One of my favorite izakayas, Ikano Sumi, after half a year! Half a year ago, I went to the Shinjuku branch, and this time I visited the Mines Tower branch. It's amazing how crowded it is, even though it's so close. It's really popular. And it's underground, so no one walks by. The sashimi was as delicious as ever. The thickness of the sashimi was incredible. I ordered the 7 kinds of sashimi, and the thickness of the slices was amazing. They were so thick and satisfying. The rice in the clay pot was delicious, and they had large deep-fried tofu with natto, sauce katsu, seafood, etc. There's nothing more to say.

Visited the restaurant at 12:00 on September 19, 2023, after making a reservation online. Introduced by the staff to the waiting group of about 5 people outside. I ordered the recommended sashimi lunch (1848 yen) and other lunches in the 1000-2000 yen range. Oshibori towels were already placed on the table, and tea was also available. The food was served at 12:09. The sashimi included tuna, yellowtail, sweet shrimp, scallop, and bonito tataki, with 2 pieces each. The slices were thick and generous, with no complaints. The miso soup was delicious, with crab shells and large pieces of daikon radish. The seafood broth and rich miso flavor were well balanced. As I was leaving, I noticed that a group of 5 customers was being seated in a private room, showing that they can accommodate larger groups as well. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience.

After a long time, I had lunch in the basement of Mines Tower. I tried the most cost-effective dish, the fried horse mackerel set meal for 980 yen, at this restaurant with a sophisticated atmosphere where jazz music plays. First of all, the rice is delicious! What is this shine?! I was surprised, so I peeked into the open kitchen and saw them cooking the rice in a kiln. I see, that's why the taste is completely different. The fried horse mackerel was also delicious, and the miso soup had a large piece of daikon and crab for making the broth, which was great. Lunch made by a skilled chef is definitely top-notch. Other than the fried horse mackerel, the prices are somewhat high, but I think everything is delicious for sure! You can add a drink for an extra 110 yen, but I didn't need it because I could drink cold tea for free. They also sell bento boxes at the storefront for 650 yen and up, which is a great deal. The customers are mostly older. It seems like adults who want to eat delicious lunch would come here. I will definitely visit again! Repeat customer confirmed!

Located in Nishi-Shinjuku, in the basement of the Minds Tower, is an izakaya serving Niigata and Sado cuisine. This restaurant offers private rooms and course menus, making it a popular choice for company drinking parties. They also serve lunch, including grilled fish set meals and heki soba. I tried the Grilled Salmon Belly Lunch this time. The shiny rice paired with two pieces of salmon belly and a crab-filled miso soup was delightful. The salmon belly was fatty and delicious, perfect for mixing with the rice topped with grated daikon and soy sauce. The miso soup had large pieces of radish and carrots, infused with the flavor of crab, making it soft and tasty. Although the prices are a bit high, I left completely satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

I also compile gourmet information on Instagram (@rmmk__). Please check it out! I discovered an incredibly delicious set meal lunch 【Food】Grilled salted mackerel (¥1,408) A thick, fatty mackerel grilled whole! In Tokyo, a delicious fish set lunch feels quite rare! The miso soup is full of ingredients, including a small crab, and the crab broth is delicious (the crab is not meant to be eaten, just for flavor). The white rice is served in a small bowl rather than a regular teacup, so the portion is sufficient! I am very satisfied and this has become one of my favorite restaurants!!

I attended a work milestone celebration at this restaurant. I thought it would be just a regular izakaya since the organizer was in charge. But I was surprised by the dishes that came out. There are many izakayas in the Shinjuku area, and unfortunately, many of them are not great, so it's best not to expect much from the beginning. But this place is different. The staff are polite and the food is delicious. The sashimi, in particular, was so fresh and tasty. After many restaurants disappeared due to the pandemic, this is an izakaya that I want to cherish. Highly recommended.

On my way back from errands, I decided to stop by this place because it was close by and raining. I didn't know what to expect, but the daily special lunch for only 10 servings was reasonably priced at 980 yen (excluding tax), so I ordered it. When it was brought to me, I was surprised. The katsudon topping seemed to be cooked like a dinner at a traditional inn, along with grilled salmon with grated daikon, a hearty miso soup with plenty of ingredients, rice, and pickled vegetables. The portion was impressive. There were quite a few solo diners, both men and women, making it a comfortable atmosphere. I don't usually eat katsudon, but I was pleased that it wasn't greasy. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a while ago, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but I ordered the limited 10-meal omakase lunch. I was surprised by the amount of food that came out. It included pork cutlet topped with egg, grilled fish, a large bowl of soup, and rice. Everything was delicious. I will definitely go back.

