Shinjuku Kappo NAKAJIMA

1-star Michelin restaurant. We really love this one. We booked omakase dinner and find it amazing in every course. Entrance is downstair with narrow staircase. Service is great and staff can explain each course in English. The best dish for us is flounder fish. Seasonal dish, firefly squid & bamboo shoot, is also tasty. Booking can be done 3-month in advance via a link in google map. Concierge service will support you through booking process.

Unique restaurant that specializes in sardines. We tried the top two dishes: sashimi sardines (which were great and tasted like ceviche) and the coated in egg and fried sardines served boiling hot in a broth. Both great and very different. We arrived before it opened and there was already a line, but we were seated without waiting once it opened and it was a Saturday

We walked in at open without a reservation on a random weekday and got seated immediately. Service was impeccable. Food was memorable. Price was reasonable. Can't think of a single criticism.

Arrived 5mins before they opened and were first in line. Once they opened their doors, a queue quickly formed, so get there a little earlier if you can. The menu really has just the three set options and a number of sides. The meals are cheap and the done very well. When we left there was still a queue to the top of the stairs. Great place for an affordable but highly regarded lunch!

Got here at 11:15 and there was a line. Get there a little early! Came for lunch and the food was great. Really cute area and cool atmosphere. We tried the fried sardines, the egg sardines and sashimi style. The sashimi style is definitely an acquired taste. Definitely order the one with egg. Our whole meal was around 2,800 yen!

Very calm and serene feeling restaurant. Loved the dining atmosphere. Definately the best sardines you will ever taste. However sardines is not my cup of tea and I did not particularly enjoy the taste. If you love sardines though I can see this place being a must visit!

This restaurant is just an amazing experience! Firstly, the staff could not be better. They know the menu backwards and more than one has great English, particularly the maître d, who is awesome. Secondly the food is spectacularly good, particularly the fish soup, the sashimi and the eggplant with corn. Finally, the restaurant has a very good selection of sake and wine.

Excellent food and service. The staff is so attentive and takes the time to explain each dish to you. The flounder that was served this evening was the best fish my husband and I have ever eaten! Thank you for such a great meal!

Fantastic for the value. These are not your mother's sardines!! Things to note: - Cash only - Expect a reasonable wait (around 45 min) during peak lunch time, unless you arrive ~30 min before opening to get first seating, OR come at an off time. Lunch ends @ 1:30pm, and I believe last seating is just after 1pm - Don't expect to sit around after your meal - the waitress will usher you to pay and exit to allow other diners to enjoy their menu Can't beat the price. I opted for the half sardine sashimi, and deep fried set. Sardine sashimi was very fresh and seasoned with sesame oil and sesame seeds, with no fishy smell. Because sardines aren't the biggest, it's slivers of flesh, rather the larger chunks of sashimi we're typically used to. The deep fried set provided a different range of flavors - savory, rich, and slightly sweet. Both dishes provided the perfect amount of food for me, and the free bowl of rice is great to soak up the delicious broth from the fried set. Pickled veggies and soup were good complements to the meal. Calming ambiance in this basement location, which makes you forget about the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku.

This place elevates sardines to the top shelf. All previous experiences of "da can of sardines" sitting in the pantry are blown away. These folks elevate the much maligned fish with 4 simple preparations during lunch at the bargain price of less than $10 US for Michelin star grub. We had the steamed, fried and sashimi styles. The freshness of the fish speaks for itself, as they were almost sweet with a hint of brininess. All locals during our visit, a sublime quiet place with about 8 counter seats and a couple of tables. English menu upon request. Really steep stairs to again access to the experience.

I'm not one to care much about any kinda awards be it Grammys, Oscars, etc.. The group rating on a movie is better than the critics review. Wisdom of the crowds is the better method & why Yelp crushes Michelin tires takes.. which is loaded w bias & limited in scope... but that being said I still love to dive into a few Michelin rated restaurants. Especially in Tokyo, which leads the way. Enough of that rant & onto the actual restaurant. They were nice enough to let us in just before lunch closed. Simple menu w just the much maligned sardines prepared 4 different ways. I've had tons of amazing meals in the 2 weeks in Tokyo / Kyoto, but this one still stands out. The meal was absolute perfection. Service was spot on too. Great to cozy up to bar & see the masters at work. There are thousands of stellar places to eat in this wonderful city, but I very well would seek this out the next time I'm here.

This is the first restaurant I went to after reading an article about the 7 most affordable Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo. Nakajima was only a 10-minute walk from my hotel in Shinjuku. I arrived about 30 minutes before opening time at 11 am. The line was full of American tourists waiting to get in. We were seated shortly after 11:30 a.m. and I was very fortunate to get a corner seat at the counter so I could look down the length of the counter and watch all the chefs at work. Ordering was very easy with the English menus. They are strict about pictures to not include other customers but otherwise service was fast and efficient. The recommendation is to order any set and add on a side dish or two to try a couple different things. I ordered the sardine sashimi lunch (800 yen) with sardine fry (350 yen) side dish add-on. Local people came in after 11:30 and were seated after the first wave of tourists. I really enjoyed watching the food preparation. Looking forward to going back the next time I'm in Shinjuku. Strongly recommended!

