Unagi is best when grilled, not steamed. I used to think that crispy skin was the key. I had a chance to visit the Asakusa area for work, so I decided to splurge on an unagi lunch. There are many charming unagi restaurants in Asakusa, but I chose this long-established one. At 11:45 am, there were already 3 groups waiting outside the restaurant. But as it approached 12 pm, more people started to gather. Most of them seemed to be foreign tourists. Inside the restaurant, there was a sense of history with its seasoned interior. The menu mainly consisted of unagi bowls, and I opted for the generous portion. Of course, I chose the generous option. The first bite... oh, it's delicious, no, it's amazing. The unagi melts in your mouth. The seasoning is exquisite. It's irresistible. The unagi is so tender that when you take a bite with the rice, they blend together perfectly in your mouth. And the sauce is just right, not too sweet, not too spicy, perfectly balanced, seeping evenly into the rice. The rice alone is delicious. Wow, Tokyo unagi is the best. I also like the fluffy and tender unagi in Kansai, but I think I might be hooked on Tokyo unagi for a while. There may be even more delicious Tokyo unagi out there, but for my first experience with authentic Tokyo unagi, I have to give it a high score.

I had some errands in Asakusa and since it has been hot lately and I'm feeling a bit of summer fatigue, I decided to have some eel rice bowl for lunch at "Unagi Irokawa". I arrived at the restaurant around 11:05 on a weekday and there was no line, which was great. Just before the opening time at 11:30, there were 6 people waiting. When the restaurant opened, I was seated at the counter as assigned. I looked at the menu on the wall and ordered "Eel Rice Bowl (regular) for 3,800 yen, Grilled Eel Liver for 800 yen, Grilled Eel Gizzard for 800 yen, and Beer for 800 yen". When asked about the beer brand, I requested "Kirin". Soon after, the beer, wet towel, chopsticks, and tea arrived, so I enjoyed my beer while waiting. At 11:38, the Eel Rice Bowl (regular) was served. Then came the soup, pickles, and Grilled Eel Liver. I immediately sprinkled some sansho pepper on the eel rice bowl and it was delicious and juicy. It was very comforting. The rice was nicely soaked in the sauce. The soup was hot and tasty, and the pickles, especially the Nara pickles, were great with beer. Next, I tried the Grilled Eel Liver. It was tender, juicy, and went well with alcohol. At 11:45, the Grilled Eel Gizzard arrived. It is the grilled head of the eel. It had a good texture with some small bones, but it was a nice snack. It goes well with sake. After finishing my meal, I paid 6,200 yen and left the restaurant. When I left, the restaurant was full and there was a line of about 10 people outside. There were many foreign customers as well. Another satisfying meal today.

I visited the restaurant early in order to avoid waiting in the heat of summer for a long time. I arrived before the opening time at 11:30 and found nobody there at first, but soon a line formed for the first seating. The staff started counting the number of people just before opening time and began seating them. The inside of the restaurant was comfortable with the air conditioning. We ordered the eel rice bowl, with me choosing the "plenty" option and my partner choosing the "regular" option. The "plenty" option lived up to its name with a satisfyingly large portion. The eel had a deliciously crispy yet tender texture with a unique charcoal-grilled flavor. I would like to visit again in the winter season.

On Thursday, when I arrived for lunch at 11:23, there was a line of 17 people waiting outside. It's incredibly popular. There were many foreigners like Chinese and Koreans. I finally got inside at 12:10 after waiting for about 50 minutes. The unagi-don was plentiful and delicious, priced at 5,200 yen. Lots of rice and lots of eel! It was really tasty.

I felt like eating eel, so I went to Asakusa after a long time. I arrived around 1 pm on a weekday and there were about 3 people waiting in line. I ordered the "normal" eel dish. It arrived in about 15 minutes. It was plump and delicious. The sauce was lightly seasoned and just right. The pickles and soup were also tasty. It's worth the wait. Please note that they only accept cash for payment.

I had been thinking about visiting this restaurant for a while. Today, I finally decided to come. There were 12 people ahead of me, so I thought I might have to wait for the next seating. In the end, I ended up waiting for 75 minutes. Finally, when I got in, I realized that they were seating people quickly due to the current situation. It's normal to wait a long time. The mother was grilling the eel, and there was another person handling the front of the house. They were managing everything together. While waiting, I received the menu and already knew what I wanted to order, so I placed my order as soon as I entered. I ordered a Sapporo beer, sake, a regular eel bowl, grilled eel liver, and grilled eel liver. The eel bowl was decent, not outstandingly delicious. It was on the lighter side. Both the eel and the sauce were light in flavor. The sauce had a strong taste, not too mild. On this day, there were more foreign customers than Japanese in the restaurant.

