Watabe

After nearly three months of waiting, I finally managed to get a reservation at Watabe, an unagi restaurant that’s known for being extremely hard to book. Don't expect to walk in and get a seat—I highly recommend reserving online or by phone in advance. Now, about the food. The unagi was good, but honestly, it didn’t blow me away, especially considering the long wait. There are definitely other places serving similar-quality unagi without the months-long reservation. However, what really surprised me were the side dishes—they were exceptionally good! The soup and side dishes were so flavorful that they actually outshined the main dish for me. The staff were friendly, though I did feel they were a bit more attentive to Japanese customers. Also, it looks like takeout is an option, but I’d recommend calling ahead if you plan to order that way. Overall, it’s worth trying if you’re curious, but if you're just looking for great unagi without the hassle, you might find equally good options elsewhere.

MAR 2024 Came here for dinner with a reservation and ordered the unaju set which took about 30 minutes to be served. Half the broiled eel is basted in unagi sauce and the other half is unseasoned. The unagi with the sauce was sweet and tasty with a slight char and goes well with the sansho pepper. If it gets too sweet there is a pot of green tea to make ochazuke to lighten the meal and there are some condiments to adjust the flavor including salt, wasabi, sudachi Japanese citrus, seaweed and spring onion. The unseasoned unagi lets you experience the pure taste of the unagi; a bit of salt brings out the flavor more. The meal also comes with a clear soup with unagi liver which was very clean tasting and a side of pickled vegetables. Overall a bit pricey but the portion was large and filling, unagi was soft and fluffy and the rice was good too, very tasty. Service was good.

This establishment is beautiful and welcoming with an exceptionally tasty menu. The effort and skill placed into each dish is impressive and very much appreciated! Thank you for a wonderful culinary experience!

I never understood rave reviews until now. Here’s my rave review. I want to come here to eat Unaju every week 🥲. Melt-in-your-mouth kabayaki, perfectly seasoned and absolutely delicious, I was staring at an empty box before I knew it. The rice that they use is from Chiba and it was perfectly cooked, I savored every little nibble. Every single person there was kind and welcoming, I felt like it could have been a surprise party for me 😊. I also loved being seated in the lovely tatami room; atmosphere 10/10. I want to come to Tokyo more often to eat at Watabe.

Good value for money given that unagi prices have been creeping up these past few years. One of the places in Tokyo to get a good kimoyaki, that is still possible to reserve without planning months in advance.

One of the best unagi I tasted in long time. I recommend take the dinner course. Friendly service and not so pricy. Definitely coming back soon

We had the set dinner which included 6 courses, the service was excellent and the food was fantastic. I’d recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves eel.

Solid unagi set. Can get extra or less rice if needed. Unfortunately, they were sold out of the bone when we had dinner.

I would give it 5 star if it was just based on taste. Because this place cooks one mean eel rice. The eel cooked perfectly. It really melts in your mouth and you can taste the grilling flavor. So why 4 star? Their servivd is probably the worst service I've ever had in Japan. Slow, never around when you need someone and they even ran out of sushi at 5pm dinner time? How is that even possible? I would come back but at the same time, I can find better service anywhere else. So is a tough choice.

THE BEST unagi I've had in my life like truly amazing. First of all, it's part of the Michelin recommended restaurants and I can also attest to this quality. It's around ¥5000 for the set I got. The sauce is perfectly seasoned with hints of sweetness and savouriness. It's soaked into the sauce eel and into the warm bed of rice. Takes 20 minutes to cook after ordering so you know it's FRESH!!! I don't usually eat that much rice but the sauce and fish is so good, it makes you eat the whole box. The fish itself is buttery and literally falls out of your chopsticks. The fattiness is to die for - I've never had unagi like this before. Please come here!!! We also got their shirashi salad which was pretty good, very refreshing on a summer day. They take reservations but we didn't do it since it was an impromptu visit. We called them and we were part of the wait list and got in around 2pm! There aren't too many seatings so we shared with another person in the tatami rooms! Very relaxing atmosphere. Overall, I highly recommend this place!

English available!!! "Watabe" is an unagi (eel) specialty restaurant located right near the Kasuga Station. Ever since its opening, Watabe has kept serving best quality eel to its customers. A former fish shop, they still have dishes such as tsukudani and sashimi platters, along with original fusion dishes created by their new chef. Western customers may find a familiar flavor in the chef's newest eel dishes, while Japanese patrons might encounter some unique surprises. Let's look at the unique eel dishes you can only find at Watabe. "Homemade Foie Gras Terrine with Eel Kabayaki " (1,700 yen). In France, there are dishes that combine eel and foie gras, but this is considerably unique in Japan. The surface of the foie gras is caramelized to enhance its sweetness as you bite into it. The savory sauce that brings out the flavor of the foie gras and eel is a blend of strawberry liquor and the special house sauce that has been passed down for the past 70 years. This is a dish that I highly recommend trying with some wine.