Ichiu

Food was great, service was good and the atmosphere was calm and quiet. All customers at the counter were English speaking (no locals) and the chef spoke some English. Overall a good experience. Would have wished to learn more about the ingredients and dishes offered. Lovely ceramics.

Visited Japan back in November 2024 and came here for that high end, Japanese omakase experience. Definitely the best meal I had in Japan and even considering how few sushi pieces they served here, also the best sushi I've ever had. Not sure what the price was then, but I just checked the restaurant's website and a seat is about 33,000 yen, which is about 200 USD. First thing about this place is the service. It's a small place with only three people working, which are the chef, the hostess/waitress, and his assistant chef. Everyone is kind, accommodating, polite and even occasionally funny. The space is small, yet roomy. It's clean, it's comfortable and you get full view of what the chef is doing, which is part of the fun. I normally don't like omakase because of the lack of privacy, but I strangely didn't mind it here. Part of the reason was how welcoming everyone was which helped make me comfortable. As for the food, everything was amazing. It's omakase, so you don't get to pick, but that's probably for the best as the chef knows better than I would. You start with a small drink, which I think was a yuzu sake they likely made themselves. I don't drink much, but the other patrons did and chef had no problem giving them as many cheap beers as they wanted, and they must've had like a dozen or so. So don't be embarrassed ordering whatever you want. All the dishes were complex and you could tell there was a lot of thought and technique put into each. And of course, they were delicious. Some stuff that stuck out was the inclusion of whale meat, which tasted good, but made me feel a little sick. I never had whale before, but it has a funk to it. It's kind of gamey, like lamb. I also like that sushi wasn't the focus of the meal. I think we were served five pieces and they were great, but I don't love sushi enough to binge it. There was just enough sushi to appreciate it. As for the other stuff, notable ingredients include eel, abalone, uni, snapping turtle, actual sharkfin, and the whale, so your getting more expensive, rarer ingredients, some of which I've never had. I was a little disappointed there was no fatty tuna as I feel like it's pretty standard for omakase in the US, but maybe that's why he doesn't serve it. It's too normal. The weakest dish was a traditional Japanese dish of octopus, lentils and pumpkin. I think the chef was trying to keep it traditional so he limited how much he was willing to change it. Overall, I loved this place and can whole heartedly recommend it. After our meal, the chef came outside the restaurant and bowed to each exiting patron. Just another bit of service you'd never get outside Japan.

11/23/2025 - First off, I arrived 15 minutes early for my dinner reservation. There was a sign outside stating to wait until they opened because the restaurant was closed—but even up to two minutes before our reservation time, the door remained closed. It wasn’t until another couple pushed the door that the host finally came out to let us in. This was disappointing, especially considering guests are warned to arrive early or risk being charged for tardiness, yet the restaurant doesn’t even open the door to greet guests or allow access to the restrooms. The ambiance is relaxed and very clean, but the host simply attempted to take our belongings without offering any explanation of where things are located within the small, beautifully minimalist space. When the chef came out, he provided no introduction or explanation of who he was—seemingly assuming we already knew. He carried on strong, extended conversations with guests who spoke his language, while those who didn’t were left unsure of what was being discussed. We were given only very brief explanations in English. The food itself is good and authentic, but again, much of it was left to interpretation. There was little explanation of each dish or its preparation unless you spoke the same language as the chef. Since drinks are not included, I ordered a bottle of sake—but only after asking questions, because the drink menu leaves too much open to interpretation. When the bottle arrived, it was simply set down without any guidance on how it should be served or enjoyed. Throughout the dinner, the chef continued engaging at length with those who spoke his language, while those of us who didn’t received short, minimal descriptions—assuming we had fully understood. To make matters worse, I noticed (using an electronic translator) that Japanese-speaking guests were offered complimentary drinks and take-home mixed rice, while others were not. Overall, my experience was okay, but disappointing given the expectations placed on paying customers. I will not recommend this restaurant—not because of the food or cleanliness, but because of the lack of consideration for guests who do not speak the chef’s language, yet are still expected to follow along without proper communication. Additionally, I would not recommend sending my traveling friends here, especially given the pressure placed on us about attendance—almost to the point of feeling threatened if someone didn’t show up unless they were deceased.

Hands down the best meal in Tokyo. Absolutely brilliant and out-of-the-world amazing omakase by Chef Koichi Hamano. So so good. And pictures can’t quite describe the experience. The place is cozy that seats 8. Definitely make a reservation in advance if you visit Tokyo. Highly recommended.