My fam and I worked up an appetite perusing the Shinjuku Gyeon National Garden and fortunately, Michelin-rated Nakajima was just about to open. We arrived 5 min before the 11:30a opening and there was already a line. I had read that Nakajima specialized in sardines and the best time to go is for lunch, as it is pretty affordable. The lunch sets are around ¥800, or around $7. There are 4 sardine lunch options that you can choose from - fried, steamed, sashimi, lightly friend and simmered with egg and broth. Side dishes included tofu and sautéed greens. The hostess took our orders in line and after 30 min, we were sat at a table and promptly served. The food was sublime and made me a fan of sardines, when prepared in this way. Each component was made very simply and well. My favorites were the sashimi and the sardines simmered in egg and broth. The sashimi was super fresh and it was accompanied with ginger as a palate cleanser. The nabe was flavorful and delicious. You can also have one free refill of rice. The service was prompt and efficient. I wish I can come back for the dinner tasting menu, which is more expensive but I'm curious as to what they would whip up. What a yummy dining experience in Tokyo- I highly recommend coming early (11:15a) to get a seat as there is limited space.

Heard about this 10 dollar Michelin Star restaurant from a couple of websites. Overall, they are really strict on their rules, we were in a small group, and one of us realized that they didnt really anything on the menu, so only ate soup. The waitress insisted she must order an entree on the menu, but our friend didnt like what they offered, and so she was kicked out... That caused a little tension with everyone, so we just hurried and left. The food was tasty, the sardines were really crispy, and you can really taste the sea. The soup was rich, and really salty but complimented the rice and daikon well.

Our one and only 1 star Michelin restaurant that we went to during our trip to Japan. Shinjuku Kappo Nakajima was unbelievably good. It's a bit hidden as you have to walk down a flight of stairs. They specialize in one thing: sardines. We dropped in on a Monday afternoon (around 1:00pm) and lucked out. There was only half a dozen people in line so we waited 10 minutes to get in. Once we got in, the line creeped all the way back up the stairs. The inside is modern and spacious with counter seats and a couple more secluded table areas. We shared a table with an older Japanese couple. Funny that we ordered the exact same dishes as they did! The lunch menu has a total of four options along with a few sides. Legit. The sets come with miso soup, rice and Japanese pickles. - Japanese pickles - two daikon slices and some sort of Japanese choy. Both were delicious. - Miso soup - standard but well balanced - Rice - you get one refill for free. Definitely used mine. - Deep fried set (#2) (¥800) - deep fried sardines with breadcrumbs. This was lightly fried to perfection and perfectly breaded. No grease at all. The curry bean sprouts and salad were great too. I want all my bean sprouts to be cooked this way. - Yanagawa yabe set (#5) (¥900) - deep fried sardines lightly simmered in stock with eggs and onions. This came out hot and sizzling. Fantastic! The egg had an amazingly light texture but full of umami and depth. - Sardine sashimi (¥600 whole) - amazing on its own (you don't need to add lemon or sauce). So fresh! The toasted sesame seeds added an excellent crunchy element. A must especially for lunch. Where else can you get a 1 star Michelin restaurant for such a bargain?

This restaurant likely holds the world record for the most inexpensive lunch for a 1-Michelin star restaurant. For about $8 to $10 US/person, you can get a set meal with miso soup, rice, pickled veggies, and your choice of their specialty: Sardines! You can get sashimi-style with the fish minced up and seasoned. Or go tempura-style and enjoy some of the texture contrast akin to fish-and-chips but without the chips. You can get the bone-in (sans head and tail) steamed version with soy sauce for some umami. Lastly, you can custom-order the Nabe version, which is like a casserole. There was a short line leading to the restaurant downstairs right before opening at 11:30 am. We ordered and enjoyed both the tempura and steamed sardines. Looking back, I regret not trying some of the sashimi version. I also liked how they added a bit of curry flavor to the pickled beam sprouts. Service was fast, friendly, and the place is really clean. Its fun to sit at the counter and watch the chefs do their magic. They only have one main ingredient (sardines), but boy do they show serious mastery. Highly recommend coming here for breakfast or a lighter early lunch.

My friends and I wanted to try an affordable Michelin star. It was under $10. This place specializes in sardines. I know it might not sound the most appealing but I was honestly surprised how simple and delicious it was. We came here around noon and there was a long line. We waited about 20 minutes. It honestly wasn't too bad of a wait. I ordered the simmered sardines. It was marinated in soy sauce. It was delicious. The lunch sets come with rice and miso soup. My other friends got the fried sardines, sashimi sardines and steamed eggs sardines. I was a little skeptical of the sashimi sardines but I think this was the best dish out of all it. It wasn't fishy at all. I think the sesame oil and vinegar helped a lot. If you're debating whether to eat here, I would definitely recommend it. It was simple light healthy and cheap!!!

