Chiba Takaoka
Italian · Chūō, Tokyo
Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Book with PearlThe Read
Six-Seat Omakase Precision
Chef
Masakazu Hiraki
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Chiba Takaoka is a six-seat sushi counter inside Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, two minutes from Tokyo Station, with three consecutive Tabelog Bronze awards and a 4.31 score. Dinner only, at JPY 30,000–39,999 per head. Confirm current operational status before booking, as the Tabelog listing flags the venue as temporarily on hold.
About Chiba Takaoka
Who Should Book Chiba Takaoka
Chiba Takaoka is the right call for a serious solo diner or a pair willing to commit to a counter-only omakase experience at the JPY 30,000–39,999 per head range. If you are visiting Tokyo for the first time and want to understand what a Tabelog Award-winning sushi counter looks like in practice, this is a well-credentialed, accessible entry point. Opened in March 2023 inside Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, the restaurant earned Tabelog Bronze in its first full year and has held it through 2024 and 2026, with a Tabelog score of 4.31 and inclusion in the Tabelog Sushi Tokyo 100 list for 2025. That is a meaningful signal for a venue less than three years old.
The Experience at the Counter
Chiba Takaoka runs a six-seat counter, dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday from 17:00 to 23:00. Chef Masakazu Hiraki operates in a format where the counter is the entire room: no private dining rooms are available, though the full venue can be hired for private use. For a first-timer, this format is worth understanding before you book. You will be seated close to the chef throughout service, which means conversation is part of the experience and there is no ambient noise to retreat behind. If that kind of focused attention suits you, Chiba Takaoka rewards it. If you prefer a larger, more anonymous room, look elsewhere.
The cuisine is listed as sushi on Tabelog, which is the operative category here despite the venue data noting Italian as its primary type. The Tabelog record, the awards, the scoring all position this as a sushi counter, that is how to approach your booking decision. At JPY 30,000–39,999 for dinner, this sits at the mid-to-upper tier of Tokyo sushi pricing, below the JPY 50,000-plus counters but above the approachable lunch counters that define the lower end of the Tabelog 100 set.
Location and Access
The restaurant is on the third floor of Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, a two-minute walk from Tokyo Station. That location matters practically: if you are arriving from Haneda or Narita, or connecting through central Tokyo before or after dinner, you will not need to plan around a difficult commute. Parking is available on the premises. The Yaesu side of Tokyo Station is busier at lunch than at dinner, so arriving at 17:00 you will find the building quieter than midday.
Practical Details
Budget: JPY 30,000–39,999 per person for dinner. No lunch service. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 17:00–23:00. Closed Monday and Thursday. Seats: 6 counter seats only. Reservations: Bookable via Tabelog; contact via the Tabelog listing page as no official website is listed. Payment: Credit cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners). Electronic money and QR code payments not accepted. Smoking: Non-smoking throughout. Access: Tokyo Midtown Yaesu 3F, two-minute walk from Tokyo Station.
Awards and Track Record
Three consecutive Tabelog Bronze awards (2024, 2025, 2026) and selection for the Tabelog Sushi Tokyo 100 in 2025 give Chiba Takaoka a credential set that is notable for a venue that opened in 2023. Opinionated About Dining placed the restaurant in its leading recommendations for Japan in both 2023 and 2025. A 4.31 score on Tabelog puts it in the upper portion of recognized Tokyo sushi counters, though not at the 4.5-plus level of the most decorated venues. For a first visit to Tokyo's serious sushi tier, that positioning is useful: this is a venue where the quality case has been made by multiple independent sources, without requiring you to compete for a reservation at one of the city's most contested tables.
A Note on Current Status
The Tabelog listing carries a notice that the venue's operational status is unconfirmed and the listing is on hold. Before booking, verify current operations directly through the Tabelog page or by phone at 080-9712-5544. This is not unusual for high-demand counters that periodically pause for relocation or extended closure, but it is worth confirming before making travel plans around this reservation.
How It Compares
Explore More in Tokyo and Japan
For Italian dining in Tokyo specifically, consider PRISMA, Aroma Fresca, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo, Principio, and AlCeppo. For Italian elsewhere in Japan, cenci in Kyoto and 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong are strong regional comparisons. For broader planning, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, Tokyo hotels guide, Tokyo bars guide, Tokyo wineries guide, and Tokyo experiences guide. If you are building a multi-city Japan itinerary, also look at HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa.
Planning details
- Hours
- Monday: Closed · Tuesday: 5–11 pm
- Location
- Japan, 〒104-0028 Tokyo, Chuo City, Yaesu, 2 Chome−2−1 東京ミッドタウン八重洲 3階
- Website
- yaesu.tokyo-midtown.com/shop-restaurant/detail/30700
- Phone
- +81 80-9712-5544
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Chiba Takaoka presents a concentrated, disciplined take on Tokyo sushi: a six-seat omakase counter that foregrounds craft through constraint. The room’s small scale and counter-only layout force an economy of motion and attention—every guest faces the chef and the sequence is uninterrupted by back‑table distractions. That insistence on consistency and control places the restaurant clearly within Tokyo’s upper sushi tier, where provenance, timing and technique are the point. The overall sensation is one of refined focus rather than theatricality: quiet, exacting service and pared-back surroundings that let the fish and the chef’s rhythm do the talking.
