I went to drink with my colleagues in Ikebukuro, and we decided to go to a restaurant called "Uonami" that my junior had been to before and said it was delicious. It is located in a basement of a mixed-use building near the Toshima Ward Office, with a curtain that says "Ikebukuro Higashi Exit Minato" at the staircase on the first floor. The restaurant had a clean and cozy atmosphere, with a large fish tank in the middle of the counter, giving it a seafood restaurant vibe. We were all hungry, so we ordered a variety of dishes including Aomori-produced mackerel sashimi, winter delicacies platter (shirako, ankimo, oysters), kimchi chicken, whitebait with shiso rolls, grilled rice crackers, mentaiko, shrimp dumplings, fried tofu with myoga, beef tendon stew, bean sprout namul, and pickled plums. The Aomori mackerel sashimi was particularly delicious, with a rich flavor, firm texture, and a refreshing sweetness. We all agreed it was really tasty! The winter delicacies platter was also excellent, especially the ankimo which I really enjoyed. The oysters were sweet and just the right size. We also loved the shirasu with shiso rolls, as the broth was delicious. The kimchi chicken had a generous portion and was flavorful. The fried tofu with myoga was refreshing and highlighted the quality of the ingredients. Towards the end, we tried the grilled rice crackers, which were unique and went really well with alcohol. We had a variety of drinks, mostly sours, and the total bill for three of us was around 3500 yen per person. I was very satisfied with the meal and the price. If you're looking to eat sashimi, this restaurant is definitely worth considering. My junior's recommendation did not disappoint, and I would love to come back here again the next time I'm in Ikebukuro.

Due to the impact of the coronavirus, it had been 3 years since the last year-end party at Ikebukuro-kai. The location was decided in advance. Due to various circumstances, there were only 4 members, but it was still enjoyable. ● Cheers - 18:06 ● Assorted sashimi platter (6 kinds) - 18:24 ● Assorted tempura - 18:25 ● Simmered dish (miso flavor) - 18:31 ● Namerou (miso-marinated fish) - 18:39 I really wanted to eat fish here. Since the assorted sashimi platter didn't include namerou, I ordered it separately. I also recalled having tried the simmered dish before, so I ordered it again, this time in miso flavor. And our senior member found out that the tempura here is also delicious. We ordered additional items on top of the MIX assortment. ● Tempura - shiitake mushrooms, asparagus - 19:06 ● Rolled omelette - 19:06 ● Plump shrimp mayo omelette - 19:11 ● Fried tofu and myoga ginger salad - 19:11 In addition to standard izakaya menu items, we tried the unique plump shrimp mayo omelette. It looked like a regular omelette at first glance, but the filling was different. The fluffy egg was really good. After that, we appreciated the convenience of this restaurant, as we had initially reserved for 90 minutes, but were allowed to stay longer if there were available seats. Today, we weren't asked to leave at all. So, what started as a 6:00 pm gathering had already turned into 10:00 pm, lasting for 4 hours. It was the first time we found ourselves in a "should we wrap it up?" situation. We drank responsibly and had a good time. ● Clam ramen - 22:12 It was soothing. The easy-to-drink, elegant saltiness was delicious. The situation with the coronavirus is still uncertain, with cases fluctuating. Is this the only year-end party we'll have? But we had fun, talked about a New Year's party, and enjoyed ourselves.

People say there are few good shops in Ikebukuro (I also say so), but this shop proves otherwise. I was initially puzzled by having to take off my shoes at the counter, but I soon realized how comfortable it was. This shop skillfully balances the elements required for an izakaya, and they are subtly and perfectly arranged. Such shops may seem common, but they are actually quite rare.

We were able to make a reservation for two people at 6:00 PM. The restaurant was always full on Saturdays. The sashimi platter was delicious, and the tempura was perfectly fried with a delicate batter. The ramen served as the final course had a strong flavor of clams. The adult pudding was also amazing, with a unique coffee-like taste. The cost performance was surprisingly good. Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience.

