Ueno, located in Taito Ward, Tokyo, is a famous area known for its zoo, art museums, lush parks, and a collection of bars and restaurants under the elevated train tracks. It's also easily accessible with bullet train connections, making it a popular destination often visited in combination with Asakusa.
The renowned shopping street Ameyoko (Ameyoko) is home to both nationally famous stores and local favorites, becoming particularly lively at night. Another charm of the area is its shitamachi (downtown) atmosphere, reminiscent of old Tokyo.
On the other hand, Ueno also offers many daytime attractions such as Ueno Zoo and the National Museum. As someone who loves food, I'll be focusing on "lunch spots" that I'd recommend visiting while sightseeing in Ueno during the day.
Ueno is home to high-level restaurants that are renowned nationwide
Ueno is a unique neighborhood that blends areas with cultural facilities like zoos and museums with bustling commercial districts. It's home to restaurants that are considered top-notch across Japan.
Ueno has many historical streetscapes, and there are numerous Japanese restaurants and bars that take advantage of this atmosphere. Being in the heart of Tokyo, it's a hub for culinary culture, hosting both trendy new establishments and long-standing traditional ones.
While you can find fast food and chain restaurants on the main streets, venturing into the side streets reveals unique izakayas and traditional Japanese restaurants.
Three Michelin-awarded restaurants perfect for lunch in Ueno
Ponta Honke (Tonkatsu)
Source: Tabelog
Founded in 1905, the long-established "Ponta Honke" is a tonkatsu restaurant that has been serving the same taste since its inception. Tonkatsu is a dish of pork loin or fillet coated with wheat flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs, then deep-fried. Ponta Honke is said to be the originator of tonkatsu in Japan.
Ponta Honke's tonkatsu is carefully selected according to the season and fried slowly at low temperatures. The tonkatsu has its fat removed, making it moist and light, with a slight sweetness.
This is recommended for those who want to eat soft, carefully prepared tonkatsu at the birthplace of the dish.
Address: 3-23-3 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, Holidays, Day before Holidays - Lunch 11:00-14:00 (L.O. 13:45)
Tuesday to Saturday, Day before Holidays - Dinner 16:30-20:20 (L.O. 19:45)
Sunday, Holidays - Dinner 16:00-20:20 (L.O. 19:45)
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 050-5492-8353
Official Website: https://g608200.gorp.jp/
Tonpachitei (Tonkatsu)
Source: Tabelog
"Tonpachitei" is a tonkatsu specialty restaurant that has been loved by locals since its establishment in 1947. It's open only for lunch. It has been recognized with the Michelin Bib Gourmand for nine consecutive years since 2016, an award given to restaurants that offer cuisine that exceeds expectations for the price.
The most popular dish at Tonpachitei is the roast katsu set meal. The roast katsu has a crispy coating, while the pink-colored lean meat is moist, tender, and has a sweet, melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Its tender texture has earned it the nickname "drinkable tonkatsu."
If you want to try a melt-in-your-mouth tonkatsu at a reasonable price, Tonpachitei is recommended.
Address: 4-3-4 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, Holidays 11:30-14:30 (L.O. 14:30)
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-3831-4209
Official Twitter: https://x.com/tompachitei
Kaiseki Ikkuu (Japanese Cuisine)
Source: Official website
"Kaiseki Ikkuu" offers kaiseki cuisine, which uses seasonal ingredients to create a sense of the changing seasons. They provide Japanese course meals using the most delicious ingredients for each season and have been awarded one Michelin star for three consecutive years.
The signature dish at Kaiseki Ikkuu is a course meal featuring conger eel. The chefs bring out the umami of the ingredients, allowing you to enjoy the surprisingly refined taste of the fish.
If you want to taste delicately seasoned dishes that bring out the best in the ingredients, be sure to visit Kaiseki Ikkuu. Remember that you need to make a reservation at least two days in advance.