Best meal of our two night/three day stay. My husband and I went for the lunch special and it was worth the wait. It was raining but we stood; with our umbrellas, on that little staircases, just inching our way to sardine heaven. Seemed like just a stone's throw away from the hectic affectionately named "Piss Alley" how could this place remain so tranquil amidst all the noise of a city like Tokyo? For once, I felt like I could hear my own thoughts with a soothing melody , playing in in my head, from my dancing tastebuds. I didn't know sardines could be so delicious. We were afraid there weren't any English menus BUT alas, with four lunch specials to chose from, the hardest decision is actually deciding which lunch special you want. Four very different interpretations of sardines and I wish we tried them all. We didn't want to seen like the fat tourists so we went with the broiled/steamed and fried option. There was also a raw and casserole (with egg) option but we stuck with the most traditional. Sardines were fried to perfection and perfect with the mustard and pickles veggies. You can certainly ask for more rice, which I did, and I didn't feel embarrassed as almost everyone was asking for seconds of rice! My husband's sardines were soft and full of flavor without being too overpowering. You could tell all the fish was fresh as you could see the cooks prepping. As much as I wanted to sit and enjoy even more, following in line with all the locals... eat, pay, and don't linger. I can't wait to come back.

One of the best meals I've ever had! Had the fried sardine dish was a perfect meld of fish, fat, and broth. Others ordered the tempura set which was also a good choice. We got there early for the lunch menu and had almost an hour wait, but it was worth it.

Who doesn't want to try a Michelin Star rated restaurant for under $10 a dish?! Personally, I've only had canned sardines so I was very curious as to how "good" or "fresh" sardines would taste like. My wife and I came in at 1130am and probably waited in line for about 40 minutes before we got seated. They serve sardines 4 ways for lunch: sashimi, fried, boiled and braised. Each one is a lunch set that is under $10 but you can add a side of any for about $6. Unfortunately, the sashimi was out but we got to try the rest. I never thought I would like sardines this much. The flavor was delicate and the preparation and cook was good. I wish I could've tried the sashimi though. If you were wondering, I did call for dinner and its about $100 for a tasting menu. So lunch is the time to go!

Under $10 for a michelin star?? Whats not to like. We arrived about 1 hour after opening, and there was a line of about 20 ppl in front of us. But fear not, the line moves super fast! We waited less than 30 min . They only had one steamed sardine dish by the time we were seated, so 2 of us ordered the deep fried sardine with egg and onions, i ordered the sardine tempura and my other friend had the steamed sardines. The service here is a bit brusque and not that friendly, i think because they want to be able to serve everyone. They checked on us at least 5x when we were eating. It is definitely not a place to sit and chill. The sardine tempura that i had was delicious !! The tempura was super crispy and not oily at all. My dish also came with curry boiled bean sprouts, ughh who wouldve thought curry and bean sprouts would go so well together. I had a few bites of the steamed sardine and it was so tender!! I highly recommend this restaurant if you are into sardines. Otherwise dont bother, they only have 5 dishes on the menu and all of them focus on sardines.

This is a 3.5 star review, but I'm rounding down because so many of the reviews are a solid 5 stars and I was somewhat disappointed. I think it's probably more of a testament to my plebeian taste rather than the actual food quality, but I'm thankful to have read the other 3 star review to set my expectations straight. As everyone has said, this is an amazing deal for lunch for a 1 michelin star rated restaurant; the nabe set, which was the most expensive, was still only 900¥. Since I was alone and I wanted to try the other preparations, I opted for the half sardine sashimi (350¥) and the half sardine tempura (350¥). My entire meal was under 2000¥ and it was definitely too much food for me; I barely touched my rice and they even give a free second portion of rice if you want it. I only waited 10 minutes to get seated on a Wednesday afternoon, and the service was very friendly and courteous. They speak English and offer an English menu. To be fair, everything was good. I've never had sardines like this before, and everything was prepared simply and perfectly. The fried sardines were light and crispy, the sardine sashimi was lightly seasoned and fresh, and the nabe was piping hot and light. Overall, it was a nice meal but not a particularly memorable or flavorful one. I definitely don't regret the money or time I spent, but I would not recommend this to a tourist visiting for a few days.

Michelin 1 Star lunch. Specialty: sardines. That's all to it - sardines. My boyfriend and I got two of the dishes (pictures below) and thought they were really ordinary. I wasn't sure what to expect since they're only sardines, but I was still disappointed. My mom makes much better sardine dishes than this. The only appealing part is that each dish is only $8-10 USD, which is extremely cheap for a Michelin rated restaurant. We arrived about 15 minutes before they opened and there was already a line. It built up tons by the time they opened. They try to fill up all the seats of the restaurant to try to serve as many people as possible, so we sat at a table for 4 with 2 strangers. I got the Yanagawanbe cooked in a pot (took a long time to cook, didn't seem like too many other people around got this one) and the Nizakana, simmered fish.

What does a Michelin star grant you? Longer lines and popularity that will grant you more money! But you need the food to back it up, and Nakajima does just that! Who would have thought that iwashi (sardine) would become such a hit in the foreign tourist market? Nakajima serves up sardine in a variety of ways over a nice, set course. You can have it sashimi, fried, or deep fried again and cooked in egg and onions (the most popular choice). It's fame comes from their lunch sets being just ¥800 - ¥900, which is a steal! My friends and I got there at 10:30 and they open at 11:30 on most days. We were first in line and were able to snag a table, but the line quickly got long shortly after we had arrived. I recommend you get there early to avoid waiting too long. The Yanagawanabe (fried iwashi in egg and onions) was spectacular. It came bubbling and was a hearty meal to enjoy over some fragrant rice. While I'm not normally an iwashi fan, their ability to cook it with such expertise wins in my eyes. The only gripe I have about Nakajima is the service. I understand that they are trying to rush you in and out in order to accommodate guests, but they informed us this fact nearly six times during our meal. As we were paying for our meal in cash, the seater reminded us again that people were waiting in line... Ma'am, we are leaving. Daijoubu... I wouldn't take it personally, but it can be a stark contrast to the service you're used to in Japan.