I visited this restaurant around 4:00 PM and was happy to find that they are open all day. The restaurant had only two other groups of customers when I arrived. This place is a seafood izakaya that serves a variety of seafood dishes, including seafood bombs, seafood tempura sets, fresh oysters, bamboo shoot sashimi, conch sashimi, and green onion snacks, along with 4-5 beers. I ended my meal with a clam ramen. The ramen arrived about 10 minutes after ordering. The noodles were medium-thin and cooked soft, with a smooth texture. The soup was a salt base with clam flavor, but it was more seaweed-like than clam-like. The toppings included clams, seaweed, nori, and green onions. Overall, the tempura was delicious with a light and crispy batter, and the bamboo shoot sashimi had a good texture without any bitterness. While most of the dishes were tasty, the ramen was mediocre. It's not a ramen shop, but considering the quality of the other dishes, I expected a bit more clam flavor in the ramen. The beer was reasonably priced at 450 yen and the restaurant is convenient for all-day drinking. Smoking is not allowed inside, but there is an ashtray right outside the entrance.

On this day, I had some errands in Ikebukuro. I took a half day off in the afternoon and went to Bukuro for the first time in a while on a weekday. I thought it would be empty since it was a weekday, but it was unbelievably crowded! It turns out that the spring break had started. It has been a few years since my friend became a working adult, so I had forgotten about the spring break system. The impact of the grand opening of the anime holy land also seemed to have some effect. Bukuro will be a nightmare for a while. It was already close to 2 pm when I looked at the clock. My errand was at 3 pm, so I thought it would be best to have lunch near the destination. I walked north on Meiji Street to avoid the crowded restaurants near the station. Even at this time, there were still lines at the restaurants near the station, so I immediately rejected them because I hate waiting in line. I walked a little further from the station to find a lunch sign on Meiji Street near the destination (the building where TOHO Cinemas is located). I found "Kaisen Sakaba Uonami Ikebukuro Honten" and decided to visit. The restaurant is located on the B1F. As soon as I entered, I was greeted with a cheerful "Welcome!" This was nice. Even at this time, the place was lively, which was surprising. The atmosphere was bright and welcoming, and the staff greeted everyone warmly. The place was almost full, and the only available seats were at the counter. I was happy to be dining alone. There were many lunch options to choose from, and I ended up ordering the "Aji Fry" set. The food arrived in about 7-8 minutes. The Aji Fry set was served on a large tray, and the Aji Fry was quite large. I requested a normal amount of rice. The atmosphere was lively even though it was close to the last order time, with guests coming in one after another. The guest who came after me ordered fish without even looking at the menu. The free extra rice was probably the reason for the large amount of rice they asked for. The sauce in the jar on the side seemed to be original, with a strong Worcestershire flavor. The Aji Fry set was quite large, and I wondered if I could finish it all. The miso soup was delicious, with a strong fish flavor. It had the standard ingredients of fried tofu, seaweed, and green onions, but it was very tasty. The Aji Fry itself was huge, with a size that could be described as "gigantic." It was hot and crispy, and the size was impressive. The first bite was hot and delicious.

I used to visit this restaurant occasionally for the past 8 years as it is close to my office. I went back after a long time and was impressed by the great value for money. Even though it wasn't a weekend, the place was packed. The sashimi made from the fresh fish swimming in the tank was amazing. The only downside was the somewhat brusque service from the young staff.

Today's lunch was at Uonami Ikebukuro Minato in Toshima-ku, Tokyo! The city has been snowy since the morning❄️ It's just light snow so far, but it makes me imagine the chaos of Tokyo's transportation network which is weak against snow later on. I've been wanting to eat grilled fish lately, but I thought I should have a proper meal somewhere before, because depending on the weather, I don't know when I can go home. I found this restaurant while thinking about it. The old-fashioned Japanese-style interior with dim lighting gives a nostalgic and pleasant atmosphere. Today's order ⭐️ Grilled fish set meal (miso-marinated red snapper) + oyster fry. The oyster fry may be a bit overcooked, but it feels like I haven't had a Japanese set meal in a long time. I'm very satisfied with the variety of side dishes. The fact that there are proper side dishes for lunch is a very good impression.

