Esquisse

I will start with how welcoming and kind the Japanese staff were, as well as the beauty of the restaurant. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by the very loud volume of other guests, specifically a larger table, we could not enjoy our romantic anniversary dinner. Multiple times, we had to ask staff for more tea or water. The chef came to say hello once and then seemed to focus on only one side of the restaurant, which was surprising. While we’re happy to have dined here, it did not meet our expectations for a two star Michelin dining experience. (Following this review on Pocket Concierge, the restaurant promptly reached out to acknowledge the feedback, shared that they reviewed it with staff, and offered us to reach out to the GM should we want to return.)

2 Michelin stars! Delicious and adventurous foods! You could tell the staff care deeply about their service and food. Every dish came with an explanation and a background on the ingredients and locations. We had amazing Japanese local ingredients cooked under amazing French techniques. The dishes were innovative with a weekly rotating menu. Our favorite was the pigeon and the bread. We let one of the staff know how delicious the bread was and he said we could have as much as we want, though we were stuffed so we kept it light.

Excellent fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. The chefs are so talented and good hearted. It's an exquisite and serene experience.

Balance is spot on, ingredients good quality and flavour, interesting take on japanese influences on french food. every dish did not have a dull point. mains of kue fish and local duck very delicious. Cheese course very good. Sauces are refined and work as intended. Both breads are made with rye wheat , house made butter provided.

Wrapped up my week-long stay in Japan with a wonderful lunch at Esquisse! The welcome champagne was refreshing. Every course was beautifully plated and delicious. The tomato and organic herbs course was unexpectedly one of my favorites, both aesthetically and taste-wise (and I'm not a tomato fan at baseline). Also really loved the amadai with the crispy scales. Our server was super patient, shared the background of each dish, and provided exceptional service all around. From what I could observe during my meal, the restaurants have servers fluent in Japanese, English, and French :)

Certainly, this establishment is a dining experience that should not be missed during your next visit to Ginza. They provide a tasting menu that incorporates seasonal ingredients, accompanied by a selection of wines for pairing. The presentation of the dishes showcases the finest Japanese ingredients, and the flavors are skillfully orchestrated throughout the meal. The service provided is exemplary, befitting a fine dining establishment. The host and servers demonstrate utmost politeness and courtesy, inquiring about any allergies or dietary restrictions to ensure a tailored dining experience. The location and ambiance contribute to an exceptional dining experience. I highly recommend a visit to Esquisse during your next visit to Ginza.

In a cozy afternoon enjoyed a wonderful lunch. Started with selected champagne followed by a series of eye-catching dishes combining seafood with strong citrus scent and strong French style. The Ise-Ebi is so tender that I can’t forget how it amazed me. Above average Michelin 2 star.

Modern classic. A perfect marriage of japanese umami flavors and french technique. This winter menu showcased a subtle flavors with a precise cooking method. French wine pairing was beautifully executed thanks to Fujita-san, the sommelier. Wines were carefully chosen and the quality were excellent. Who would have thought that you could pair a Daikon with La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er cru? Superb.

Came here after having a dinner at another Michelin restaurant in Kyoto where some of their ingredients were similar most likely due to the season. The dishes here were a lot more interesting and flavorful. Some ingredients I don't usually like such as beets and coconuts worked well here. The dinner went quickly possibly because we are fast eaters in general. Took about 1.5 hours to finish. Service was very attentive. Would definitely come back again.

One of the worst meal I had in my life Zero balance, so boring and tasteless The ambiance is also horrible The front of the house is kind

An excellent Michelin 2-star fine dining meal worth every one of its stars. The food is prepared a la francaise, but with Japanese ingredients. There were four appetizers/amuse bouches, each more delicately prepared and interesting than the last. Most memorably there was a pigeon entree cooked just a touch on the rare side but it only complemented the gamey flesh. One of the desserts also integrated both adzuki and raspberry, which I thought was such a unique French-Japanese combination. At the end of the meal, the chef came out and said hello to us, and we chit-chatted a little bit. Like any good French fine dining restaurant, they send you off with a few delicately prepared snacks and candies so you can laissez le bon temps rouler, or let the good times continue to roll. Most of the other guests here were clearly celebrating a special occasion or having an important business meeting, so definitely put on nice clothes here.

