FOOD GUIDE

Where to eat near the hotel

Nine restaurants the staff actually recommends — from JPY 1,000 lunch counters to an evening worth the train ride.

Local lunch

Curry Specialty — Brother

A counter-only curry shop famous for its one-of-a-kind mackerel keema curry.

Its signature mackerel keema curry blends rich umami with carefully balanced spices — completely unlike anything else nearby. Seasonal chicken curry is also worth trying.

Budget: JPY 1,000–1,600
Hours / closed: Mon–Fri 11:00–15:00 (L.O. ~14:30), 17:00–22:00 / Sat 11:00–15:00 (L.O. ~14:30) / Closed Sun & holidays
Reservation: No reservations
Language: Japanese only
Payment: Cash only
Seats: 6 seats (counter only)
Crowd: Lunch queue starts before opening. Often full at peak hours.
Address: Tac Eleven 1F, 2-19-7 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075

Recommended notes： Don't miss the mackerel keema curry — you won't find it anywhere else.

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Raamen Yamaguchi

A ramen shop known for its chicken-broth tori-soba and tsukemen.

The signature dishes are tori-soba (chicken-broth ramen) and tsukemen (dipping noodles). It is a small shop with mostly counter seating, so there can be a wait at mealtimes. Long lines, but the line moves fast — open 11:00–22:30 every day.

Budget: Around JPY 1,000
Hours / closed: 11:00–22:30 (or until sold out) / Open every day except year-end holidays
Reservation: No reservations
Language: Japanese only (photo buttons on the ticket machine)
Payment: Cash only
Seats: 12 seats (counter only)
Crowd: 10–20 people queue around noon and dinner peak; turnover is quick, ~15 min wait on average.
Address: 3-13-4 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0051

Recommended notes： Best enjoyed piping hot. Tsukemen (dipping noodles) is also on the menu.

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Tonkatsu Hinata

33-mm-thick pork cutlet so tender it cuts with chopsticks — closer to a pork steak.

Miyagi-raised premium pork slow-fried at low temperature and served with rock salt — a regular on the Tabelog Tonkatsu 100 list. Evening course offers a six-cut tasting.

Budget: Lunch JPY 1,000–2,600 / Dinner JPY 2,000–3,600
Hours / closed: 11:00–14:30 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00–21:00 (L.O. 21:00) / Closed Sun
Reservation: Phone reservations accepted for dinner course only (after 17:00): 03-6380-2424 (line open 14:00–21:00). Lunch is first-come.
Language: Japanese; English on the ticket machine; staff handle basic English.
Payment: Cash / credit cards / transit IC / QR pay
Seats: 14 seats (counter only)
Crowd: Lunch queue forms before opening, weekends too. Smoother at dinner with a reservation.
Address: Suzuki Bldg 1F, 2-13-9 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075

Recommended notes： The blush-pink pork eaten with salt alone is a memory you'll carry home from Tokyo.

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Local dinner

Tochio-age Ageya

Freshly fried tochio-age and seasonal fish in fully private rooms.

House-fried tochio-age (extra-thick fried tofu) is crisp outside, fluffy inside, with many toppings to try. Daily-fresh fish and regional sake in fully private rooms.

Budget: JPY 4,000–5,000
Hours / closed: Mon–Sat 17:00–23:00 / Sun & holidays 16:00–22:30 / Irregular closures (1–2 maintenance days a month)
Reservation: Recommended (online via Tabelog or Retty)
Language: Japanese
Payment: Cash / credit (VISA, Master, JCB) / no e-money or QR
Seats: 59 seats — 4 counter, 55 table (all private rooms)
Crowd: Weekends and pre-holiday evenings book up — reserve ahead. Reservation recommended even on weekdays.
Address: NT Bldg 1F, 2-14-8 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075

Recommended notes： Pair freshly fried tochio-age with a crisp glass of sake — a quiet luxury.

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Teppanyaki Sakura

Aged A5 wagyu and live Ise lobster on a hidden teppanyaki stage.

A Michelin-listed counter where aged A5 wagyu and live Ise lobster are seared in front of you. English menu, sommelier-curated wine list of 100+ bottles, private rooms for special occasions.

Budget: Lunch JPY 10,000–14,999 / Dinner JPY 10,000–14,999
Hours / closed: 12:00–16:00 / 17:00–24:00 (L.O. 23:00) / Closed Mon (irregular)
Reservation: 24h online reservation form (phone for same-day or sold out)
Language: English menu available; English-speaking staff
Payment: Cash / credit / QR pay
Seats: 23 seats — counter, table, semi-private and fully private rooms
Crowd: Weekend dinner books up early; weekdays after 19:00 also recommended to reserve.
Address: 3-29-7 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0051

Recommended notes： Wagyu and seafood seared on the flame-licked teppanyaki stage — a multi-sense experience.

