordered 1 unagi bone, and two medium bowls.

The unagi bones were addictive. Youll need to squeeze the lemon, break the bones and dip it with some salt. I wish we had chips like this. It was great.

The main dish was a little underwhelming to be honest. The portion of the meat was a little small as compared to what we have back home. It was 40 usd for a bowl. But that's subjective.

The unagi was so different to what ive tasted. It was more savoury than the usual sweet unagi sauce. Very light in flavours, almost intentional for you to taste the natural fat of the unagi. I thought it was beautiful. We ate in silence.

Half way through the meal, we asked for more sauce to go with the rice. Best decision ever. We knew we were more used to heavier flavours. So a slight elevation from the sauce...

If you're looking for unagi that tastes really sweet like at your local restaurant back home, this isn't the place. If you're looking to try a more traditional interpretation of unagi, you've found the right place. With 183 years of history and run by the sixth generation, I think it's safe to assume they know what they're doing.

For it's price, I really don't think it's as expensive as people make it out to be. It's unagi after all, which isn't cheap to begin with. Taste is on the milder side, but the rice and eel were cooked to perfection. Without a doubt, I have a new found appreciation for such a simple yet delicate dish. I hoped that would be the case when I first booked.

Speaking of, this is a famous place folks, as well as earning a Michelin star. That means you have to book, plain and simple. Hotel concierge or your credit card concierge service should easily guarantee you a spot. Also, I went at 6pm, and the larger portions were already sold out, so go early if you want to eat like there's...