Bia
Japanese - Thai, Sushi · Minato, Tokyo
Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Book with PearlThe Read
Thai-Japanese Counter Precision
Chef
Hiroyuki Kusaba
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Bia is a Thai-Japanese fusion course restaurant in Roppongi with three consecutive Tabelog Silver Awards (2024–2026) and a Tabelog score of 4.42. At JPY 40,000–50,000 per person with drinks, it earns its price for special occasions: private rooms are available for groups up to 8, a sommelier is on-site, BYO is permitted. Book two to three weeks out; shellfish allergy is a firm disqualifier.
About Bia
Should You Book Bia?
If you're weighing Bia against a direct omakase counter or a kaiseki room in Roppongi, the calculus is different here. Bia is a Thai-Japanese fusion course restaurant; a format that divides opinion; but its Tabelog Silver Award in 2024, 2025, 2026, a Tabelog score of 4.42, placement in Tabelog's Innovative/Creative Cuisine Top 100 for 2025 give it a credible case. At JPY 30,000–40,000 per person (with actual spend tracking closer to JPY 40,000–50,000 based on reviews), it is priced alongside Tokyo's serious fine-dining tier. The question is whether the format earns that price. For special occasions or adventurous diners open to a creative cross-cultural course, the answer is yes.
The Space and the Setup
Bia sits on the second floor of Kitayama Building in Roppongi, roughly four minutes from Nogizaka Station and five from Roppongi Station. The room runs to 15 seats, with private rooms available for parties of 2, 4, 6, or 8. The physical setup is worth noting for occasion dining: counter seating, sofa seating, couple seating, private room configurations give it real flexibility that a pure counter-only restaurant does not. For a date or a small group celebration, the private room option makes Bia genuinely usable rather than just technically bookable. The space is described as stylish and relaxed with spacious seating, not the stripped-back minimalism of a traditional sushi counter, which suits the fusion nature of the menu. If intimacy and a quieter environment matter to you, arriving at the first seating (17:30) rather than the second (20:30) is the right call.
The Format and What to Expect
Bia operates dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday, with two simultaneous-start seatings at 17:30 and 20:30. Sunday and public holidays are closed. The course runs over 2.5 hours minimum, which is deliberate pacing, not a rushed counter experience. The drink program is a notable part of the offer: a sommelier is on-site, the wine, sake, shochu lists are described as a particular focus. BYO is permitted, which is uncommon at this price point and useful if you have a bottle worth bringing. One firm caveat: shellfish is prevalent in the menu and the kitchen states it cannot easily substitute for allergies or dislikes. If shellfish is a problem, this is the wrong room regardless of how strong the accolades are.
Chef Hiroyuki Kusaba has been running Bia since its March 2022 opening, giving the kitchen just over three years of operation, relatively young for a restaurant with three consecutive Silver awards. That award trajectory at this pace is a meaningful signal in Tabelog terms, where Silver is the second tier after Bronze and sits below Gold. Ranked #112 among all Japanese restaurants on the Opinionated About Dining list in 2025 (up from #319 in 2024), Bia has moved sharply in the rankings in a short time.
Practical Details
Booking is reservation-only with no walk-in option. The restaurant requests arrival five minutes before your stated reservation time for simultaneous service starts. Cancellations or guest number reductions made the day before or on the day of the booking incur a 100% course fee charge, so confirm your party before committing. Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners); electronic money and QR code payments are not. No parking on-site, but coin parking is available nearby. The room is fully non-smoking and has free Wi-Fi. For groups up to 20, full private buyout is available, contact the restaurant directly by phone for this.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price (dinner) | Booking Difficulty | Seating Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bia | Japanese-Thai Innovative | JPY 30,000–50,000 | Easy | Counter, private rooms |
| Harutaka | Sushi | ¥¥¥¥ | Hard | Counter only |
| L'Effervescence | French | ¥¥¥¥ | Moderate | Dining room |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki | ¥¥¥¥ | Moderate | Dining room |
| Crony | Innovative French | ¥¥¥¥ | Moderate | Dining room |
Who Should Book Bia
Book Bia if you want a high-quality special-occasion dinner that does not follow the conventional sushi omakase or kaiseki script. The private room configuration, the BYO option, the sommelier, the relaxed 2.5-hour pacing all support a celebration or date format better than a 12-seat counter with a rigid sequence. The price is real, budget JPY 40,000–50,000 per person including drinks, but the three-year Silver award run and Tabelog Top 100 placement for innovative cuisine means the kitchen is delivering consistently at that level. Skip it only if shellfish allergy is a factor, or if you want a more traditional Japanese fine-dining format, in which case RyuGin or Harutaka will serve you better.
For more on where to eat, drink, stay in Tokyo, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, our full Tokyo hotels guide, and our full Tokyo bars guide. If you're planning a wider Japan trip, Pearl also covers HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa. For a global comparison on fish-forward creative tasting menus, Le Bernardin in New York City and Atomix in New York City offer useful benchmarks in the same price range.
