MY FAVOURITE TEMPURA SPOTS

MY FAVOURITE TEMPURA SPOTS

 

Something about Tempura and lunch just goes together so well for me.  But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever say no to tempura for dinner either!
Please note that I have included casual and high end options here so please choose depending on your budget (and whether or not the restaurant welcomes kids – if you’ll be dining as a family.) 

 

XEX Greenhills Roppongi is a great spot for dinner but the beautiful quality lunch and the reasonable lunch prices blow me away.
This place just feels so special.  I would save it for a special occasion and dress up a little.
They have the entire menu on their website so take a look to see if it matches your tummy’s needs and budget.

I also love eating sushi here.

They have an italian restaurant, sushi & tempura restaurant and beautiful old-school lounge/bar.
The staff at XEX speak beautiful English so you’ll even be able to make reservations for yourself etc.

Please adhere to the Xex Atago Dress Code. No shorts or sleeveless shirts for men , for example (see website for more info.)
XEX ATAGO GREENHILLS
港区愛宕2-5-1 MORIタワー
MORI TOWER, 2-5-1 ATAGO, MINATO
OPEN FOR LUNCH: 11:30-3:30PM
OPEN FOR DINNER: 5:30PM – 10:30PM (BAR OPEN UNTIL 4AM)
WEBSITE

For other date night options in this area see my ROPPONGI DATE NIGHTS post.

Incredible Tempura and Tempura-Don at Tsukiji Market (for breakfast, lunch OR dinner!)
I adore Tempura Kurokawa.  It is just like a small restaurant with a small counter and a couple of tables and their tempura is completely amazing. They welcome children.  The space is non-smoking.   They do accept most major credit cards.  This restaurant is 7 mins walk from Exits 1 or 2 of Tsukiji Station.   Budget for lunch is 2000 yen but more like 8000 yen at dinner time. 
The exterior looks like this. 

Kurokawa Exterior

TEMPURA KUROKAWA, TSUKIJI
中央区築地6-21-8
6-21-8 TSUKIJI, CHUO-KU
OPEN MON-SAT 9AM-1PM & 4PM-7PM (YOU WILL NEED A RESERVATION TO DINE HERE FROM 4PM ONWARDS)
CLOSED SUNDAYS & NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
See here for my other recommended spots at Tsukiji Outer Market.

Please see my article here on how to go about making a reservation for a restaurant in Japan when the website doesn’t have an English website option. 


If you’d like to eat high-end tempura and tendon in Ginza but still want to take the kids, I recommend making a reservation to dine at Tempura Mochiku in Ginza. 

This restaurant is 2-3 mins walk from Ginza Station.  Mochiku welcome babies, pre-school aged kids (and older kids, of course.) However, there is a minimum spend for children of 5000 yen (if you don’t order food for kids you will still need to pay 5000 yen for them as a table charge.- it is 10,000 yen per child at dinner time.) 
This is an award winning tempura restaurant and specializes in Seafood and Vegetable dishes. All seafood is sourced from Tsukiji and Toyosu Markets.   This restaurant has been going for more than 100 years.  
I recommend ordering the Shrimp Tendon Bowl – if you have the chance. 
Mochiku asks that guests refrain from perfume or cologne while dining here as it messes with the senses (for yourself and others.) 
This restaurant has space to store strollers while you dine. 
Budget for lunch here is around 4000 yen and budget for dinner is more like 30,000 yen (this is a once-in-a-lifetime/ special occasion type place.)

TEMPURA MOCHIKU
OPEN FOR LUNCH: MIDDAY-2PM
OPEN FOR DINNER: 6PM-10:30PM

TEN SOSO, ROPPONGI HILLS, PREMIUM FOOD HALL
I love this spot for lunch. The restaurant only seats 22 and is much more reasonable at lunch. I love watching the tempura prepared right in front of me. This is such a beautiful restaurant and the staff are so friendly.
They do have an English menu.
For lunch, expect to pay around 2500 yen per person for a set lunch (it’s soooo yummy!!!)  and around 10,000 yen per person for dinner.  They do accept credit cards and the entire restaurant is non-smoking.



TEN SOU-SOU ROPPONGI HILLS
港区六本木6-10-1 六本木ヒルズ ウエストウォーク5F
5F WEST WALK, ROPPONGI HILLS, 6-10-1 ROPPONGI, MINATO
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11AM-3PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-11PM
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
WEBSITE

Or if you’d like to try award winning high end tempura and tendon in Roppongi with kids, I recommend visiting Tempura Yamanoue inside Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi.  This restaurant welcomes children and babies and also has space for strollers.  Please note: that for safety reasons, children can only sit at table seating options – not at the counter.  For this reason (among others) I recommend making a reservation.
I like to go here for lunch if it’s a special occassion- it is soooo good.     The restaurant also has a nice view over the gardens next to Mid-town. This restaurant is entirely non-smoking. Tempura Yamanoue have an English menu. You can make a reservation online in English for Tempura Yamanoue here. 
Budget for lunch is around 9,000 yen per adult and more like 25,000 yen at dinnertime. 
Please note that there is a 10% table charge here. 
TEMPURA YAMANOUE, ROPPONGI
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11AM-4PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-8:30PM

For a more substantial Japanese lunch or dinner, I recommend visiting Tempura Shinjuku Tsunahachi (inside the Takashimaya Department Store) on the 13th floor.
For adults I would expect to pay 2500 yen for lunch and 5000 yen for dinner. They are happy for small children to share with their parents.

The tempura here is prepared Edo-me (Tokyo style) and it is a darker colour than I’ve eaten before. The flavours were amazing. 
The entire restaurant is non-smoking. 
They also have high chairs. 
They do have an English menu.
They also accept credit card.

You can choose from a set menu or you can order each vegetable or meat dish on its own , a la carte style. 

This is an example of the seasonal lunch menu – available only in Japanese but you could point and go ( or just choose from a menu option, of course.)


TEMPURA TSUNAHACHI SHINJUKU
千駄ヶ谷5-24-2 タカシマヤ タイムズスクエア13F
13TH FLOOR, TAKASHIMAYA TIMES SQUARE, 5-24-2 SENDAGAYA
OPEN 11AM-11PM
TEMPURA TSUNAHACHI SHINJUKU WEBSITE

 

Another fabulous spot is in Hibiya Midtown ( walking distance from Yurakucho, Ginza and Toronamon Hills) for lunch (or afternoon late meal) or dinner I love Tempura Tentora on the second floor.   It’s the perfect mix of a fancy and a casual meal. It’s also a wine and sake bar so the drinks menu is extensive ( by the bottle or buy the glass.)
I love the Yasai Tendon ( vegetable tempura on rice) and the sashimi of the day.  You can eat a lot of yummy food here and your lunch will still stay around 2000 yen , approx.
They do have an English menu.
They do accept most major credit cards.
The restaurant is non-smoking.
Please note that all seating is bar stool seating.
TEMPURA TENTORA
有楽町 1-1-2 東京ミッドタウン日比谷 2F
2F TOKYO MIDTOWN HIBIYA, 1-1-2 YURAKUCHO
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-4PM
OPEN WEEKENDS 4PM-10PM (LAST ORDER 9PM)

 

For more family-friendly options in Shinjuku see my Shinjuku with kids post.
See this post here for my SHIBUYA DATE NIGHTS options.