Address: 2-4-23 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: [Lunch] 12:00-15:30 (Last entry 13:30) [Dinner] 17:00-22:00 (Last entry 19:30)
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 03-5685-0170
Official Website: https://www.kaiseki-ikku.com/
Reservations can be made online at: https://www.kaiseki-ikku.com/reserve.html#sec1
Perfect for lunch! Three recommended restaurants to enjoy Japanese cuisine in Ueno
Wagyu Yakiniku Tokori Ueno Bamboo Garden (Yakiniku)
Source: Official website
At "Wagyu Yakiniku Tokori," you can enjoy the highest grade meat selected by skilled professionals. Yakiniku is a dish where meat is grilled on a grill or iron plate and eaten with sauce.
The main attraction of the meat at Wagyu Yakiniku Tokori is its soft and mellow texture that melts on your tongue the moment you put it in your mouth. They achieve this quality by sourcing cattle from carefully selected farms and rearing conditions, using even rare cuts without waste.
The restaurant has window-side pair seats with a night view, making it perfect for those who want to enjoy exquisite yakiniku in a romantic setting.
Address: 3F Bamboo Garden, 1-52 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
[Weekdays] Lunch 11:30-14:30 / Dinner 17:00-22:30
[Fridays, Day before Holidays] Lunch 11:30-14:30 Dinner 17:00-23:00
[Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays] 11:30-22:30
Closed: 12/31
Phone: 03-5807-2255
Official Website: https://ramla-yakiniku.com/to-ko-ri-ueno/
Ueno Sakae (Sushi)
Source: Tabelog
"Ueno Sakae" is a restaurant where you can enjoy nigiri sushi in a coarse meal in a calm atmosphere. Nigiri sushi is a representative Japanese dish where ingredients, mainly fish, are placed on top of vinegared rice.
At Ueno Sakae, they offer only an "omakase" course, which consists of nigiri made with ingredients the chef considers to be the most delicious at that time. One of my favorites that often appears in the course is the medium-fatty tuna. The moment you put it in your mouth, the umami spreads, creating an impressive deliciousness.
I recommend Ueno Sakae for those who want to eat exquisite sushi in a calm, relaxed atmosphere.
Address: 12F, 4-4-5 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
Dinner 17:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:00) *Last entry at 21:00
Lunch 12:00-14:30
Closed: None
Phone: 050-5488-0846
Official Website: https://ggmw100.gorp.jp/
Okinaan (Soba)
Source: Tabelog
"Okinaan" is a soba restaurant characterized by its exterior that evokes a sense of traditional Japan. Soba is a representative Japanese noodle dish made from buckwheat flour.
The recommendation at Okinaan is the "negi seiro," where soba is served on a steamer called a seiro. You eat the soba by dipping it in a broth that contains finely chopped green onions and fried squid. The firm texture of the soba pairs well with the mild-flavored broth, creating a very satisfying meal.
If you want to try a representative Japanese dish at a restaurant loved by locals, be sure to visit Okinaan.
Address: 3-39-8 Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: [Monday to Friday] 11:00 - 20:00 [Saturday] 11:00 - 19:00
Closed: Sundays and Holidays
Phone: 03-3831-2660
Three restaurants & cafes recommended for lunch to enjoy the nature of Ueno Park
Unagi Kappo Izuei
Source: Official website
"Unagi Kappo Izuei" is an eel restaurant that has been loved in Ueno for about 300 years. Located in Ueno Park, you can enjoy your meal while admiring the serene natural scenery of the park.
The grilled eel at Unagi Kappo Izuei is characterized by its sauce, which is seasoned only with soy sauce and mirin, without using sugar.
Kabayaki is a dish where eel is split, skewered, and grilled with sauce. The eel at Unagi Kappo Izuei has a fluffy texture and is moist. Also, since they don't use sugar, it has a light taste.
Be sure to visit this luxurious space where you can taste one of Japan's representative eel dishes surrounded by nature.
Address: 4-34 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
[Weekdays] 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:00)
[Saturday] 11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
[Sunday] 11:00-20:00 (L.O. 19:00)
Closed: Mondays
Phone: 03-5685-2011
Official Website: https://izuei.co.jp/
Unagi Kappo Izuei has three stores in and around Ueno Park
Source: Official website
Unagi Kappo Izuei has two more stores in Ueno besides the one in Ueno Park mentioned earlier. The store in Ueno Park has separate hours for lunch and dinner and is closed on Mondays. The "Izuei Shinobazu-tei," which is the only store that offers takeout, also has separate lunch and dinner hours and is closed on Wednesdays.
