【Nearest Station】3-5 minutes walk from Yotsuya Station 【Price】Approximately 78,000 yen 【Overview】One of the tempura restaurants known for being the hardest to get a reservation in Japan. The restaurant has only 6 counter seats. Chef Tadashi Kusunoki graduated from a high school culinary program and trained at a traditional Japanese restaurant in Nagoya. Although his original goal was to open a Japanese cuisine restaurant, he became fascinated by the depth of tempura while working as a tempura chef at the traditional restaurant. In 2003, he opened his own tempura restaurant "Kusunoki" in Nagoya, which became extremely popular among food enthusiasts nationwide. In 2018, the restaurant relocated from Nagoya to Yotsuya, Tokyo. Chef Kusunoki pays meticulous attention to the quality of ingredients, using minimal salt to bring out the natural flavors and emphasizing the role of salt by having customers drink dashi broth before eating tempura. The tempura is perfectly fried, with no oil residue on the paper it is served on. The chef recommends eating the tempura within 5 seconds of being served to fully enjoy its flavor. Despite receiving a brief explanation beforehand, the paper remains clean even if some time has passed. This top-notch tempura restaurant is none other than "Kusunoki." 【Menu】Kusunoki Course (55,000 yen, excluding tax and service charge) The menu includes a variety of dishes such as appetizers, sashimi, tempura, vegetables, and desserts, all meticulously prepared with top-quality ingredients and expert technique. 【Impressions】The food was incredibly delicious, albeit on the expensive side. The hospitality of the chef, his assistant, and other staff members was exceptional, and their dedication to providing a memorable dining experience was evident. The restaurant has rules about photography, allowing only silent photos and prohibiting videos. They also emphasize the importance of eating the tempura quickly to fully appreciate its freshness and flavor. The precision in frying the tempura and the use of seasonal ingredients and mountain vegetables made the meal truly exceptional. The tempura, considered one of the best in Japan, lived up to its reputation. Although I couldn't secure a reservation for my next visit, I was advised to book an omakase experience, and I look forward to returning when the opportunity arises. Each dish was a delight, and the craftsmanship and skill demonstrated in keeping the paper clean even after a few seconds was truly impressive.

At the moment, I believe Kusunoki is the most luxurious tempura restaurant. The tempura course at Kusunoki is so impressive that it could easily be considered the second best, both in terms of price and quality. The price and scale of the course have increased significantly since I last hosted a private event with a tempura course, making it seem like a distant memory. However, due to its limited availability (only once a week), it is extremely difficult to make a reservation for the tempura course, especially in the evening. Despite the consistent quality of the tempura itself, the course fee is actually lower than the Kusunoki course. During this visit, I was struggling to find shrimp due to a summer drought, but Kusunoki had the best quality natural shrimp from Mikawa perfectly prepared. This is the Kusunoki quality that made me shiver. However, my companion was looking forward to trying the curry, which unfortunately was not available, providing a clear point of differentiation.

I was invited by a friend to visit this restaurant for the first time. I love tempura, but don't have many opportunities to eat it. It was a long-awaited tempura experience! As someone who loves summer vegetables, I felt like I came at the perfect time. Everything was delicious. Thank you so much!

I used to think that even if tempura is light, eating too much of it will make you feel heavy and leftovers are normal the next day. However, the tempura at Kusunoki is completely different. First of all, when they serve the tempura on a paper towel, there is no oil residue when you lift it up. It seems that if the oil is heated at a high temperature, there will be no residue. The fish, seafood, and vegetables were all delicious. I also ordered green beans and karasumi as an additional dish and had a very satisfying dinner. I would like to visit again! Thank you for the meal.

I used to visit the famous tempura restaurant Kusunoki several times during the Nagoya era, but since it moved to Yotsuya in Tokyo, I haven't been able to find the right timing to go. I finally visited Kusunoki, a top tempura restaurant, located at 1-9-4 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. It's a 3-minute walk from JR Yotsuya Station or Tokyo Metro Yotsuya Station Exit 2. Upon entering the restaurant, you can sit comfortably at the 6-seat counter. I greeted the head chef, Kusunoki, and sat down to chat while toasting with a Rococo beer. Before the meal started, Kusunoki explained that he wanted us to enjoy the freshly fried tempura before the oil soaked into the paper. He served the best salt for dipping, without any additional seasonings. Here's what I had: - New mashed potatoes - Sashimi of beltfish and flounder - Dashi soup with no seasoning - Tempura of Mikawa Bay prawns x2 - Prawn miso - New potato chips - Prawn head - Yamanaka pepper - Flounder - Corn - Shirakawa white sea bream - Boiled and seasoned jun-sai - Young corn - Boiled beltfish with vegetables - Beltfish roe - Asparagus - Tsushima conger eel with yuzu pepper - Conger eel grilled with eggplant - Asparagus with clam broth - Ayu from Gifu - Tempura of new potatoes - Two types of sea urchin and seaweed tempura - Steamed abalone with abalone liver - Grilled abalone - Abalone in the middle - Tempura of sea urchin and seaweed - Crushed ice with sansho pepper - Fresh sea urchin - Tempura of mullet roe - Squid ink tempura - String beans - Bigfin reef squid - Fushimi chili pepper - White shrimp with salt and grated radish x2 - Okra - Mullet roe somen - Tempura of cherry shrimp, bigfin reef squid, and string beans over rice - Curry rice - Dessert of green soybeans, pistachio, and green tea sauce - Herb tea I enjoyed a wide variety of ingredients, with the highlight being the beltfish roe which was incredibly delicious. Kusunoki's tempura is exceptional as the oil doesn't stick to the paper, making it a delightful dining experience. I also had a lot of sake. I hope to visit again soon! Thank you for reading until the end! Your likes, follows, saving the restaurant, and comments are greatly appreciated and will motivate me in the future. Thank you!