Don't waste your time coming here, if you're a foreigner they don't want your business anyway. I showed up hours before they closed, there were empty seats, and they said they were "all booked" yeah ok Trudy, you can see by their signs that they really don't want to draw to English speakers. Hopefully they lose their Michelin star soon so the hype will end and they'll get what they deserve I came all the way across the city, really annoying

What a fantastic experience! I visited back in June 2018, and I must say I was the most impressed with the one item I didn't think I would like - Sardine Sashimi. I am back in the states, wondering when will I ever eat something as delicious and as unique as this dish. My deepest regret is that I only ordered a side-order of the sashimi in fear I would not like it. Nakajima is a unique restaurant worth visiting, and it does a great job representing the various methods you can prepare the unassuming sardine. I like bright setup here, which felt friendly and inviting. It has a family/home sort of vibe that other restaurants lack. Here I am, almost six months later, craving several full-size orders of the sardine sashimi. I tried the other sardine options, like the tempura fried, oven baked, and steamed sardines. Meals are served with some small accompaniments like soup, pickled veggies and tea. My least favorite was actually the steamed sardines, possibly because of the bones. However this dish definitely comes with a decent amount of fish if you're hungry. Personally, I felt the sashimi blew all these plates out of the water. Again, another affordable Michelin star restaurant you can get into as long as you're prepared to wait outside. Worth it!

Sardines. Some immediate mental associations are usually of...those little 3 year old cans sitting on grocery shelves, or that fish gruel in your neighbor's cat's chow. Then the odor usually wafts into your mind...that oily and sharply metallic tinge that makes your mouth water in the wrong way. Nakajima is transformative. Yes, it is a 1 Michelin starred restaurant, and yes it's comparatively cheap for lunch. But no, those two distinctions are not simultaneous. Nakajima for lunch is not luxury. It is an experience in how culinary skill and dedication to one simple fish can bring out the best characteristics of an oft ignored palate. Boiled. The prickly bones Slipped through the silvery skin Soy and oil, Sublime. For the sashimi Mouth watered. Metal and lime Washed with ocean sweet ...some meals are better off simple. Nakajima for lunch was not an epic,but a haiku.

Lunch specials are a steal with no compromise in quality. Lines are long but worth it. Service is quick and attentive. Mostly comprised of sardines but done with much flavor and consistency. Of the special lunch items, the Yanagawanabe and Sashimi is the best. Very accommodating to foreigner with photos and staff speaks English, somewhat. Can't wait to try their dinner. BTW no children under 6.

Japanese restaurants often just specialize in one thing - they just do one thing, and they do it really well. Nakajima does sardines really well - so well, they even have a Michelin star - and it's only $8USD for a lunch special - that's right, 8 bucks for a Michelin starred lunch in one of the most expensive cities in the world! It can't get more awesome than that! We arrived at 11:10am, and there were already about 15 people in front of us, waiting for the restaurant to open at 11:30. They opened promptly at 11:30, and we were quickly seated, sharing a table with a couple other parties. We ordered the deep fried sardines, yanagawanabe (fried sardines cooked in a stew with egg and onion), and a side order of sardine sashimi. The staff spoke good English and were very helpful and efficient. The fried sardines were good, but the yanagawanabe and sashimi were amazing. The sashimi were expertly deboned - if you're familiar with sardine anatomy, then you'd appreciate how much skill and patience the chef must have to prepare the fillets. The yanagawanabe was a very hearty and satisfying stew and paired very well with the side of rice. We were in an out in about 25 minutes - a quick and very high-quality lunch. There was a very long line out the door, spilling up the stairs and onto the street when we left. Definitely highly recommended, and I'd recommend going early to avoid the lunch rush. I very much would like to come back to try their Kaiseki style dinner then next time I visit Tokyo.

We came here after looking for an inexpensive Michelin starred restaurant in the city. We arrived pretty early and there was no line. We got seated in a private room. Prices are pretty average: 1000yen per course. Drinks about 800-900yen for alcohol. 1/8 course seafood app: amazing peanut butter salad dressing, snail (I could go without it) and octopus ( soft perfectly cooked) reminiscent of the one we had in Split 2/8 Soup: best veggie soup I've had- clean simple traditional Japanese soup. Don't expect miso flavor because it's definitely far from that 3/8 sashimi. Mackerel, sushi and tuna. Melt in your mouth good. No complaints 4/8 King salmon marinated in miso paste for four days. Seasoned so good, vegetables blended well w the salmon. 5/8 shrimp and veggie ( specific to the season frm the mountain) tempura. Crunchy tasty enough that they didn't need the dipping sauce. Tbh this was my least fave midway ( shrimp still had the exoskeleton and I wasn't much of a fan) 6/8 braised halibut w baby potatoes and cabbage. Halibut was soft, tasty potatoes were cooked just right. 7/8 flat fish in a bed of dried kelp and rice soup. Simple clean and my bf devoured mine. At this point I was full and gave him my portion. 8/8 last but not least grapefruit sherbet. Personally not a fan of sherbet or grapefruit and this final course definitely did not change that opinion. It was a bit too sweet for me and the aftertaste too tart. Overall for 8000 yen plus drinks taxes and service charge, price was adequate for what we had. I would come back knowing it would be a total surprise menu set. Tip: come early before opening to ensure seating.