I made a reservation with a friend, but it was fully booked. I wonder if we wouldn't have been able to get in if we hadn't reserved. The menu was quite extensive with a variety of fish and fried dishes, which we enjoyed. The sashimi was also very reasonably priced, making it a great deal. It's a bit of a walk from Ikebukuro Station, but I think it's a good restaurant for regular use. Thank you for the meal.

A seafood izakaya about a 5-minute walk from Ikebukuro East Exit. This time, I went with 8 old friends. I arrived late, so I didn't take any photos, but the sashimi was fresh and cheap! I recommend the assorted sashimi with seasonal fish that changes daily. The tempura here is also recommended. Choose from a wide variety, starting from just one piece. Actually, all the dishes here are delicious and I am always satisfied. For dessert, be sure to try the grilled rice cracker. It's a flattened and crispy grilled rice ball. Very impressive. I will definitely come back!

I visited the restaurant on Friday evening around 6:30 pm. I was able to get in without a reservation, but by around 7 pm, it was fully booked. I was seated at the counter, and was asked to take off my shoes. The staff seemed busy but were friendly and provided good service when taking orders. The sashimi was fresh, especially the live horse mackerel which was just taken out of the tank, giving it a unique texture. The restaurant mainly focuses on fish dishes, but they also have a variety of tempura options priced at 90 yen each, with a thin and crispy batter. On this day, they had three types of sake available in addition to their regular menu. The atmosphere and comfort of the restaurant were great, and the food was fresh and delicious. I would like to visit this place again when drinking in Ikebukuro.

I was undecided when looking at the menu, but I think I'll go with the fried horse mackerel. The daily special for the day was grilled mackerel and simmered saury, and since I love saury, I decided to go with the simmered saury. It's not exactly simmered since it's fried, but it must be due to the preparation. The fried mackerel was freshly fried and had a nice crispy texture, and the eggplant was delicious too. However, I think I prefer mackerel grilled. The side dishes included sashimi, simmered dish, pickles, which was a nice variety. The miso soup was unusually salty, I wonder what happened? The extra-large rice portion was as dynamic as ever with a huge mountain. The simmered saury came with eggplant, making it feel like a good deal.

I visited during lunchtime on a Saturday. They offer both lunch and regular dinner menus. I wanted to have a casual drink during the day, so I searched and decided to visit this place. [A la carte order] - Assorted sashimi (large) 1880 yen: Comes with fresh horse mackerel. All the fish were delicious, indicating that they are sourced well. - Simmered dish (salt flavor) 380 yen: A simmered dish with large tofu. It was also delicious. - Potato salad 480 yen: Potato salad with smoked salmon. It was also delicious. - Rolled omelette 520 yen: Delicious and filling. - Grilled rice cracker 480 yen: Tasty but very filling. [Overall impression] Everything was delicious. You can't go wrong with any dish. Maybe their specialty is the deep-fried skewers? The drinks are cheap, and it's a place that makes you want to come back. [Cover charge 200 yen per person] Total: 8129 yen (including tax) for 2 people - 5 dishes, 7 drinks.

**Visited on April 26, 2022** **Dish**: Fried Horse Mackerel Set Meal (Large) for 960 yen Located at Ikebukuro Station East Exit, on the B1F of a mixed building along Meiji Street, is "Kaisen Sakaba Uonami Ikebukuro Higashi-guchi Minato." "Uonami" is a seafood izakaya with a branch in Shiina Town as well. The interior is designed to resemble a traditional fishing village house with a warm wooden atmosphere, featuring a counter overlooking a fish tank and a total of 60 seats including sunken kotatsu tables. All lunch menus offer free extra rice, along with miso soup, pickles, small dishes, and sashimi. This time, I ordered the "Fried Horse Mackerel Set Meal" with extra rice. The small dish was "Macaroni Salad," the pickle was "Shiba-zuke," and I apologize for not knowing the type of sashimi. The seafood is flown in fresh every morning from Kyushu, ensuring top quality. The thick and juicy fried horse mackerel had a crispy texture that was delightful to eat.