On a regular day in Shinjuku. It's been a while since I've been to Shinjuku. I've actually been to Ikano Sumi several times. I've even been to the main store in Niigata. It's been a while since I've been to the Shinjuku store. I entered around 13:30. I thought it might be full, but I was led to a private room. Lucky. I can eat in peace. We ordered for two people: grilled nodoguro rice bowl lunch, sashimi lunch, one serving of hegisoba, and two medium-sized sake. It was delicious without any complaints. Satisfied! If I had to say, I would like the amount of rice to be increased. I want to eat a lot of delicious rice. Wasn't the amount of rice bigger at the Omiya store? And next time, I definitely want to go at night. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this restaurant after reading reviews that their fish lunch is delicious. It's located a short walk from Shinjuku Station, in the Minds Tower underground. During lunchtime, the place gets crowded with office workers, creating a lively atmosphere. The restaurant has a classy and slightly dim interior, with a counter surrounding the kitchen and a few tables in the back. I sat at the counter, with partitions between diners due to the current situation, making it a bit cramped. I ordered the simmered tuna collar. The miso soup served first was surprisingly large, with crab inside and a rich flavor. It had root vegetables like daikon and carrots, which were delicious. The main dish had a generous portion, with many bones making it look very voluminous. It required some effort to eat, but the soy sauce and ginger seasoning made it tasty. It was a bit salty, but paired well with rice. Despite my dislike for scales, I managed to enjoy the dish without much trouble. Thank you for the meal.

On a regular weekday lunch, I made a reservation to celebrate my upcoming birthday. I ordered the luxurious set meal and the salt-grilled nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) from Murakami. Everything that came out was fresh and delicious, and I was stuffed by lunchtime. The restaurant seems to have a lot of local ingredients from Niigata, including Niigata beef and Sado Island produce. They also had a wide selection of Niigata sake. The atmosphere on the slightly elevated back floor was very nice. They were selling bento boxes at the entrance, but they were sold out by the time I left. It seems like many of the customers are regulars, including office workers. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and would love to visit this restaurant again.

The food at the restaurant was delicious. The staff talked a lot, but it was too loud for my ears and it hurt. The neighboring room was noisy with a party, making it difficult to have a conversation. The dishes overall clearly conveyed a strong concept. Thank you for the meal.

I often stop by the shop located in the basement of Mines Tower for lunch. The portions are really generous! Even men can get full. On this day, I had the salmon kasuzuke. It came with two slices of salmon, quite a good amount. The soup that came in a big bowl was really satisfying. The taste was comforting. There are also tatami seats in the back of the table seats, which seemed perfect for evening banquets. Thank you for the meal ♡

(Visit on February 25, 2022) Tea is self-service on the table, but even in cold weather, it is cold tea. I wish it were a choice. Niigata Tarekatsu Lunch @ 990 yen (including tax): Tarekatsu comes with three pieces. The sauce nicely coats the entire coating. I think it goes well with the salad. Sashimi 5 kinds assortment lunch @ 1450 yen (including tax): The combination of red tuna, bonito tataki, yellowtail, salmon, and scallop. Pour soy sauce appropriately into a small dish, add plenty of perilla seeds and wasabi, and enjoy. The thickly sliced sashimi has a satisfying texture. The rice goes well with it. The soup bowl contains half a snow crab, vegetables, yellowtail, and salmon, creating a rich flavor. The soft-shell snow crab can be eaten with a crunch. The bento here is a flat rate of 680 yen with many options, making neighbors envious. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this izakaya for lunch on a regular day. It is "Ika no Sumi," a restaurant from Niigata located on the B1 floor of Minds Tower. Finally, I was able to visit. They also sell bento boxes in front of the store. - Maguro Kamatoro Stew Lunch (1089 yen including tax): It includes maguro kamatoro stew, rice, ara-jiru (fish broth soup), and pickles. It was served in 3-4 minutes, which is quite fast. The rice was delicious with a chewy texture of Sado Koshihikari rice. The ara-jiru soup was luxurious with crab and salmon. The kamatoro was cut into two pieces and had a sweet and salty flavor. It was a satisfying lunch. Although it's until 2 pm, a few people rushed in just before closing. I also liked it. Next time, let's try the sashimi.

