Renga-Tei

You come here to “eat a piece of history” and not much else. It’s damn expansive for the food, and there are a lot of other places in Japan where you could get double the enjoyment at half the price. At least we could say we got to try the world’s first tonkatsu recipe. Don’t eat here if you don’t care for that.

My kid wanted to try the traditional (?) Japanese omelette rice and this place popped up from Google. The price was a bit high compared to other similar restaurants in the area and the food was okay. - Omelette rice was 3000 JPY and you should order 1 dish per person. You can check it out if you’d like to feel the atmosphere of over 100-year old ish restaurants but I wouldn’t return for food.

Oh boy! The omelet rice here was absolutely divine. Soft and fluffy egg on top of aromatic and flavorful rice. Definitely try this! Also I tried the kani cream croquette which the potions were huge and it was really creamy and good! Btw this place gets crowded really fast and people lineup to get in so better get a reservation, if they accept one, or go as soon as they open

Pretentious… that is the word that first comes to mind. The food was good. It was seasoned well, flavorful and nothing overcooked. We got exactly what we ordered. The second floor dining, with no handicapped access, was charming, clean and the adorned painting/displays built character in the room. Service was exact and courteous. The guy that served us most appeared new and nervous. He didn’t do anything wrong, but he didn’t belong with the other two that occupied the floor. The bartender/floor manager just gave off a bad vibe. Didn’t talk to anyone but the two waiters and glared down at everyone. Guests and all. He stood by the dumb waiter (food elevator) and he kept track of all the food that was sent up. He sent down two dishes that were sent up the dumb waiter that nobody ordered and yet failed to keep track of a table with two ladies who were sat immediately after us and who did not receive their food until we were done and getting ready to leave. The waiter in charge. Gave off the most pretentiousness… is that a word. The price was expensive for what we got. It is written at the door that you have to buy more than one dish, and there are no accompaniment item with most of the dishes. If the waitstaff ask if you would like bread or rice with your order, the accompaniment is a separate price. Mind, the food was delicious but very simple and plain. Nothing stood out as “Fantastic!” I know that there is history behind the restaurant and that it should be proud of its culinary contributions, but I didn’t enjoy eating there. Except for the nervous waiter, the vibe that I got was that the whole place was overly pretentious. I did not enjoy the meal. I would notch it as a learning experience and never go there again.

The original pork cutlet and omelette rice, both of which originated in the Meiji era, form the cornerstone of a menu that has enjoyed 130 years of patronage. While the recipes have been preserved, the flavours have been subtly refined over time to adapt to the era and overcome challenges such as rising prices and changes in customer preferences.

It was 2014, the last time I visited RenGaTei, ordered their Hashed Beef Rice, and still remember how delicious it was. This time I had no doubt but to come here first day of my trip, ordered their Hashed Beef Rice, still. And the taste is still, amazingly delicious; you can totally taste the grilled onions melted into the sauce, which makes the sauce nice and smoothly sweet, you can also taste a little bit bitter, guess they put some coffee in it ? 😀 Guess what, I looked around and found out that 70% of the tables were served with their famous Hashed Beef Rice, maybe you should do so 😊

This place might've been good once upon a time, but now it seems to mostly be an overpriced tourist trap. There are so many better restaurants you can eat, as the food is really nothing special. At the prices they charge, you can either get a much tastier meal, or get a lot more food elsewhere. Yes, it's a very old school place, but even the service was only so so, especially when you consider that the service in Japan is almost always on point. If you want to eat in a "traditional" place, then go ahead, but it's not what I expected from a place like this in Japan.

A disappointing experience on a rainy night. We had high expectations after a friend recommended the restaurant, but the dishes lacked flavor and were overpriced. The curry cost 3200 yen and the omelet rice was 2700 yen, yet street food tasted better. To add insult to injury, when we asked to pay separately, the restaurant manager refused and explained in Japanese, despite our foreign status. This was extremely rude and ruined the dining experience.

3.5 stars. As others have said, great food, but overpriced for what it is. We got here before the place opened, but there was already a sizable line ahead of us. However, I was pretty surprised by how many people they took in once they opened; they almost cleared the entire line, though they stopped at just two people ahead of us. The wait at that point was maybe 20 minutes or so before we finally got a table upstairs (where I watched, surprised, as the line just continued to grow outside). I wanted to get omurice on this last day of our trip to Japan, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a humble, simple dish with a basic omelette and a dollop of ketchup, and the rice was seasoned (not plain steamed rice). However, it was an incredibly basic meal that honestly should've been probably half of what we got charged for it. My husband got the hashed beef with rice. Lunch, for two dishes and one drink, was nearly fifty USD, and that's even despite the fact that the yen-to-dollar exchange was very much in our favor in late October. Nice enough staff, though they seemed a bit under pressure to get people in and out as fast as possible given the sheer size of the line outside. I loved the retro western ambiance of the interior of the restaurant and the very homey feel, but I do feel like fifty bucks for lunch is overkill and especially for omurice and hashed beef.