Located about 5 minutes from Ikebukuro East Exit, this place is hidden underground down a steep staircase. I've been coming here for over 5 years, visiting almost 100 times. I usually avoid writing reviews because I don't like crowds, but I decided to write one this time since they also do well during lunch. I miss the times when we would have a good laugh with the staff in the late night hours, especially the waiters and kitchen staff who have been here since the opening. Due to the state of emergency and other restrictions, their hours have been reduced, but I decided to visit today and maybe tomorrow. When I arrived at 5 pm, surprisingly there were already 3 groups of customers. The L-shaped counter seating is great, and I love that you have to take off your shoes before entering. The appetizer (200 yen) is always homemade and reasonably priced. Sitting at the counter (tatami side), you can watch the horse mackerel swimming in the tank in front of you while you enjoy your drinks. The place is now non-smoking, but people smoke outside near the entrance, causing the smoke to drift towards the counter seats near the door. Popular dishes include fresh fish, beef tendon stew, and hormone stew, which are served in a bubbling pot. As usual, I had the beef tendon stew, fried tofu with pickled ginger, grilled fish collar, and sashimi, and finished off with some drinks. The bottles were promptly emptied and refilled. After an hour since opening, the counter seats were full, and even the back rooms were crowded with customers. The place is still as popular as ever. The restroom is separate for men and women. Although I don't know most of the staff now, the delicious dishes remain unchanged. The main menu stays the same, but there are daily specials as well. Interestingly, the current manager is actually a classmate of the owner, and he enjoys sharing stories about the owner when he's not around. Due to the frequent crowds, they may run out of certain dishes, so it's recommended to make a reservation or call ahead to check availability. We used to check the crowd levels through a personal LINE group, but I'll definitely be back again.

Ikebukuro, a place I have visited several times for work. I decided to have lunch there. There was a sign at the entrance of a mixed-use building along a main street, and it looked delicious. There are stairs right off the main street. The place was almost full when I entered. I was guided to a tatami room in the back. Most of the four-person tatami rooms were occupied by solo diners... Considering the current situation, I thought they might not be good for business, but I ordered after looking at the menu. I think the white rice at this restaurant is delicious with just the right firmness. The flavor of the beef tripe stew varies depending on the day of the week. It was miso-flavored on this day, but it was lighter in flavor than I expected. It felt more like a beef tripe hot pot than a stew. The sticky rice that had been simmered was so good that I could eat as many bowls as I wanted, and it made me miss the beef tripe stew from Gunma (laughs). However, serving sashimi in a small dish is quite stylish. When I visited again later, I had the braised pork belly set meal at the counter while watching the fish tank. I wonder why I didn't choose fish (laughs). The pork belly was also braised thoroughly and was tender and delicious. Next time I go, I want to try the oyster fry, the avocado yukke bowl, and I'm curious about the fried chicken too. Thank you for the meal!

Ikebukuro Station East Exit, there is a lunchtime sign that caught my attention on the underground 1st floor along Meiji Street. I have been to the teppanyaki restaurant on the 2nd floor before, but I am curious about the fish restaurant called Unami. They also have a lunch menu on Sundays. When you go down the stairs to the underground 1st floor, you take off your shoes and sit at the counter. There was a horse mackerel in the fish tank as a live fish. I ordered the oyster fry set with extra rice, and my companion ordered the chicken tempura set. The oyster fry came with 4 pieces and a small dish of tartar sauce. There were two small side dishes of sashimi and simmered dish, as well as pickles. The chicken tempura had a strong flavor from being marinated well. Their specialty is simmered dishes, so I would like to try the simmered dish set next time.