On the other hand, the main store is open continuously from lunch to dinner and is open all year round. Although all stores are popular, they accept reservations, so be sure to make a reservation at the store you're interested in visiting.
Izuei Umekawa-tei
Izuei Shinobazu-tei
Chinese Cuisine Totenko
Source: Official website
"Chinese Cuisine Totenko" is a Chinese restaurant that has been loved in Ueno since 1961. While based on Cantonese and Fujian cuisine from China, they don't use strong-smelling seasonings or overly spicy ingredients, resulting in mild Chinese dishes that can be enjoyed even by those who don't like spicy food.
At Chinese Cuisine Totenko, you can enjoy various dishes centered around Peking duck and shark fin. From the restaurant, you can see Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park and Tokyo Skytree.
If you want to have a meal while enjoying a view that blends nature and the city, I recommend "Chinese Cuisine Totenko."
Address: Ueno Shinobazu Pond, 1-4-1 Ikenohata, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
[Weekdays] 11:30-21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
[Weekends and Holidays] 11:30-21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
Closed: Not specified
Phone: 03-3828-5111
Official Website: https://www.totenko.co.jp/
EVERYONE's CAFE
Source: Official Facebook
"EVERYONE's CAFE" located in Ueno Park is a cafe that exudes the warmth of wood, fitting perfectly with the park's atmosphere. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows and terrace seating, it offers an open and spacious environment.
At EVERYONE's CAFE, you can enjoy plant-based dishes using vegetables grown in Tokyo and desserts made with seasonal fruits. I recommend the plant-meat curry, which lets you taste the umami of vegetables, and the smooth souffle pancakes that melt in your mouth.
This nature-friendly cafe is especially recommended for health-conscious individuals and dessert lovers.
Address: 8-4 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
[Monday to Friday] 10:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
[Saturday and Sunday] 09:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
Closed: According to facility schedule
Phone: 03-5815-8251
Official Website: https://shop.create-restaurants.co.jp/0941/
Enjoy daytime drinking at Ueno's symbol "Ameyoko"!
Daitoryo
Source: Tabelog
"Daitoryo" is an izakaya that has been serving the same taste since 1950 and allows you to enjoy alcohol from 10 am. It's so popular that it's always full even during lunchtime.
Popular menu items include motsuyaki and motsu nikomi, dishes where beef or pork offal is grilled or stewed. The motsuyaki is juicy, and the motsu nikomi uses horse offal for a light taste, making them addictive once you try them.
At Daitoryo, you'll find friendly staff and regular customers who often strike up conversations, creating a warm atmosphere. It's recommended for those who want to enjoy alcohol in a lively atmosphere from lunchtime.
Address: 6-10-14 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 10:00-00:00
Closed: Open daily
Phone: 03-3832-5622
Tachinomi Kadokura
Source: Official website
"Tachinomi Kadokura" is a standing bar where you can enjoy drinks while standing, as the name suggests. Open from lunchtime, it offers a wide variety of dishes and drinks at reasonable prices. In addition to standing counters, there are also table seats for those who want to drink at a more leisurely pace.
The specialty of Tachinomi Kadokura is their Millefeuille Ham Katsu, which is four layers of ham breaded and deep-fried. The crispy, freshly fried ham katsu goes well with alcohol, so I highly recommend trying it.
This is the perfect place for those who want to casually enjoy a drink while sightseeing in Ueno during the day.
Address: 1F Forum Aji Building, 6-13-1 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours:
[Weekdays] 11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
[Fridays, Saturdays, Day before Holidays] 11:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:30)
Closed:
[Monday to Thursday, Sunday, Holidays] 11:00 - 22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
[Friday, Saturday, Day before Holidays] 11:00 - 23:00 (L.O. 22:30)
Phone: 03-3832-5335
Official Website: https://taishoen.co.jp/kadokura/