I usually write a little blurb about the restaurant before I review them, though this restaurant quite obviously doesn’t need one. A few things I’d like to mention, though. Firstly, they do have a very strict dress code. I highly recommend you come with a jacket, slacks, and obviously, dress shoes, though you don’t need a tie. I wouldn’t recommend you celebrate anything here. You’re going to be eating 18-20 pieces of sushi in exactly 30 minutes, with no dessert at the end besides maybe a slice of melon. You will also be scarfing down your sushi in complete silence. No talking to anyone else of the chefs and no questions. Go to the bathroom before the meal, since you literally aren’t allowed to leave for the thirty minutes. Men must eat their sushi in one bite, and women get two. You must use your hands to eat the sushi, the chopsticks are only to eat the pickled ginger as a palate cleanser. Though they provide you soy sauce in a small bowl, you can’t use it. To my knowledge, no alcohol, only tea or water. To confirm what everyone else says, yes, the service by Western standards is pretty. If you follow their very strict rules, they’ll be respectful in turn as well.
I don’t really know how to review the food since it was obviously just nigiri and I wasn’t really able to many photos really do to their policy. I’ll say this. Don’t let your disdain for their service and hospitality effect how you view the sushi itself. It was absolutely as good as the other top sushi places! The rice is in the top 3 I’ve ever had and the quality, treatment, and cutting of the fish is second to none! My favorite pieces of the night were the tuna (all 3 in the flight), uni, baby scallops, gizzard shad, and bonito. Do realize that’s just personal preference, and every piece was incredible. If I rated this place as I do to normal restaurants, almost every piece would get a 10/10! The only exceptions would be the squid (7/10), the ask shell (8/10), and the steamed abalone (8/10). This is, quite simply, edomae-style sushi done literally perfectly! I will agree with many others that the progression of the pieces doesn’t make sense at times. The tamago and melon at the end were certainly quite nice.
Food cost – $400; Value for money – 4/5; Overall rating – 5/5; My Michelin rating – 3*; Would I recommend – Yes, if you’re okay with putting up with the rules.
by Schwarzwaldstube
9 Comments
Thanks for the info about the strictness. I think what might be interesting is how you compare this sushi experience with other top tier sushiyas.
I’ve been to Jiro 3 times and have never experienced the kind of strictness you mentioned. Dress code was smart (no tshirts, caps, etc) but I wore nice jeans, decent shoes and a buttoned shirt.
Joked and laughed with the chefs. They even gave us another napkin to put our cell phones down. Got pictures with Jiro and the other chefs.
I’m not Japanese either. So who knows. Maybe they’ve changed after Covid?
I’m glad you enjoyed it – but that’s quite the long list of conditions and restrictions.
My take away from your post was this:
>It was absolutely as good as the other top sushi places!
There are so many incredible top tier sushi joints in Japan and elsewhere – and so many other amazing dining experiences – I don’t ever see myself going to the effort of trying to secure a booking, paying $400 and being made to feel like I should be grateful for the privilege. In my opinion, no food experience is worth that.
Melon is my favorite dish at Jiro, then the egg cake. Their nigiri tastes way too sour for me.
How did you take pictures? They have a no picture policy. Also the dress code wasn’t strict when I went, pretty casual for Tokyo.
Measured by time, this is as expensive as hiring a good lawyer!
I don’t know, but doesn’t it affect the enjoyment and contemplation of the meal, having to eat a piece of sushi literally every 90 seconds? For me, the enjoyment of something special, whether it’s food, wine, art, music, is always better with someone there with whom to share the experience / perspectives. With so little time, there will be precious little conversation and exchange.
They have beer and sake, only one brand that most Ginza sushiya sell, forgot the name. The dress code is not super strict, just dont be sloppy, plain jeans are fine, even pocket tees, of course no heavy perfume\cologne.
Missed the most important part, was the nigiri done by father or son?
I’ll be damned if someone tells me how I eat my food that I paid a stupid amount for.