After the state of emergency was lifted and business hours became more flexible... as it started to get colder, I felt like eating something warm. I remembered the stewed motsu (offal) dish at Uonami-san, served in a bubbling iron pot, so I decided to visit right away. The counter was full... but thanks to the kindness of the staff, even though I was dining alone, they seated me at a table for four! Thank you very much. Perhaps it was a post-banquet gathering after the restrictions were lifted? The place was bustling with office workers. It had been a while since I last visited, so I checked the menu to see what to drink. I spotted a Shikuwasa (Okinawan citrus) sour on the limited-time menu! That's what I'll start with today. The dish I was looking for, the stewed motsu, had options of salt or miso, while soy sauce was for the beef tendon stew. And it was only 380 yen. An amazing cost performance. As an appetizer, I ordered some bean sprout namul. When the Shikuwasa sour arrived, it had more fruit juice than I expected and was very delicious. I recommend it. Without intending to, I overheard the conversation at the neighboring table... it seemed there was a reservation mix-up, but the young female staff member with a short haircut who first greeted them had very high communication skills. She made sure to ask what needed to be asked, and added appropriate words of apology or cushioning, and despite being young, she was able to accurately grasp the feelings and requests of the customers. Impressive. However, the other person at the table seemed like they were about to burst out laughing. When the namul was almost gone and the staff member brought the stewed motsu, she also brought two small plates. A wry smile. It seemed like she assumed there was someone else with me. I ordered a sake called Ichinokura, but I was relieved that there was only one small sake cup. It was amusing to see the mismatched interactions, but for tonight, that's where it ends. Thank you for the meal.

I was deciding between grilled fish or simmered fish, but I don't like saury for grilling and I had enough of red snapper during my time working on a cruise ship. Despite the hot weather, I decided to go for the beef tendon simmered set meal for 850 yen. I didn't opt for extra rice, but I added a lunch salad on the side. I missed taking a photo of the salad, but it cost 110 yen and I chose Caesar dressing. The salad included lettuce, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes in a small dish. It was decent. The side dishes included pickled radish, cut fried horse mackerel, sashimi, and the beef tendon simmered dish with regular portion of rice. The rice portion was slightly more than a convenience store rice ball. The beef tendon simmered dish had a clear broth with a hint of spiciness from the chili oil drizzle, and it tasted quite good. The chives tasted sweet, and the tofu was soft and bouncy. I was satisfied with the generous amount of dishes even though I stopped at 80% full.

I planned to have tonkatsu, but they were closed due to the state of emergency. So, I decided to have fish instead and went to the restaurant on the basement floor. It was already 1:30 PM, but there were quite a few customers. Since the counter was full, I was seated in the back room. I hoped to just have a drink and go home. The menu was extensive, and I chose the grilled fish set meal with silver whiting in miso marinade. I asked for extra rice, which was served in a comically large portion. The miso soup had a rich dashi flavor with plenty of wakame seaweed and green onions. The cucumber pickles, simmered dish, sashimi side dish, and tamagoyaki were all delicious. The miso-marinated fish had a savory aroma and was nicely fatty, making it very tasty. The rice was so good that I finished it quickly. The miso soup had a strong dashi flavor, and the simmered dish had a hint of mustard but wasn't spicy. The sashimi had a good texture and seemed very fresh. I had thought they only served dinner, but overall, the cost performance was good, and the taste was excellent. I polished off the extra rice as well. Fish really is the best choice.

On May 20th (Thursday), I visited the Ikebukuro branch of "Sakanami" for a meeting and had lunch while I was there. It is an izakaya-style restaurant. I ordered the ginger pork set meal. The taste was average, not good or bad, but the portion size was a bit small for the price. The set meal included 4 slices of pork and cost 960 yen (tax included). I wish there was a bit more variety in the side dishes. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice, with a counter lined with sake bottles. I wouldn't mind coming back to enjoy some drinks soon. Thank you for the meal.

I ordered the fried oyster set meal. It was cooked fresh after I ordered, so it was hot and fluffy. The flavor was rich and delicious. My son had the grilled set meal with salmon marinated in sake lees. The thick salmon was so delicious that he couldn't stop praising it. They also offer free extra servings, sashimi, and a hot spring egg, making the meal very satisfying. I definitely want to come back at night next time. 5 stars!