After a 10-month absence, we visited "Kusunoki" again. We enjoyed the summer flavors of vegetables and fish. The main dish was a splendid abalone, but starting with prawns, tempura of corn, asparagus, and other items, the chef skillfully varied the temperature and texture to prevent monotony. With palate cleansers and breaks in between, the meal led perfectly to the final course, a water-based dish. This place truly is one-of-a-kind.

It had been two and a half years since my last visit. I happened to find an opening for an OMAKASE reservation and secured a spot to go. The restaurant doesn't have a sign outside, but you can tell it's open when the staff comes out 10 minutes before opening time. It's located near Yotsuya Gakuin in Yotsuya, close to places like Sushi Takumi and Taiyaki Wakaba. Inside, there is a sign with the restaurant's name and a picture of a chicken, which is actually a work from the same era as Kitaooji Rosanjin, made using fish parts instead of paint. The red comb is made of sea bream, and the black tail is made of conger eel. Amazing! Now, onto the Spring/Summer Kusunoki course. The menu includes a variety of dishes, including sashimi, to showcase the different flavors of the tempura. The tempura dishes are served in smaller portions but add up to a satisfying meal. The meal started with a dish of new onions and mirugai mixed with miso sauce, lightly flavored with yuzu and plum. The sweetness of the new onions and the texture of the mirugai blended well with the miso sauce. Next was a sashimi dish of white sea bream and cherry salmon, with wasabi on the sea bream and yuzu pepper on the cherry salmon. The cherry salmon was seared on the skin side with a hot iron needle to give it a smoky flavor. Then, a large abalone was presented, which seemed like it had been alive for 20 years! The abalone was quickly prepared and served after showing it to the customers. There was also a tasting of the original broth, where we tried it plain and then with a sprinkle of salt to enhance the flavor. The tempura dishes began with shrimp tempura served with salt, followed by another shrimp tempura with shrimp sauce, and then shrimp head tempura with shrimp sauce. The meal continued with dishes like taro chips, wild vegetable tempura, and more. Each dish was carefully prepared and presented, with unique flavors and textures. The meal ended with a refreshing salt-dried tomato, squid, and eel dishes, as well as a delightful asparagus and clam broth mousse. The tempura dishes were served in a unique way, with the chef explaining the characteristics of each dish before serving. The tempura was not too hot as the oil was well-drained, and it was served directly to the customers by hand. The experience was truly special and memorable.

Tempura Famous Restaurant "Kusunoki" in Yotsuya, revisited. They serve shrimp all year round, but other ingredients change seasonally. It's a place worth visiting each season. Apart from shrimp, abalone and asparagus seem to be regular items. I always enjoy being surprised by the large abalone. They have a wide selection of wine and sake. Looking forward to my next visit!