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Flattoria

Charcoal-roasted wagyu and house-made pasta at a long-standing Italian ristorante.

Italian cuisine by the 2019 national competition winner. Seasonal courses with seafood and wagyu, English menu, sommelier, 100+ wines, semi-private to private-hire rooms.

Budget: Lunch JPY 2,000–2,999 / Dinner JPY 5,000–5,999
Hours / closed: Tue–Fri 11:30–15:00 (L.O. 13:30), 17:00–23:00 (L.O. 21:00) / Sat 12:00–15:00, 17:00–23:00 / Sun & holidays 12:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00 / Closed Mon (open if holiday; closed Tue)
Reservation: Online via Tabelog or the restaurant's site
Language: English menu available; English-speaking staff
Payment: Cash / major credit cards / QR pay
Seats: 28 seats
Crowd: Weekend dinner and pre-holiday evenings fill up — reserve ahead. Weekday lunch after 13:00 usually walk-in friendly.
Address: FEAL Bldg 2F & 3F, 1-25-30 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075

Recommended notes： The seasonal course with farm-direct vegetables and wagyu is the best way to taste Takadanobaba's serious Italian side.

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Truly recommended

Tempura Takashichi

A century-old tempura house — JPY 1,000 lunch tendon, refined evening course.

Founded 1884, now in its fifth generation and a regular on the Tempura 100 list. Light sunflower-oil tempura with seasonal ingredients. JPY 1,000 lunch set with sashimi is exceptional value; evening offers a JPY 10,000 omakase with optional sake pairing.

Budget: Lunch JPY 1,000–1,999 / Dinner JPY 8,000–10,000
Access: 9 min walk from Waseda Station on Tokyo Metro Tozai Line (one stop from Takadanobaba)
Hours / closed: Mon–Wed 11:30–14:00 (L.O. 13:30) / Thu–Sat 11:30–14:00, 17:30–20:00 (L.O. 19:00) / Closed Sun & holidays
Reservation: Phone reservations for evening only: 03-3202-4035. No online booking.
Language: Japanese only (point-to-order, photo menu)
Payment: Cash only
Seats: 30 seats — 6 counter, 24 zashiki table
Crowd: Lunch queues before opening, full around noon even on weekdays. Limited evening seating — phone reservation recommended.
Address: 36-27 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0056

Recommended notes： Enjoy a freshly fried tempura set in an old-Tokyo neighborhood near Natsumezaka.

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Tonkatsu Narikura

Quite possibly Japan's finest tonkatsu — a course experience in Minami-Asagaya.

Repeated Tabelog Award winner. Low-temperature frying produces a snow-white cutlet; their signature "sha-buta-rian" pork tenderloin is a rare-cut showpiece. Reservation only, four seatings per day. International cards accepted via Omakase — no queueing required.

Budget: Lunch JPY 5,000–5,999 / Dinner JPY 5,000–5,999
Access: 6 min walk from Minami-Asagaya Station on Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Hours / closed: Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun, holidays 10:40–14:00 (L.O. 13:10), 17:30–21:10 (L.O. 20:10) / Closed Mon, Tue, Fri (irregular)
Reservation: Reservation only via Omakase site (credit card payment). New month opens around the 20th of the prior month and sells out almost immediately.
Language: Mostly Japanese; no English menu, but staff handle basic English.
Payment: Credit cards only — no e-money or QR pay
Seats: 14 seats (5 counter, 9 table)
Crowd: Books out within minutes when monthly slots open. Plan well ahead.
Address: 4-33-9 Narita-Higashi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0015

Recommended notes： Don't skip the daily whiteboard add-ons — chicken nanban, fried prawn and more.

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Sushidokoro Suzu

Ginza-trained mastery at the counter of a Tabelog Sushi 100 stalwart in Tameike-Sanno.

An ex-Ginza Kyubey chef serves daily fresh fish at a 12-seat horigotatsu counter. Lunch omakase from JPY 11,000; evening sashimi-plus-nigiri course in the 20,000s. Renowned sake and wine pairings.

Budget: Lunch JPY 11,000–24,200 / Dinner JPY 20,000–29,999
Access: 4 min walk from Kokkai-Gijidomae Station on Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
Hours / closed: 12:00–16:00 / 17:00–24:00 (L.O. 23:00) / Closed Mon (irregular)
Reservation: Phone 03-3586-1010 or Tabelog online
Language: Simplified English menu; staff handle basic English.
Payment: Cash / major credit cards — no e-money or QR pay
Seats: 12 seats (horigotatsu counter only)
Crowd: Reservations strongly recommended; book 1–2 weeks ahead.
Address: Chiyoda Bldg 1F, 2-9-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052

Recommended notes： Seasonal fish over firm red-vinegar rice — best paired with a knowing sake.

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