Isegen（Monkfish specialty restaurant）

After trying it a few times back home, monkfish always caught my attention since it is rarely seen on the menu. I have only had it as Western dishes, so once I saw the YouTube clip that introduced this generation monkfish japanese cuisine restaurant. I had all intention to try out how it is prepared. Especially after watching Food Wars, learning that it is very tricky and tiring to cut a monkfish, it makes me appreciate the dish a lot more. I made an online reservation for seating a while back to ensure i have a seat. It was early in the morning as it opened, and there was already a lineup. The staff are very welcoming. They have a record of my reservation and the chosen food. I advised them that I must leave within 2 hours since i needed to leave for the airport afterward. The service was pace very nicely. The staff are very friendly and tried their best to communicate with me in English, which i am very grateful as i can only speak vert minimal japanese. The foods were very interesting and tasty. I'm glad that I was able to learn of this place. I may come back to refresh my memory in the future. After all, I would love to support a restaurant that has been passing down from one generation after another for 8 generations since Edo period.

Almost a century of history specializing in monkfish, this restaurant is a gem that not many lnow about. We booked it from the web a few days before we came for their special JPY15000 per person menu. When we arrived, it was as if we went back in time to a traditional Japanese restaurant. Near the door, a monkfish was lying on ice facing the door with its sharp teeth agape. What a monster. We were welcomed by the hostess and asked to take off our shoes before entering our private room. The decor was a subtle Japanese style with a simple inked painting of a monkfish on the wall along with other antiquated items. The table was slightly raised above the floor with an opening underneath for our legs. We chatted to a few drinks as we waited for our feast, a feast featuring monkfish with every dish. We started off with a sashimi featuring filet meat, cheek meat, fish skin, and fish liver. Afterward, we were greeted with a big hotpot of various fish parts and veggies, etc. Various dishes continued to be brought in: wasabi flavored monkfish, sliced monkfish liver with ponzu sauce, fried monkfish... Near the end of the meal, the hostess came back in and poured some rice into the rich soup left from the hotpot. She then cracked open and scrambled some eggs into the mixture. It became a heavenly flavored porridge that warmed our souls. The meal ended with a gelatinous pudding, which, while not too sweet, soothed our palate after this intense experience. It was near 9:30 pm and we were politely but strongly suggested to leave soon. How time flies when we have such good food and such good company. As we stepped out of the restaurant, we noticed that the monkfish displayed near the entrance was gone. It turns out to be the very monfish we enjoyed. They had even provided us with a certificate as to the origin of the monkfish. Definitely not the usual Japanese restaurant experience and well worth the price. Our party of 5 ended up spending around JPY90000 for the food and drinks. If you ask what was the most memorable part of the meal, it has to be the creamy fish liver with ponzu sauce.

Historical restaurant dating back to the 1830s. Speciality monkfish is definitely worth the experience. Great staff, service, and the building is amazing.

Amazing place! We had a very pleasant dinner here. Historic decoration, high quality food and friendly services, their service sup is like an artist, and our table service is very nice lady very assistive. We will come back in our next Tokyo visit.

Such an amazing experience at this specialty restaurant. It's definitely worth trying it out. The Monkfish has a very unique but delicious taste.

Absolutely worth the commute, the wait and the calories. This place has been around for ages and it’s no wonder why. Monkfish texture was great, broth was delicious and ending it with rice was the best decision made. It’s a really nice traditional Japanese restaurant which I really like.. Mostly Japanese dining there and that was for me, an affirmation that this place is legit and authentic! Eating this during cold weather was a great choice. I came when it was raining and it certainly warmed my stomach and soul. Go try this place with an open mind. Have the monkfish liver, it’s even better than foie gras in my opinion. Do note that they don’t have chairs so you would have to sit on the tatami mat to eat. May be challenging jf you are a bigger person and if you aren’t used to sitting on the floor crossed-legged.. You would also have to remove your shoes upon entering the restaurant so please wear clean socks to avoid embarrassment and disturbing others 😀 It didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I really enjoyed the experience I had at this restaurant. They have an English menu and were okay with some English when ordering. The service was friendly too. The cashier is really tiny too.. so cute and interesting.. I loved it.

Have a chance to eat Angko meat for the first time. The taste is not so tasty but the meat is tender. However, still Ankimo is my favorite. The restaurant vibe is also very traditional.

My boyfriend whose hometown is in Ibaraki took me to this restaurant to give the monkfish here a try. We ordered a monkfish hotpot, porridge and one umeshu. We booked our table on Friday's noon and there seemed to be a few other groups so the staff was quite busy. The mistress greeted us and she was very friendly. She speaks English as well for those foreigners who want to give this restaurant a try. The food was good. Monkfish's liver is a delicacy and it is said to be the foie gras of the sea. The fish itself is firm and tasty. The hotpot portion isn't big, thus we had porridge to fill our stomach afterward. The service is a bit slow and we had to go out of our room to look for a available staff. We spent 11000yen for our lunch. It's it a bit on the expensive side but compare to renting a car and driving to Ibaraki for cheaper monkfish then you can consider paying this place a visit.