MICHELIN STAR FOR MY BIRTHDAY! Shinjuku Nakajima is a restaurant that centers around sardines. I know most people shy away when they hear the word "sardines", but I mean it's a Michelin restaurant - give it a chance. This restaurant is super difficult to find. Once you find a small alleyway and walk down the stairs, you'll end up at the front of the restaurant. Green tea and radish http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%89%B2%E7%83%B9-%E4%B8%AD%E5%B6%8B-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA?select=eMO1WOT3QLu78e0cWWyvXw Miso Soup http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%89%B2%E7%83%B9-%E4%B8%AD%E5%B6%8B-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA?select=AV1-X2n6bTLI36YwTE4Zxw Nizakana (800 yen) - A simmered fish. The most unfamiliar one for me, but this was my dad's favorite! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%89%B2%E7%83%B9-%E4%B8%AD%E5%B6%8B-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA?select=msVqBHB77H5SAZQ29XyxXQ Yanagawanbe (900 yen) - Cooked in a pot. It reminded me of a donburi. They cook the sardines with eggs, garnished with diced green onions. Really hearty and delicious. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%89%B2%E7%83%B9-%E4%B8%AD%E5%B6%8B-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA?select=jvraPpyYktOWkgaNlVDOuA Sashimi (800 yen) - Raw fish. The FRESHEST sashimi I have ever eaten in my life. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%89%B2%E7%83%B9-%E4%B8%AD%E5%B6%8B-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA?select=VkVpgGPVqfg2s7Br5990LA Furai (800 yen) - Fried. My favorite dish of the night!! Fried so perfectly and I totally forgot I was eating sardines. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%89%B2%E7%83%B9-%E4%B8%AD%E5%B6%8B-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA?select=s-Dx6osg194ngN_4vfPyXQ Because this restaurant only seats about 30, there is a chance you will be seated with random strangers at your table. There's two private rooms and one sushi bar area.

Came here at 1:30pm on a rainy Friday and were delighted to find no line and the restaurant half empty so we were seated at the bar right away. My husband ordered the sardines simmered in soy and I ordered the one simmered with egg and onion. I was genuinely blown away by both (especially taking the under $10 price point into consideration!) The flavors of the two dishes were quite different, with my husband's dish having a heartier taste. Mine was sweeter and was almost like a deconstructed Don bowl. Staff spoke English and the service was impeccable. I definitely recommend dropping by for lunch!! We were in and out in about 30 minutes.

One thing I feel we don't see enough of at restaurants in the western world is to specialize in dish or ingredient and just make that one thing better than everyone else. Nakajima specializes in sardines. Before you brush off sardines due to a horrifying image of the tiny fish in cans, these sardines are prepared fresh and taste completely different. I highly recommend that you look at the photos of the entrance if you plan to get there early as it's not easy to find if you cannot read Japanese & when there is no line. The restaurant opens at 11:30 am so I showed up at 11:10 am to queue up. I was the first one there, but within 5 minutes there was a line of over 10 people behind me. Right at 11:30 a hostess opens the door and asks how many in my party. Just as I hoped, I got seated right at 1 of the 10 seats at the bar where I can watch them prepare the day's meals. They also had 2 larger tables that look like they held about 8 people each and asked if diners wouldn't mind sharing tables. Due to its popularity with foreigners, they have an English menu. Upon the suggestions of those online, I went with the furai (fried sardines) and the half order of sashimi. It took a little while for the food to come out, but I didn't mind as I always enjoy watching chefs prepare the meals. That is one thing I love about most Japanese restaurants and their open kitchen formats. It's mesmerizing to watch them do their magic with food. My food came out and I couldn't wait to dig in. Seafood, more than other food, should be just left simple. Let the ingredients do all the talking for you. That is what Nakajima does with their fried sardines. They are lightly seasoned and presented with a side of Asian mustard. The sashimi, in my opinion, was the star of the meal. Again, this was presented very simply with very few ingredients. Let the fish do the work for you. It wasn't too fishy and had a perfect balance to it. If I get a chance to return, I want to try the yanagawanabe (which is basically fried sardines then cooked with egg & onion). Most of the Japanese customers ordered this, and it smelled so good. I was almost tempted to ask my neighbor if I could try a little bit of it, but I restrained myself. If you get a chance, make a stop for lunch as it's not every day you can have a Michelin starred meal for less than $15.