Best For
This is an evening-first destination for diners who want a concentrated omakase experience. The six-seat counter and counter-only format make it ideal for date nights and special-occasion dinners where intimacy and precision matter, and it also suits solo diners who want direct engagement with the chef. Located a two-minute walk from Tokyo Station’s central gates in Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, it’s convenient for travelers and city dwellers seeking a high-tier sushi sequence without the distractions of a larger dining room.
Ordering Tips
Expect a strict omakase rhythm: service is evenings-only at a six-seat, counter-only configuration, and every guest faces the chef for an uninterrupted tasting sequence. There are no private rooms, so the experience is communal in the sense that the chef curates each portion and cadence for the counter as a whole. Pay attention to the progression—this format is explicitly about consistency and the limits the kitchen sets. The restaurant’s high Tabelog score and consecutive Bronze Awards indicate steady execution at this level; go prepared to experience the tasting menu as presented at the counter.
Venue details
Ambiance
Simple, calm counter-only interior with focus on the chef's craft and intimate sushi experience.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Quiet
- Service Style
- Formal
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Intimate
Signature Dishes
- Choshi Octopus
- Choshi Bonito
- Golden Eye Snapper Nigiri
- Chiba Tuna Varieties
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 5–11 pm
- Wednesday
- 5–11 pm
- Thursday
- Closed
- Friday
- 5–11 pm
- Saturday
- 5–11 pm
- Sunday
- 5–11 pm
Location
Japan, 〒104-0028 Tokyo, Chuo City, Yaesu, 2 Chome−2−1 東京ミッドタウン八重洲 3階 · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Harutaka; Sushi, ¥¥¥¥
- RyuGin; Kaiseki, Japanese, ¥¥¥¥
- L'Effervescence; French, ¥¥¥¥
- HOMMAGE; Innovtive French, French, ¥¥¥¥
- Florilège; French, ¥¥¥
Restaurant context
At JPY 30,000–39,999 per head, Chiba Takaoka sits in the same tier as Harutaka, the most natural comparison for Tokyo sushi at the ¥¥¥¥ level. Both are counter-format omakase counters with strong Tabelog credentials. Harutaka has a longer track record and operates in Ginza, which some diners prefer for the neighbourhood context. Chiba Takaoka's Yaesu location is more convenient for transit connections through Tokyo Station, which can matter if you are arriving from another city or heading onward the same evening. If booking difficulty is your deciding factor, Chiba Takaoka's six-seat format is not materially harder to book than Harutaka's counter, both are accessible compared to Tokyo's hardest reservations.
If you are open to formats beyond sushi, RyuGin is the obvious alternative at the same price point. RyuGin's kaiseki format gives you a broader seasonal spread across the meal, where Chiba Takaoka is focused entirely on the sushi discipline. For a first-time visit to Tokyo's serious dining tier, the choice between them comes down to whether you want to go deep on one tradition or experience a wider range of Japanese technique. For French at the same spend, L'Effervescence and HOMMAGE are both credible options, though they serve a different appetite entirely.
If budget is a constraint, Florilège at ¥¥¥ is the most practical step down without sacrificing seriousness. It is French rather than sushi, but it is the strongest option at one price tier below Chiba Takaoka's range. For diners who want to spend at the Chiba Takaoka level and are primarily motivated by the sushi counter format, Chiba Takaoka and Harutaka are the two names to weigh directly against each other. Harutaka edges ahead on longevity and reputation depth; Chiba Takaoka counters with a more convenient location and an award trajectory that suggests the quality case is still building.
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Around this place
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Unlock the full Chiba Takaoka guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chiba Takaoka accommodate groups?
Groups larger than six cannot be seated at all; the entire restaurant is a six-seat counter. Pairs and solos are the natural fit. If you have a group of five or six and want to book out the full counter for private use, that option is listed as available, but confirm directly via Tabelog before assuming it applies to your date.
Can I eat at the bar at Chiba Takaoka?
Every seat at Chiba Takaoka is a counter seat; there are only six, that counter is the restaurant. There is no secondary dining room or bar area. If you want a counter omakase format, this delivers exactly that; if you want a table or a more social setup, look elsewhere.
How far ahead should I book Chiba Takaoka?
Demand for six-seat counters with Tabelog Bronze status and a 4.31 score in Tokyo typically means booking weeks out, not days. More urgently: the Tabelog listing currently carries an unconfirmed operational notice, so contact the restaurant through Tabelog before making plans around it.
Is lunch or dinner better at Chiba Takaoka?
Dinner only; Chiba Takaoka has no lunch service. The kitchen runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 17:00 to 23:00, with Mondays and Thursdays closed. Budget JPY 30,000–39,999 per person for dinner.
What are alternatives to Chiba Takaoka in Tokyo?
Given the uncertain operational status of Chiba Takaoka, alternatives are worth having ready. Harutaka is a well-regarded counter sushi option in Tokyo at a comparable price tier. For a broader fine-dining frame at similar spend, Florilège and L'Effervescence both hold strong Tabelog credentials. If your priority is Edo-mae sushi specifically, comparing Tabelog scores and booking windows across those options before committing is the practical move.