This was my first Michelin 2-star experience and it didn't disappoint. The service, knowledge, and attention to detail was amongst the best I've ever experienced. The sommelier was also noteworthy and added to our meal significantly. If you're into fine dining and are going to find yourself in Ginza, I'd highly recommend EsQuisse.

Good ingredients except for a couple off-season pieces (awabi). It was unfortunate the main dish of the night (deer steak) was not quite our thing, but most others (esp the cheese and dessert) were fantastic and the overall experience was very enjoyable. The wine pairing was not bad, but the juice flight was really nice and entertaining! Very enjoyable experience and we immediately know we will be back.

We'd heard that French food is done really well here in Japan, so we were eager to check out ESqUISSE, which we'd read many excellent things about prior to asking for our concierge to make a booking. The restaurant itself, just like many spots in Ginza, is in a building with a floor per shop; ESqUISSE in on the top floor (the 9th), and our seat by the window provided a nice, narrow view onto the main drag through Ginza. Our staff was very well-versed on the menu (particularly given the language differences), and we were always served food in a timely fashion, as well as brought bread that made sure we always had something to snack on between courses. The only comment I would have is that the check didn't come at the end - we had to ask for it after waiting for a while, though that may be more of a custom difference in Japan vs. what I am used to in the U.S. The best way to describe the food here would be French but with a definite Japanese influence - evidenced by the fact that this was probably the lightest French meal I've had, and the fact that there was more seafood served than meat. We started the dinner with a flute of champagne, which was quite nice and unique, and then went in with an amuse bouche of uni with fennel and foie gras terrine topped with citrus. Both bites were delicious; I don't think I'd had uni presented with fennel before in foam, and the foie gras paired perfectly with the tart fruit. The first course was an oyster from Hokkaido, which was a bit larger than those I've had in the U.S., but was definitely smoother and creamier and full of very delicious flavor. The tuna bites served next were also very good, paired with a light cucumber sauce that worked really well with it. The highlight would have to be the foie gras, which was served seared with beets and a duck breast au jus that turbocharges the creamy duck flavor that the foie already possessed. It's the first time I'd seen foie served this way, and it works extremely well in enhancing what is already a very decadent dish. The main fish course - a whitefish of some kind (I forget the name) was seared perfectly and was extremely succulent and worked very well with the sauces it was paired with. The main meat course was interesting - it was pigeon served three ways, with the head(!), breast, and leg served in different manners. The head, as the waitress suggested, was something that would be a bit of a mixed bag for most people, and while the crunchy texture and bitter flavor was not unexpected, I didn't feel like it flowed well with the rest of the dish (or the meal to date). The breast had good flavoring, but it was quite difficult to cut into bite-size pieces. The leg confit was the best part in my opinion, with a solid flavor to match. Our cheese course was skipped over - I think as a result of a language miscommunication - so we went straight to dessert, with the palate cleanser being two types of peaches (one sweeter and one bitter - a very nice contrast) topped with gin foam to burn off other flavors), and the main dessert being a fabulous showcase of sweet corn - in a pudding-like form, as well as lightly popped and whole kernels served with foam and sorbet. Corn isn't a typical dessert menu item, but it was executed very well here and is a great seasonal choice. We finished up with tea along with petit fours - an absolutely delicious dark-ish chocolate truffle that was very crunchy; a tasty macaroon (strawberry for me, chocolate for her), and a couple of madeleines to top it off. In all, EsQUISSE was a great yet unique French restaurant that I don't think you'd find anywhere else in the world outside of Japan. In speaking with the chef after the meal (a nice tradition at smaller restaurants in Japan), he noted that his 8 years in the country and infused his style of cooking with local elements, and it really comes through in how the food is prepared and presented. While I do wish that the main meat dish (pigeon) was a bit more to my liking, it's not enough to knock off a full star off of the rating, and everything else was done very well. Definitely a recommended spot out of the many places to dine in Tokyo, and very convenient location as well.