Today's lunch was at Kusunoki. The dishes served were as follows: - Appetizer: young ayu, firefly squid, bracken, bamboo shoots, rapeseed blossoms. A refreshing start to the meal. - Cherry salmon and red sea bream marinated in kelp, with cute carrot butterflies. The sashimi was fresh and delicious. - Tempura of Kagoshima carabineros, one with salt and one with a special shrimp sauce. The shrimp sauce was especially tasty. - Shrimp senbei, with a light shrimp flavor. - Tempura of shrimp heads, one with salt and one with shrimp sauce. Delicious. - Tempura of rapeseed blossoms, with a wonderful aroma. - Tempura of sandfish, a classic tempura choice. - Tempura of cod sprouts, a seasonal mountain vegetable. - Tempura of shepherd's purse, with a hint of bitterness. - Sun-dried tomatoes aged for 7 days, incredibly delicious. - Tempura of asparagus (green and white), with a sweet and savory flavor. - Tempura of clams, a unique tempura choice. - Tempura of firefly squid, tender and flavorful. - Tempura of young ayu (3 pieces), with a perfect balance of sweetness and umami. - Asparagus and clam mousse, a natural and delicious dish. - Tempura of shiitake mushrooms, juicy and flavorful. - Tempura of marinated red sea bream, with a strong kelp flavor. - Tempura of sweet potatoes, sweet and fluffy. - Tempura of cherry salmon, with a delicious semi-raw center. - Uni sashimi. - Uni wrapped in perilla leaves and seaweed, both tempura style. - Wood sorrel and Sansho pepper sorbet, a refreshing palate cleanser. - Tempura of white prawns (additional), crispy outside and creamy inside. - Karasumi and karasumi tempura (additional), enhancing the umami flavor. - Tempura of bracken (additional), a fitting end to the meal. - Tempura bowl with rose shrimp, small fish, itadori, and abalone mushrooms. Delicious. - Tempura rice bowl with cherry shrimp and bracken. Tasty. - Strawberry and soy milk mousse with raspberry and cranberry wine sauce, a delightful dessert to end the meal. Overall, a fantastic tempura course that truly showcases the depth of flavors. Delicious meal, thank you.

Yotsuya Kusunoki Kogomi, rape blossoms, bamboo shoots, firefly squid, young ayu (seafood that has not yet swum up the river) ◎ Cherry salmon, marinated sea bream ◎ Carabineros prawn ◎ Carabineros prawn with sauce ◎ Prawn head ◎ Shrimp crackers with rape blossoms ◎ Smelt ◎ Cod sprouts ◎ Kohada (gizzard shad) ◎ Salted tomatoes ◎ Asparagus ◎ White asparagus with salt on the tip and vegetable dipping sauce ◎ Clams ◎ Firefly squid ◎ Second serving with vegetable dipping sauce for young ayu ◎ I wanted to try it with sauce too~ and then the third serving with asparagus and clams foam Sea bream marinated in kombu ◎ New potatoes that are even better than sashimi ◎ Cherry salmon with grated daikon and sansho pepper ◎ Uni (sea urchin) ◎ First as is, then with shiso leaf and nori seaweed ◎ Tempura was better for this one Wild herbs, sansho pepper, and soy milk sorbet Tempura of tenbara (tempura batter scraps), tencha (tempura tea leaves), and pickles ◎ Couldn't decide between the two, so got both haha Strawberry and soy milk mousse ◎ Black genmaicha tea 55180 yen Truly worth the price haha Managed to get a reservation after a long time, and it was truly exceptional. It's quite remarkable how the tempura batter didn't absorb any oil at all. Overall, everything was delicious.

This is a visit since winter 2018. The restaurant is not currently accepting new reservations. The impression is still the same as before, with wonderful ingredients on display. The explanations of the food and ingredients were easy to understand, and my friends enjoyed them as well. Surprisingly, there were many Japanese craft gins available. The homemade karasumi was delicious. The shrimp was also of a high level.

"Tempura Kusunoki" Tempura - Yotsuya, Tokyo ----------------------- Tabelog 4.34, price 80,000〜, nearest station Yotsuya, reservations difficult, Tabelog Silver, Tabelog Top 100 restaurants ----------------------- Tempura Kusunoki Located on Kusunoki Street, Tempura Kusunoki is a tempura restaurant that opened in 2003 by Master Kusunoki. It is a popular tempura restaurant where food enthusiasts from all over the country gather. In 2018, it moved from Nagoya to Tokyo. While they primarily operate on a referral basis, the second in command, Mr. Ichihara, is in charge of the early "Light Course" and some reservations are available on the OMAKASE website. I made a reservation through OMAKASE this time. The omakase course starts at 50,000 yen, which is quite expensive, but despite this, it is a popular restaurant where reservations are quickly taken and seats are filled within seconds. If I were to mention a drawback, it would be that it is a bit too expensive, haha. I would like to visit again if I have the chance. #Kusunoki #tempura #Yotsuya #reservations difficult #Tabelog #foodie #Minato-ku #Michelin #Japanese restaurant #Akasaka #Ebisu #Nakameguro #Shibuya #Omotesando #Aoyama #Harajuku #Hiroo #Daikanyama #Hibiya #Azabu #Ginza #Tokyo #orthodontics #Invisalign #orthogourmet

I visited this restaurant for lunch after making a last-minute reservation. They used plenty of spring ingredients in their tempura dishes, which were delicious. The sakuramasu sashimi, with three different cuts - tail, medium fatty, and fatty, was also excellent. The young ayu from Mikawa Bay was expertly prepared in tempura, bringing out the best of its flavor and aroma. While the bill was quite high, it's definitely a restaurant worth visiting at least once.