I lined up from 11:00 AM as the tourists were starting to recover. Although I was at the front of the line, by the time the restaurant opened at 11:30 AM, there was already a line forming. This restaurant is known as the number one eel restaurant in Asakusa, so I paid my respects by ordering an eel rice bowl (plenty of eel), grilled eel, grilled eel liver, and Kirin Lager beer. I started with the grilled eel and beer, followed by the grilled eel liver and beer, and by the time the eel rice bowl arrived, I had already finished two beers. The eel rice bowl came in three sizes: large, medium, and small. It consisted of plenty of fluffy eel on top of rice, which I devoured in one go. It was very delicious! I was impressed to see the landlady explaining the menu in English to foreign customers.

The eel was plentiful at ¥5,200 for one and a half pieces. I asked for the rice to be slightly firm and the sauce to be generous. The eel was a bit on the thinner side, but the skin was easy to cut with chopsticks and it was delicious. I wish it had a stronger charcoal flavor though. They also served pickles with a strong scent of mountain pepper. The owner cooked alone, while the waitress was great at English. There weren't many Japanese customers. My only regret was not ordering the grilled eel liver.

Arrived at the front of the store at 11:00. The store opens at 11:30. There was one customer in front of me, and one behind me. Shortly after, the store opened and I was seated at the counter. I looked around the cozy, historic interior of the restaurant, and the young female manager took our orders one by one. The head chef was already standing at the grill with the fire going. I ordered the "plenty" of eel without hesitation. The eel, which had already been prepared, was grilled over charcoal and served in about 10 minutes. The eel was grilled to perfection, tender and flavorful, served on a generous bed of rice with plenty of sauce. I ate the first piece of eel without adding any sansho pepper. From the second piece onwards, I sprinkled some sansho pepper on top. The sauce, not too sweet or too spicy, soaked into the rice and combined with the eel was truly delicious. Additionally, the Nara pickles served on the side were incredibly tasty. Even though the rice was piled high on the plate, I finished it in no time. I had been wanting to visit this restaurant for a long time, and finally, my wish came true! The young female manager who spoke fluent English to foreign customers was fantastic. When it comes to Irokawa... Personally, for me, Irokawa Takeo equals Tetsuya Asada. Just seeing the characters for "Irokawa" draws me in! (laughs)

I always noticed the long line and got curious. The flavor is strong, really strong. I saw a comment from someone saying that Asakusa is known for its strong flavors. It's better to order with less sauce. The pickles were delicious. The miso soup was as salty as seawater. If you like it like Hitsumabushi, then you'll understand and enjoy the strong flavor. As long as the flavor is appropriate, it's delicious. The prices are typical for a tourist area.

The eel bowl at this famous eel restaurant is surprisingly cost-effective. The eel is grilled slightly crispy on the outside while the meat inside is tender and moist. The fat content is moderate, giving it a nice balance. It may feel a bit lacking in portion, but if dining alone, this lightness is actually refreshing. The sauce is not too sweet, which I prefer. Its mild sweetness makes it easy to enjoy.

We visited as a pair. We arrived shortly after the store opened, but the inside was already quite full. We were guided to a private room in the back. It was a bit cold, haha. After about 20 minutes of sitting down, the eel dish arrived. It was served quite quickly for an eel restaurant. It seemed to be steamed and lightly grilled. As others have mentioned, it had a soft texture from being well steamed rather than a crispy grilled texture. The rice was firm, not too soaked in sauce, and had a perfect balance of flavors. It was very delicious. This was my first time trying eel in Asakusa, and I liked it so much that I prefer it over other places. We ordered a smaller portion of rice and a generous amount of eel, which came to 9,000 yen. It's a good value for Asakusa. It would be great for a special lunch. We also received refills of warm tea, so we left very satisfied.