Don't even think about it; if you find yourself in Tokyo take an hour and a half off for lunch and go line up at Nakajima. Not only will you leave well fed, but with an enormous appreciation of the depths of Japanese cuisine and sardines. Nakajima has one Michelin star and it is so well earned. Everything tastes fresh and is prepared to perfection. The fact that they have decided to keep a lunch service open for 8 dollars per person is pure charity because their dinner is about 80 dollars per person. Go early though because although they are open for lunch till 1:45pm, there was a long line when we were there and they cut off the line at about 12:55pm. The wait was long, about 40 minutes perhaps, but once seated the service was super fast. A set menu includes rice, a small serving of pickled vegetables (greens, carrot, dikon), the most delicious miso soup and the star if the meal - sardines prepared how you like it. They had sashimi (raw), basted, baked and fried like a katsu. We tried the basted and fried like katsu versions and cannot recommend them enough, although I suspect everything is done to perfection here. I'm not a fish person but I could perhaps eat here every day and not get tired. Extra points for beautiful yet simple interior decor and the graciousness of service, so very humble for being such magicians with food.

Shinjuku Nakajima restaurant is located in a small side street in the Shinjuku area. It is very hard to miss, as there are no signs in English at street level. The restaurant is located down a steep stairwell, where the restaurant is located. This is a 1 Michelin Star restaurant, and lunch is the time to go for those on a budget. Everything is under $9 at lunch. Dinner will set you back $80+ from my understanding. The restaurant only serves sardines, so if you are not a sardine lover you may want to think twice, but doing so would be a huge mistake in my opinion. The meal starts off with a cup of green tea. A small portion of daikon radish and greens are served. A bowl of yummy miso soup was served. It had a slight smoky aftertaste, which was pleasant and interesting. A small bowl of rice is served. You can ask for a free refill if necessary. The Deep Fried Sardines (~7.50) was expertly prepared. All of the little pesky bones had either been removed, or cooked to the point where they had melted because they were not distinguishable. The fish was very crispy and served with a squeeze of lemon. It was served with a small cabbage salad, and a side of curried moyashi (bean sprouts), which were just fantastic. I could have eaten an entire bowl of the bean sprouts, they were that good. The Yanagawanabe (~$6.50 a la carte) was served in a nice stoneware dish. Sardines are first deep fried, then placed into an egg and onion type stew which includes sugar, sake, shoyu, miso, and dried bonito flakes among other things, and pick up more flavor. The dish is then top with green onion. This dish screams Japanese comfort food. The restaurant is quite small, but has a sleek modern design with a long L-shaped counter, several tables and several small dining rooms. Service was extremely friendly and English was spoken. They also have menus in English. Since the restaurant is on the smaller side, if you decide to eat here for lunch arrive early, as the line forms rather quickly.

After eating here, I question how hard it is for a restaurant to achieve a Michelin-star rating. Perhaps this place earned its stripes for it's dinner service, but I was not impressed with the lunch menu. At lunch, Shinjuku Kappou Nakajima serves up sardines 4 ways - sashimi-style, yanegawa nabe (cooked with egg), deep-fried, or cooked with soy sauce. The meal itself is dirt cheap at 800 yen a dish, so a friend and I ordered each version except the yanegawa nabe. The best take were the deep-fried sardines, but the meal overall was lackluster. I also had to wait an hour even though I fell in line slightly before their opening time of 11:30, so if you're trying to go in the first wave, be sure to come even earlier.

Very good. Sardines done in several ways. I got the sardines tempura. Very nicely done. Crisp panko crusted sardines. The sardines are well executed though still maintain the ultra-fishy natural fishy sardine flavor. Rice was well executed. Sticky, soft. I'm not quite sure why this place gets a Michelin Star vs any other place.

A restaurant dedicated to sardines? A michelin starred restaurant dedicated to sardines?! An affordable michelin starred restaurant dedicated to sardines??? Yes, yes, and yes! It's kinda tricky to find, down unseeming stairs behind a gate in the building next door to a coffee shop. The best value is during lunch, so be prepared to wait in line for about half an hour. How do you want your sardines prepared? Sashimi style? Fried? In a hot stone bowl with eggs and onions? So much umami! It was not too fishy, the flavors were clean, and expertly prepared. The accompanying rice, pickled veggies, and miso soup were great too. Clear your palate with the hot green tea. A very interesting and fantastic experience! Not to be missed!

I don't care for sardines a lot but my husband wanted to try this place so we gave it a try. We had to wait in line right after they opened at 11:30 am. The line was half way up the staircase and we waited about 40 minutes from that point. I was really pleased with our lunch here. We ordered fried sardines, raw sashimi sardines, and then baked dish which I can't recall the name of. Everything was so good. I think we agreed the fried sardines were the best but it was pretty much a tie between all 3 dishes being really good. Cheap too at 800-900 yen per dish.

Holy crap. So I came to Japan and as I was researching good places to eat, I came upon this Michelin star rated restaurant that's known for sardines? Seeing as how it was only $, I decided to give it a try. On a side note, not knowing how to speak Japanese, I met this cool Algerian girl in line and we chatted it up. We decided to sit together and then they sat 2 more foreigners with us (yes just group all of the foreigners together why don't you lol). Anyways, the reason for that tangent was that we ALL ordered every variation of sardines that they serve so we ALL got to try every dish. Every single variation was amazing, but to me the most flavorful and delicious thing was the fried variation of the sardines (what a surprise). Honestly just get everything if you go here, it's worth it and the price is so low it's ridiculous. Bottom line, there's really a reason why this place has earned a Michelin star, so try it!

