Restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan
16 counter seats, Michelin-recognised, book early.
Motoichi is Taipei's clearest answer for high-end omakase tempura, holding a Michelin Plate (2025) and a 4.5 Google rating. With just 16 counter seats across two rooms, it's a technically precise, seasonal-driven experience at the $$$$ tier. Book three to four weeks out minimum — it fills fast and walk-ins are not realistic.
Yes — if omakase-style tempura at the higher end of Taipei's fine dining tier is what you're after, Motoichi is the clearest answer in the city. It holds a Michelin Plate (2025), carries a 4.5 Google rating across 70 reviews, and operates a format purpose-built for watching skilled tempura work executed at close range. The question isn't whether it's good — it is. The question is whether the format and price point match what you actually want from the evening.
The format here is counter-only, omakase-style, with 16 seats split across two rooms. That configuration matters: every guest is positioned to watch the frying happen in front of them, which is the correct way to eat serious tempura. The cooking is built around seasonal ingredient selection , what's available and at its peak drives the menu, not the other way around. The batter stays light and dry rather than heavy or oil-soaked, which is the precise technical benchmark that separates high-end Japanese tempura from lesser versions. Achieving that consistently across a full omakase sequence, course after course, requires temperature control and timing discipline that most kitchens don't maintain. Motoichi does.
For food and travel enthusiasts who care about technique over theatre, this is the relevant distinction. The counter experience at this level is less about spectacle and more about watching someone execute a narrow discipline with very little margin for error. Tempura is unforgiving: the oil temperature, the moisture content of the ingredient, the thickness of the batter, and the timing all compound. At Motoichi, the result , described in its own Michelin recognition , is a final product that reads as light, non-greasy, and precisely cooked with intact natural textures. That's the benchmark. It's harder to hit than it sounds.
The seasonal ingredient selection is also worth noting for explorers who travel specifically to eat. Taiwan has strong produce across its growing seasons, and an omakase format that rotates with what's genuinely available , rather than relying on a fixed menu year-round , gives each visit a different character. If you're planning a trip to Taipei and want to anchor one meal to local seasonal produce prepared through a Japanese high-craft lens, Motoichi fits that criterion directly. For broader context on where this fits in the city, see our full Taipei restaurants guide.
With only 16 seats across two rooms, availability is limited by design. The Michelin Plate recognition compounds that pressure , demand at this price tier in Taipei is active, and small-counter omakase venues fill quickly. Book as far in advance as your schedule allows; a minimum of three to four weeks is a reasonable working assumption, and further out is safer for weekend sittings or special occasions. No phone number or website is listed in Pearl's current data, so the booking channel will require direct venue research , check current reservation platforms active in Taipei (such as inline.app or direct enquiry via social channels) before your trip.
The address is in Da'an District, off Section 4 of Zhongxiao East Road: Alley 27, Lane 216, No. 11, 1F. That part of Da'an is a dense residential and dining neighbourhood with good MRT access via the Zhongxiao Fuxing or Zhongxiao Dunhua stations, both within reasonable walking distance. The alley address means you'll want to confirm the exact entrance before arrival , small counters in Taipei's alley dining scene often require a moment of navigation on first visit.
The price range is $$$$, placing it at the top tier of Taipei restaurant pricing. For the full Taipei context beyond restaurants, see our Taipei hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide.
If you're specifically focused on tempura and want to compare before booking, Mudan Tempura is the other high-end tempura option in Taipei at the same price tier and worth evaluating side by side. Tempura Sugimura is also in the city for those who want a third reference point in the category. If you're travelling across Taiwan and want to benchmark the wider fine dining picture, JL Studio in Taichung is a strong reference for technique-forward cooking in a different register, and GEN in Kaohsiung is worth knowing if your itinerary extends south.
For tempura lovers who also travel to Japan, Numata in Osaka and Shunsaiten Tsuchiya in Osaka offer direct comparison points in the Japanese tempura tradition. Motoichi sits comfortably alongside that reference class.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motoichi | Michelin Plate (2025); This is the place for a high-end omakase-style experience with a curated selection of tempura. Cherry-picked seasonal ingredients are coated in a light, golden, crispy batter that seals in the flavours and juices. The final product doesn’t taste at all greasy, is perfectly cooked with delicate textures. With 16 counter seats in two rooms, all the guests can admire the art of tempura up close. | $$$$ | — |
| logy | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Le Palais | Michelin 3 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Taïrroir | Michelin 3 Star | $$$$ | — |
| Mudan Tempura | Michelin 2 Star | $$$$ | — |
| de nuit | Michelin 1 Star | $$$$ | — |
A quick look at how Motoichi measures up.
Yes, at the $$$$ price point, the omakase format here is justified by the counter-seat execution: 16 seats split across two rooms means the chef-to-guest ratio stays tight and every course is served at peak quality. The Michelin Plate recognition in 2025 confirms it clears the bar for technical consistency. If you want à la carte flexibility, this is the wrong format — Motoichi is built around the full sequence.
Only up to the constraint of 16 total seats across two rooms, so large groups are not viable. Parties of 4–6 are the practical ceiling, and you would need to book well ahead to secure that many seats in the same session. For a corporate dinner or celebration above that size, a venue with a private dining room is a more reliable option.
The $$$$ price range and omakase counter format point toward smart dress — neat, put-together clothing rather than casual wear. Nothing in the venue record mandates a jacket, but at this tier in Taipei's fine dining scene, overdressing is safer than underdressing.
Mudan Tempura is the direct comparison: same high-end tempura omakase format in Taipei at a similar price tier, so if Motoichi is fully booked, Mudan is the natural next call. For a different cuisine at the same spending level, Taïrroir and Le Palais cover modern Taiwanese and Cantonese fine dining respectively.
Book at least three to four weeks out as a baseline; the Michelin Plate designation in 2025 has increased demand at an already small 16-seat venue. Popular weekend slots will go faster. Do not show up expecting a walk-in at this price point.
Yes — the counter-only omakase format, Michelin Plate standing, and $$$$ positioning make it a credible choice for a celebratory dinner where the meal itself is the focus. The 16-seat layout means the room stays intimate. If the occasion requires a private room, confirm availability before booking since the venue data does not confirm that option.
At $$$$ for tempura, the case rests on execution: light, non-greasy batter with seasonal ingredients cooked to precise texture is what separates this tier from mid-range tempura in Taipei. The 2025 Michelin Plate signals that the kitchen delivers consistently enough to warrant the price. If you are spending at this level specifically for tempura omakase, yes — it is the right venue for that decision.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
