Practical information : Eating out Tokyo
Timetable
Opening times are unpredictable. While some restaurants serve non-stop from 11am to midnight, smaller outlets have reduced hours: 11am-2pm for lunch, 6pm-10pm for dinner. Still others remain open, but stop serving lunch after 2pm and offer a different menu.
If in doubt, we recommend checking the latest information on the establishments' websites or Instagram pages, or giving them a call.
Budget & Tips
Expect to pay between ¥800 and ¥1,200 for a bowl of noodles or a small platter of sushi. There are water vending machines everywhere, but it's much cheaper to have a reusable bottle that you fill up in parks, shopping malls or railway stations. Water is drinkable everywhere (unless otherwise stated). In restaurants and cafés, the tax is 8% on takeaway orders and 10% on the premises.
What costs extra
Prices are generally quoted with and without taxes (10%). There are no nasty surprises at the checkout, and no tipping is tolerated. A glass of fresh water or barley tea is always offered on arrival, along with a small towel for wiping hands. Payment is usually made at the cash desk as you leave, but waiters will tell you on arrival if it's to be made at the table. In smaller restaurants, a vending machine located at the entrance allows you to choose your dish and pay automatically. You then receive a ticket which you give to the waiters.
When you enter a restaurant, you generally have to wait to be seated by the staff.
The local way
The type of cutlery used in Japan depends on the menu. Most restaurants serving Japanese food use chopsticks only, but a curry restaurant will offer spoons and forks instead. Portions can be quite small. There is sometimes the option of a free rice refill(okawari muryō), an oomori option, i.e. a larger portion of rice or pasta, or a sukuname option, i.e. a smaller portion of rice or pasta.
To be avoided
A few rules on chopstick use: don't stick your chopsticks in your dish, don't point your chopsticks at anyone or anything, and don't cross them with another person's chopsticks. If you want to cut your food, it's better to ask for a knife than try to cut it with your own chopsticks.
Kids
Smaller restaurants may refuse entry to children, but most welcome them without problem. Children's chairs and menus are often available. Children may enter restaurants where alcohol is served, but alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden under the age of 20.
Smokers
The law changed recently. Since April 2020, smoking has been banned inside restaurants, with the exception of small bars and gargotes run by a single person or a family, which have a reduced surface area. Some cafés and restaurants do have smoking areas, but these are becoming increasingly rare.
Tourist traps
In busy neighborhoods, restaurants are often upstairs. Hustlers call out to passers-by on the street, inviting them upstairs. It's best to check the menu and prices before letting yourself be taken up. Prices should always be displayed.