Planning details
- Hours
- Monday: 5:30–10:30 pm · Tuesday: 5:30–10:30 pm
- Location
- Japan, 〒106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi, 7 Chome−3−21 Kitayama Bldg., 2F 来山ビル2F
- Website
- s.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13270211
- Phone
- +81 3-6804-2489
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Bia feels deliberately tucked away and highly focused. The second-floor, low-profile walk-up on a quiet Roppongi side street positions the 15-seat counter as a place that filters out the merely curious and rewards disciplined attention. Service and kitchen run in tight coordination, so the room hums with a precise, purposeful energy rather than theatrical showmanship. The result is an intimate, quietly charming counter experience where the scale and structure of the service shape the evening as much as the cooking itself.
Best For
Bia is best experienced as an evening tasting counter—its service is built around two reservation-only seatings (17:30 and 20:30) and a single coordinated progression of courses. The comparison to Tokyo's innovative-cuisine tier and the emphasis on precision make it appropriate for special dinners, celebrations, or focused business meals where the ordered sequence and attentiveness are part of the occasion. The small, 15-seat room rewards guests who want a concentrated, chef-driven meal rather than casual à la carte dining.
Ordering Tips
Book in advance and commit to the seating you reserve: Bia is reservation-only with two simultaneous seatings each evening, and the review states that "arriving five minutes early is a stated requirement" because courses begin for all guests at the same moment. Expect a set, synchronous progression rather than à la carte pacing; service moves in coordinated phases, so punctuality and following the room's rhythm are essential. Plan for a tight counter experience—seating is limited to 15, and the kitchen and floor run as a single mechanism.
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- 5:30–10:30 pm
- Tuesday
- 5:30–10:30 pm
- Wednesday
- 5:30–10:30 pm
- Thursday
- 5:30–10:30 pm
- Friday
- 5:30–10:30 pm
- Saturday
- 5:30–10:30 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Location
Japan, 〒106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi, 7 Chome−3−21 Kitayama Bldg., 2F 来山ビル2F · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Harutaka; Sushi, ¥¥¥¥
- L'Effervescence; French, ¥¥¥¥
- RyuGin; Kaiseki, Japanese, ¥¥¥¥
- HOMMAGE; Innovtive French, French, ¥¥¥¥
- Crony; Innovative, French, ¥¥¥¥
Restaurant context
Bia occupies a different category from most of its Roppongi and Tokyo fine-dining peers. If you're deciding between Bia and a traditional Japanese format, RyuGin is the stronger choice for kaiseki purists; it carries deeper institutional weight and a more conventional progression. Harutaka is the right call if sushi is what you're after, though it's considerably harder to book and counter-only, which limits occasion flexibility. Bia's three-year Silver run on Tabelog at a score of 4.42 puts it in the same credibility tier without the booking difficulty.
Against the innovative and French-influenced options, Crony and HOMMAGE both operate in the creative tasting menu space at comparable prices. Crony skews French-forward; HOMMAGE is a more classical French-technique approach. Bia is the only option among them that brings Thai-Japanese fusion as its core identity; which either makes it the most interesting choice or a format mismatch depending on what you're looking for. L'Effervescence sits at a higher ceiling for French fine-dining precision and ceremony if that register matters more to your occasion.
On pure occasion suitability, Bia has a practical edge over most in this peer group: private rooms for groups of 2–8, BYO policy, a sommelier on-site, 2.5-hour-plus pacing make it the most configurable option for a celebration dinner. If flexibility of format and a less-predictable cuisine profile are what you want at the ¥¥¥¥ tier, Bia is the booking to make.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at Bia?
Yes. Bia has counter seating alongside sofa and couple seating in a 15-seat room. Counter seats are an option, but the format is a set course served simultaneously to all guests, so the experience is the same regardless of where you sit. If you want the full private feel, book one of the private rooms, which accommodate between 2 and 8 people.
Is lunch or dinner better at Bia?
Dinner is your only option. Bia operates dinner service exclusively, Tuesday through Saturday, with seatings at 17:30 and 20:30. There is no lunch service. Sunday and public holidays are closed.
How far ahead should I book Bia?
Book well in advance. Bia is reservation-only with no walk-in option, holds just 15 seats across two seatings, has held Tabelog Silver consecutively from 2024 through 2026. For weekend dates or private room requests, expect strong demand. Contact the restaurant by phone (+81-3-6804-2489) for group or special seating requirements.
What should a first-timer know about Bia?
Shellfish features heavily throughout the menu, the kitchen states it cannot always substitute for allergies or dislikes given the nature of the course. Arrive at least five minutes before your reservation; seatings start simultaneously for all guests. Cancellations or guest reductions made the day before or on the day incur a 100% course charge, so treat this booking like a prepaid ticket.
Is Bia good for a special occasion?
Yes, it is one of the stronger cases in Roppongi for a dinner that does not follow a standard sushi or kaiseki format. Private rooms accommodate 2 to 8 people, the full room is available for exclusive hire up to 20, a sommelier is on hand. At JPY 30,000–40,000 per head (with reviewer averages closer to JPY 40,000–50,000), it sits in the same bracket as RyuGin, but delivers a Thai-inflected creative course rather than a contemporary Japanese one.