We wanted to make sure we didn't wait in line too long to try this place out. This was the first Michelin star restaurant we went to in Japan and it was a nice experience. We got there at around 10:45am because we read online that when it gets close to opening, there would be a long line up the stairs and around the corner. And boy, they were right. We weren't the first group to be in line (there was one guy in front of us) but not too long after we got there, people started lining up. We got seated in one of the private rooms since there were 5 of us. They only have about 4-5 options on the menu and most of us tried the sardines, which is what they're known for. The sardines were only ¥800 which is not bad at all for a Michelin star restaurant! I had never been a big fan of sardines but I tried some and I instantly became a fan! They were really soft and really good! I liked them so much, one of my friends didn't finish her meal and I ate the rest of hers. The great thing is that you can pay separately at the cash register and they even remember what you ordered! It makes the change portion of paying your meal that much easier! I didn't know what I was expecting when I came to eat here, but overall I was very satisfied with my meal because it didn't leave me too full so I can try all the other types of food that Japan had to offer. Highly recommended!

Now THIS is a buried treasure. Literally. You have to stand in a long line for this brilliant basement bargain. Only 800 yen for lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant?!? Now THAT is deal! Sardines? I thought. How good could sardines possibly be? Apparently, they can be amazing in at least 3 ways. Breaded and fried is easy - the batter definitely softens the fishy sting. The sashimi is amazing. Each sliver is barely half a centimeter, dissected precariously from the all those tiny bones. No need to doubt the skill of anyone in THAT kitchen. The Broiled Sardines in Sweet Soy Sauce were my favorite, a satisfying mix of savory, salty, and sweet. You have to do a little work to pick some straggling bones off the chunks of meat, but it's worth every minute. Everyone always tells me not to sweat the small stuff, but Nakajima is a prime example of how great the small stuff can be. Sardines seem almost insignificant compared to all those coveted cuts of blue fin tuna, but believe me, these will change your mind!

This place is fantastic. We waited about 30 minutes to get inside and ordered the sardines cooked with eggs. I was skeptical of this dish as I am not a fan of eggs and seafood mixed together, but they did this dish perfectly. The sardines were tender and fresh and the eggs gave them an even nicer texture and taste. The dish is mostly sardines and just a little of egg and some extremely flavorful onions at the bottom. The meal comes with rice, tea and miso soup and only costs 900 yen. This place seems to be a favorite among locals as a guy in line was curious how I even found the place. Overall, the food is fantastic and cheap here and I can not recommend it enough.

Michelin star resto with no jacket required! Came over for lunch and the queue was not too bad. Seated in 20min. Sardine yawaganabe was tasty. But I liked fried version as well. Sashimi sardine is not to be outdone , briny and fresh! The scene stealer for me was the side of soft tofu! Oh so refreshing and perfect start of the meal.

The lunch special never fails to impress me. If only the sardine sashimi didn't run out so quickly!

How does a place serving only sardines become a 1-star Michelin restaurant? Pure immense value. I love sardines, but sardines probably only go far for my palate. However, with a variety preparations that are each unique and perfected, all less than $10, there's no wonder they get such acclaim as well as love from their local clientele coming for a lunch break.

It's hard to believe that anyone can ever just stumble upon Nakajima, due to its inconspicuously humble appearance. Being able to read Japanese would certainly help. I suppose that is one of the beauties of the internet. Otherwise, I would have missed one of the meal highlights during my time in Tokyo. Who would have thought a restaurant dedicated to sardines would ever have a Michelin Star?Most people are pretty put off by the idea of sardines, but I happened to grow up on the treasure, both canned and fresh. I very much respect the appreciation for this underrated and sustainable fish. The menu has four main dishes to choose from. I opted for the sardine sashimi and the fried sardines in an egg stew. All dishes are accompanied by daikon and greens (very tasty), white rice and miso soup. Fried sardines in egg stew: Fantastic. THE meal to get. I've never had it cooked like this. There were bones, but they had been cooked down. Flavorful, but not overdone. Sashimi: While this was great, it was overshadowed by the stew. I recommend getting this as an appetizer, not as a single dish. Go for lunch, the earlier the better...the line builds quickly. However, there is a limit to the number of dishes per person, which curtails some of the wait time. The host speaks English. You might be seated with other patrons. They accept credit cards.

All about the sardines. Michelin star restaurant serving sardines and only sardines. I was there early to stand in line for lunch. They were very nice and knew that people wait a long time so service was on point. They apologized for the long wait and tried to give you tea and seat as soon as possible. I got the set lunch of yanegawa nabe which was 900 yen. It's basically fried sardines in eggs and onion. Added half size sardine sashimi for 350 yen. Boy oh boy.. the sashimi was amazing! I could've done a whole bowl or 2 of that. The yanegawa nabe was delicious too.. fried sardines were still crispy in the eggs and onions.. and it was mild in flavor and paired so well together. I was surprised the flavor wasn't too fishy or strong. This place does one thing and one thing right. Sardines!

Wow, this place was a pleasant surprise. My boyfriend picked this place out, and I was a little apprehensive to try it, as all the lunch options are sardine based. We came pretty late (about 1:30pm), and there was no line, which was nice. We ordered one of everything on the menu, and everything was great and not too fishy, which is what I was afraid of. My particular favorite was the sardine sashimi! This place is also a steal, at about just 1000 yen per person for lunch.