Was looking for a good katsu spot and decided to try the shop that originated the katsu! While waiting in line we learned that they also originated the omurice! I am an omurice guy, and I theirs was yummy! (I like all omurice so it might not mean anything) Their katsu was better than most places I've tried, and the ambiance gives a very nostalgic vibe. Overall a safe bet, specially for the less adventurous diners.

Excellent Showa style restaurant. The granddaddy of some of the everyday culinary western influenced staples that are synonymous with casual Japanese dining. Cash only.

Ambiance is 'vintage'. Service is good. The pork cutlet and omelet rice is good but not memorable. Please DO NOT order the stewed beef dishes, it is way overprice with six small pieces of beef in a very salty gravy sauce (even it is marked with a * star aka popular item on the menu). If it wasn't for the stewed beef dishes, I will probably give it another star. Does not accept credit card. Cash only. I do think this is very unreasonable since the entrées are expensive and WAY overprice. Do not waste your time waiting in line. Not worth the $$$ and time.

In 1895, the first Western-styled restaurant opened in Japan. That restaurant, Rengatei in Ginza, is still in business today. Here is where staple Western-style dishes such as pork cutlet and rice omelet were born and are still served up today. Despite it being more than a century old, Rengatei does not seem like it has changed a whole lot over the years. The facade is an unassuming brick building. The first floor has tables with red and white checkered tablecloths, and the upper floor are traditional tatami rooms. The decor is kept extremely simple. The only thing that stands out is the long line of locals and tourists during peak hours. True to its roots, the menu is pretty simple. Ordering is easy since the menu is in both Japanese and English. I dined here in a group of four. All of us ordered the pork cutlet and rice omelet. There was nothing special about it, but it was good. Here in such a historically significant place, the restaurant and food stays true to its modest original form and brings you back to 1985 in the most unpretentious way. The food may not be the best out there, but you do not come to Rengatei for the food - you come for the experience.

The food was great, just a bit overpriced for what you are getting. Service was amazing and ambiance has an old western restaurant vibe. I have it a 3 star solely based on the pricing. You should easily be able to get omurice at half of what they are charging and just as good.

Simple, prompt, and good. Can see why it's referred to as offering classic Comfort Food.

Back in 1895, Rengatei in Ginza opened its doors as a Western-style restaurant. The restaurant is known as the first restaurant in Japan to be called a Western-style restaurant, as dishes such as pork cutlet, other fried foods, omurice (omelet rice) and hayashi rice (hashed beef with rice) were made at the restaurant. And the restaurant still continues to provide Western-style dishes to many patrons that come to dine at the establishment. Entering the restaurant, the bottom room was packed and what caught my attention is the traditional look of the restaurant and the jazzy atmosphere. As the waiter took me upstairs to a more relaxed area, the restaurant quickly filled up not long after I ordered my lunch. Having read that Rengatei was the first restaurant to make omurice, I had to order it. As whenever I am in Japan, I love eating it. And to my surprise, it was different than any other omurice I have eaten in Japan. Most of the time, omurice is served with the rice and other ingredients inside the egg, but Rengatei mixes the egg with the rice. I admit that for the price, you don't get a lot on your plate especially when looking at it, it looks quite simple when compared to other offerings of omurice dishes from restaurants such as Pomunoki. But while the restaurant is steep in tradition from its historical roots, one should not come in with high hopes, but one should come in expecting to eat comfort Japanese food from one of the oldest restaurants in Tokyo.

Overall food is not bad, and the service was good. I order rice omelette and Pork Cutlet lunch. Maybe because it location that food is just little pricey!

Nostalgic western food restaurant. Pork katsu, Omlet rice, Hayashi rice(stewed beef and rice) are popular here!

They serve traditional Japanese style curry rice and omelette . English menu is available .

A must when I visit Tokyo. The quality of food and service hasn't changed since my first visit ( like 3 years ago). I appreciate that they make food simple but so tasty. Just keep in mind, the fried pork chop doesn't come with rice. I always get fried pork chop and omelette.