I visited a restaurant in Shinjuku Minds Tower that serves lunch for around 4,000 yen. When I arrived around 12:40, the restaurant was quite busy, but luckily they were able to seat me at a table for four. Despite the restaurant's name suggesting squid ink dishes, the lunch menu was very traditional Japanese. I ordered the grilled salmon marinated in sake lees miso for 1,089 yen. It took a bit of time for the food to be served as there were many customers waiting. The first thing that caught my eye was the large bowl of "Banya soup" with a half crab inside. I regret not asking the name of the crab. The salmon had a nice balance of fat and a refined taste. The rice was Sado Koshihikari, which was mentioned by the staff. Although the portion size may have been small for the price, the dish was delicious. As I was leaving, I saw another customer being served a sashimi lunch set with five types of sashimi, which looked very appealing.

Located within a 10-minute walk from Shinjuku Station South Exit, this restaurant in the basement of Mines Tower offers a wide range of dishes from Niigata Prefecture, where you can enjoy delicious fish. From fresh nodoguro sashimi to Murakami salmon and Murakami-produced ikura kamameshi (rice cooked in a small pot), there are plenty of options to choose from. The ikura and salmon mixed hot pot rice is a must-try. The Niigata obanzai assortment, served on a stylish plate shaped like a map of Niigata Prefecture, is perfect for pairing with drinks. Overall, the food here is delicious.

This was a hit after a long time. I had the Saikyo miso-marinated grilled lunch for lunch. The luxuriousness of this dish exceeded my expectations for the price of 990 yen. The generous serving of miso soup with fish, crab, burdock, daikon, and other ingredients was truly delicious. And the Saikyo miso-marinated grilled dish was outstanding, with two thick slices of fatty fish! The rice was also cooked deliciously, and the quality was very high considering the price, which is unheard of in this area. Highly recommended for its high cost performance! The interior of the restaurant was calm and elegant.

I used it for dinner time. They offer individual orders as well as set meals in the evening! This is a restaurant serving Niigata cuisine... The fish and silver rice are delicious! So, I ordered the sashimi set meal which came with a sashimi assortment, a small side dish (that day it was okra with sesame dressing), pickles, and crab miso soup ❤️ The thickness of the sashimi is no joke! It is definitely three times thicker than usual! I also ordered the horse mackerel fry because I heard it was delicious ✨ The crispy coating and plump flesh were delicious when eaten with tartar sauce and Worcestershire sauce! In terms of price, it is more cost-effective during lunchtime, but even in the evening, with this quality and quantity, you will be very satisfied!

First time having a bento! It only had grilled salmon belly, yet it cost 850 yen! Expensive! I peeked inside the restaurant and saw menu items priced at 1300 yen and thought it was expensive! However, on this day, I saw people entering ahead of me, so I took a closer look at the menu and found a set for 1000 yen with change back, surprisingly affordable, I didn't know! Since then, I got hooked and went for lunch many times! The sashimi set for 1595 yen seemed expensive. But after going multiple times and liking it, I found it to be worth it as a treat for myself! I even started ordering for those around me. It's so luxurious and stands out! But the fresh sashimi is thick and worth around 2500 yen! I had it on a bad day and it got cold, but I want to try it again on a good day! Delicious! The grilled salmon belly marinated in sake lees miso lunch for 1089 yen. I'm a salmon and natto person every morning, but this is incomparable, thick and oily, more than yakiniku, but good oil! It's a very expensive fish! Such a great deal! It really helped me recover and feel energetic! I've already repeated it twice, highly recommended! The seasoning is not too salty, mild! Miso cutlet set for 952 yen, maybe the name is different! The most affordable! It comes with salad, soft, not too heavy with miso, refreshing. And the surprising part is the crab miso soup in a bowl the size of my face! Incredibly delicious! Having crab for lunch is luxurious! It really helped me recover and feel energetic! The chef is refreshing! They take your temperature at the beginning, and there are acrylic dividers between tables! Whether you're dining alone or with a group of salarymen, it's a safe restaurant! The entrance is always open, and they have solid infection prevention measures! I plan to repeat and try all the items on the menu. Recommended for those who are feeling weak due to being busy!

I visited this restaurant in the south exit of Shinjuku when I wanted a calm Japanese lunch. I usually choose fish dishes, but this time I decided to go for the Tarekatsu based on my mood. The Niigata-style Tarekatsu was thin, tender, and packed with flavor, which I really like. The Tarekatsu here was also delicious. The miso soup is always tasty, but I have one small complaint... Is the rice too soft? It's always very soft every time, so I think this is the standard at this restaurant, but it's quite soft. I wish they would use a little less water in the rice.