This review is for their lunch. Yanagawanabe was delicious and had a good potion. I added half a size of Sashimi for 350 Yen and that was very good too. I'm not a big fun of Sardine, but I'm grad that I tried their food. The counter seats were single customer only when I was there right after the lunch started.

I will never look at sardines the same way. SARDINES. What do you picture in your mind right now? Well, if I'm right you are probably picturing a tin can full of metal tasting fish. Not really something you would consider gourmet. Of course Japan would be the one to change that. We went to line up before the restaurant opened and we were at the top of the stairs. Waiting in fear that we would miss the first round we were pleasantly surprised that the restaurant is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. Some notes before we get to the food. This is not a kid friendly place. There is sign outside that says no children under the age of 6. Totally sucks, but thats how they run the business. Also, cellphone browsing is a big NO NO. You can definitely snap your food pictures and move on, but if you are sitting there browsing your phone they will ask you to leave. I saw it with my own eyes. Basically, they serve sardines cooked 4 ways and that is it in the morning. So if you don't want to eat sardines...move along. It blows my mind when people come in and point and ask if that's chicken. You're at a sardine restaurant, no that is not chicken...haha. Finally, to the food. Applause for your making it this far...lol. We ordered full orders of the steam and baked sardines and half orders of the deep fried and sashimi sardines so we could try a bit of everything. The baked one was the best the flavors were savory and delicious (highly recommend). To be honest i don't think anyone could dislike the baked sardines they offer here. It's just that tasty. The fried sardines were good, but nothing stood out to me flavor wise. The steam sardines were good as well, but the amount of bones that I had to deal with made it less enjoyable for me. The sashimi sardines were delicious. They were so fresh, with a subtle savory sauce and a hint of tang. They are affordable and their food is exceptional. They took one thing and mastered it. Will be coming back on my next trip to Japan for sure.

This place was a pleasant surprise. I came across this listing on my last trip to Tokyo and I saw that it had a Michelin star. I was a little skeptical as I'm not a huge fan of fish and all this restaurant serves is sardines prepared three different ways. I arrived 15 minutes before they opened and they already had a line forming. I was about 20th in line and once the doors opened I was seated at the sushi bar. I was able to see the sushi chef prepare the sardines sashimi style and I was mesmerized. I ended up ordering the sardines tonkatsu style (deep fried with panko bread crumbs) and it came with miso soup and two sides. My friends ordered the sardines broiled in a ponzu-type sauce with eggs served with rice. I thought the sardines were ok, but the amazing part was that they take the time to debone the entire fish before cooking it. If you've ever seen sardines, they are the size of your thumb and there are a plethora of bones. I was amazed at the service and quality of food that you get for about ~$8USD during lunchtime.

My friends and I went here for lunch right before it open. There was already a line when we got here. This place got 3 Michelin stars, but it is worth the price and hype. You'll be sitting with strangers, but you won't even care because the food is good. All 4 dishes are all sardines.

This was my first Michelin Star experience. I think I hyped it up in my head a bit too much so it was a bit disappointing... still good though especially for the price! I tried all of the different types of sardines and I think I liked the sashimi the most! Very fresh and not fishy at all.

Go for lunch, Sardines done 5 ways! All amazing. Go for dinner, flavorful, aromatic, creative dishes, and attentive service.

I never knew sardines In a casserole could be so delicious. A tad on the saltier side but goes great with the rice.

Michelin 1 star restaurant conveniently located in shinjuku.go for lunch, price is very reasonable. It was long queue for lunch. They serve very fast once you ordered.

This review is for their lunch service. I read about how this was one of the cheapest Michelin rated restaurants in the world...so I obviously had to try it! The restaurant opens at 11:30 for lunch. We arrived at 11:20 and was lucky enough to be the last people to get seated when they first opened their doors. I wasn't sure how big the restaurant was from the outside but it looks like it seats about 25-30 people at a time. We were seated in one of the rooms, on a communal table with 5 other diners. The menu is laid out on the table along with some pickled veggies before you arrive. We had to ask our waitress for the English menu. Lunch prices are pretty simple - they serve set meals which includes rice, miso soup and an entree for just 800 yen (~$8)! There are 4 entree choices...all sardines (sashimi, fried, broiled or in an egg stew). I chose the broiled and my husband chose sashimi. Meals are delivered quickly! And when they started arriving, I noticed some diners had two entrees...it was then I realized what the menu meant by 800 yen (or 600 yen). 600 yen for an an entree not served as part of a set. So I tried to ask a waiter who delivered our food if we could order another entree...but with my very minimal Japanese, I'm guessing the waiter didn't understand and he didn't even acknowledge me...he walked right past me to refill another diner's rice bowl. But he must have gotten the other waitress that spoke English because she came to check on us right after that. I asked to order the fried sardine dish as well. And I'm so glad I did as this turned out to be my favorite! I like sardines...love them on pizza, but had no idea it could be prepared so well. The sashimi was amazingly good. The broiled sardines had a ton of tiny bones that are edible. The deep fried version was so light and fried just right. Overall, we paid about $20 USD for lunch at a Michelin star restaurant. This can't be beat!