The nearest station is Asakusa Station on the Toei Asakusa Line, a 3-minute walk away. I used to visit this restaurant often, but after the owner passed away, I gradually stopped going. It had been over 7 years since my last visit, so I decided to drop by for lunch. When I arrived a little before opening, there was already a line forming, so I joined the queue. Shortly after, I was able to enter the restaurant. I ordered the Unaju (eel on rice) with plenty of eel (5,200 yen) and it was served to me in about 10 minutes. The Unaju had a nice char on the surface and the eel was tender and fluffy inside. The skin had a firm char to it as well. The fat melted in my mouth, which was delightful. The sauce was on the sweeter side and paired well with the firm rice and eel. The pickles were still the same as before, with a refreshing taste. The flavors were almost the same as when the owner was still around. The service from the waitress had improved quite a bit and was pleasant. Thank you for the meal.

I had some business in Asakusa and it was lunchtime, so I decided to have lunch at "Unagi Irokawa". Arriving at the restaurant 5 minutes before opening on a weekday, there was no line. Promptly at opening time, customers started to arrive gradually. I entered the restaurant and was seated at a designated counter seat. Looking at the menu posted on the wall, I ordered "Unagi Juu (Regular) for 3,800 yen, Grilled Eel Liver for 700 yen, and Beer for 700 yen". When asked about the beer brand, I requested Kirin and waited. The beer, wet towels, and chopsticks arrived quickly, so I waited while drinking. Shortly after, the grilled eel liver arrived. I immediately sprinkled some sansho pepper and enjoyed it. It was tender, juicy, and delicious, perfect with the beer. Then the Unagi Juu (Regular), rice, and pickles were served. As always, the eel looked delicious when the lid was removed. I sprinkled some sansho pepper and enjoyed it. It was plump, tender, juicy, and delicious, just as expected. It was soothing. I prefer the regular size over the large one, it was just right for me. The rice soaked in the sauce was also delicious. The hot soup was a delight as well. The Nara pickles were a nice accompaniment to the beer. Before I knew it, I had finished my meal. I paid 5,200 yen and left the restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

I had some business in Asakusa and it was already past lunchtime, so I decided to splurge a bit and go to "Unagi Irokawa" for lunch since I've been feeling a bit of summer fatigue lately. When I arrived at the restaurant, there was no line, so I went inside. The place was packed with customers. Luckily, a customer sitting at the counter left, so I was seated there. I looked at the menu on the wall and since I had the regular eel last time, I decided to order the "Unaju (plenty) for 5,200 yen" today. I was asked to wait outside for a bit while they prepared my order. After a short wait, I was seated at the counter and served with tea, chopsticks, and a wet towel. Soon after, I was served with a soup and pickles, followed by the "Unaju (plenty)". The eel dish was overflowing with eel and rice, it looked like it was more than two bowls worth. I sprinkled some sansho pepper on top and enjoyed the tender and juicy eel. The rice was slightly firm and soaked in the sauce, which was delicious. However, the amount of rice was quite large. The soup was piping hot, which I loved, and the pickles were a nice palate cleanser. I almost gave up halfway through the meal due to the amount of rice, but I managed to finish it. Another satisfying meal, thank you. The regular size would have been more suitable for me.

On the day of the ox in midsummer, I lined up at an established eel restaurant, number 37 in line. After waiting for an hour, we were seated around 12 o'clock. The eel was cooked by the mother, and the daughter (energetic) managed the floor. I really liked the sauce, which was on the sweeter side. The eel was plump and not fishy at all, very delicious. There was no need for sansho pepper. For the liver dish, only Mitsuba was served. The liver was delicious. The pickles included Nara pickles, Nozawana pickles, and lightly pickled cabbage, all of which were tasty. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

There was no one in front of the store after 1 pm on a weekday, but when I entered, there was one group of customers. The store had a dark atmosphere, and it seemed to be run by a mother and daughter. The staff, who seemed to be a lively Edo person, guided us energetically. They were considerate of our belongings and asked us to place them on the seats next to the counter. I had decided to eat unagi, so I ordered the regular unagi set for 3800 yen. It arrived quickly, and the eel was plump and tender, with no unpleasant odor. The clear aroma of Mitsuba, slightly salty clear soup, and slightly spicy pickles with wasabi were also served. The taste of the eel was excellent, with a sauce that was not too overpowering. The rice had a strong sweetness and was a bit too saucy for my liking, but overall, I enjoyed the meal. The staff were friendly, the service was excellent, and the prices were reasonable, so I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal!

There is no particular reason, but sometimes I just have a strong craving for eel! Today, I had a reason to come to Unagi Asakusa, so I came here first. I started with grilled eel liver and beer. I also wanted to have some sake, but I have something to do today, so I resisted the temptation. Finally, the eel bowl arrived. Eel is really delicious. I would like to try a nationwide eel-eating tour someday.