Visiting every 3 months is definitely worth it. The food was really delicious today. Especially the cherry salmon, firefly squid, and spring mountain vegetables like wild vegetables, bracken, nanohana, and asparagus have a perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness, with a satisfying crunchy texture. It's amazing. This tempura restaurant never fails to surprise me every time I come.

Appetizer platter: Baby bamboo shoots, rapeseed flowers, young firefly squid, young sweetfish, sea bream sashimi, white sweetfish, shiitake mushrooms, cherry salmon, green asparagus, asparagus mousse, white asparagus, karasumi (bottarga), white asparagus, young sweetfish, sweet potato, sea urchin tempura, sherbet, rice.

I had always wanted to visit the tempura restaurant, Kusunoki-san. I was able to make a miraculous lunch reservation and visit for the first time. The location was said to be in a hard-to-find place, but if you exit from Yotsuya A2 exit, cross the pedestrian crossing in front of you, turn left immediately, and then turn right immediately, you will find it. There is no sign, so it may be hard to find, but the employees will be standing in front of the entrance close to the reservation time. The atmosphere is like a hidden gem tempura restaurant. The food really emphasizes the taste of the ingredients, with no tempura dipping sauce or other seasonings, just the perfect taste left to the chef. The frying is also excellent, showing the skill of a true master chef. I didn't feel heavy at all, and the taste was so wonderful that I could eat forever from start to finish. The price is also top-notch. I would love to visit Niiru-san and Takiya-san as well to compare their food.

Yotsuya "Kusunoki"⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡First visit.⁡⁡⁡Only 6 counter seats.⁡⁡Every detail in the restaurant, from the decor to the tableware, is meticulously crafted.⁡⁡⁡⁡As a somewhat timid person, I was a bit nervous at the beginning, but I was able to relax and enjoy the meal in the middle thanks to the warm personality of Chef Kusunoki.⁡⁡⁡⁡Chef Kusunoki's introduction and graceful demeanor were like a traditional art performance, almost like a dance.⁡⁡⁡The course menu focuses on tempura, showcasing the seasonal flavors of Japan in Kusunoki's unique style.⁡⁡The dishes do not flaunt expensive ingredients but rather allow you to savor the rich umami of dashi and the aroma of seasonal ingredients.⁡⁡⁡⁡The cherry snapper sashimi and cod roe with butterbur stalk were unexpectedly delicious.⁡⁡There was no smell of oil in the restaurant, which was quite rare even with deep-fried dishes. It was probably due to excellent temperature control and ventilation.⁡⁡There was no salt or tempura dipping sauce in front of us. Salt is not just for seasoning but also to enhance the flavors.⁡⁡Just like with sushi, leaving the final seasoning to the chef is crucial.⁡⁡⁡⁡The tempura was made with different batter mixes for each ingredient, allowing us to enjoy seasonal delicacies like butterbur sprouts, bamboo shoots, cherry snapper, and firefly squid. And it didn't leave us feeling heavy.⁡⁡The course progressed smoothly, leaving a beautiful aftertaste until the cherry blossom dessert at the end.⁡⁡⁡⁡We added 3 extra dishes, had a sake, and two cups of tea, totaling a little over 70,000 yen per person.⁡⁡Chef Kusunoki's world of culinary artistry was truly a valuable experience. Thank you for the meal.⁡⁡⁡⁡※Photos were taken with a silent camera app due to the restaurant's no camera shutter sound policy. Apologies for the low-quality images. ⁡⁡

The restaurant, which is one of the most expensive tempura restaurants in Japan and has moved from Nagoya to Yotsuya, is difficult to reserve but I was able to get a reservation on a Tuesday through a paid website's cancellation waiting list. The restaurant has a nice aroma, including the towels, and the tempura is delicious. The skill in frying and draining the oil is impressive, as there are no oil stains on the paper. The tempura is served like at a sushi restaurant, with bare hands, so I also caught everything with my bare hands. The tempura is cooked through but not hot at first. It reminds me of the top restaurant in India, Bukhara, where I burned my fingers (lol). The bamboo shoots from Kagoshima have a bitter taste and are not good, but other than that, the prices are reasonable and the seasoning is quite light, so it may not be popular with younger generations. I also ordered additional dishes like smelt and megochi.

I went to "Kusunoki," a restaurant near Yotsuya Station. It is a highly acclaimed tempura restaurant that is exclusive to members only, so there are no signs outside. It is recommended to make a reservation well in advance as it is difficult to secure a table. The tempura dishes were all incredibly delicious! Each piece showcased the quality of the ingredients and provided a truly blissful dining experience. The food paired perfectly with the drinks and everything was simply delicious. The chef was friendly and the overall experience was top-notch!

This is one of the places I regularly visit for tempura. They have a great focus on the quality of ingredients, so of course it tastes delicious. The portions are very generous, so it might be safer to skip lunch before going there!