Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Cash-only unagi. Book weeks ahead.
Kabuto Unagi in Ikebukuro holds a Tabelog Silver Award for ten consecutive years and a score of 4.44, placing it among Tokyo's most recognised unagi specialists. Dinner runs JPY 20,000–29,999 per head across two structured sittings, in a 15-seat room that rewards careful planning: book online in advance, bring cash, and request the counter for the best experience.
At JPY 20,000–29,999 per head for dinner, Kabuto Unagi is one of Tokyo's most credentialed unagi restaurants and earns every yen of that price. A Tabelog Silver Award winner every year from 2017 through 2026, with a score of 4.44 and four separate appearances on the Tabelog Unagi "Top 100" list, this 15-seat Ikebukuro room has a track record that very few specialist restaurants in Japan can match. Book it if unagi at serious depth is what you want. Skip it if you need flexibility on timing, payment, or group size.
Dinner at Kabuto runs on a reservation-only, two-sitting structure: the first sitting begins at 15:00, the second at 18:00 (updated as of 2024). The room holds just 15 people across eight counter seats, a three-seat raised platform, and a four-seat table section. For a first visit, the counter is the seat to request. It puts you closest to the action and gives the meal a focused, almost meditative quality that the table section does not replicate. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful rather than lively, suited to conversation at a measured pace rather than a group night out.
The format is not an à la carte menu in the conventional sense. Kabuto operates on a structured progression, which means the kitchen controls pacing and sequencing from arrival to close. Think of it less as ordering dinner and more as sitting down to a considered course of one specialist ingredient treated with the same rigour you would expect at a kaiseki counter. The sake and shochu list is curated with care, and the restaurant is openly particular about both, making drinks a meaningful part of the experience rather than an afterthought.
One important practical note before you book: Kabuto does not accept credit cards, electronic money, or QR code payments. Cash only. At this price point, that means arriving prepared with JPY 25,000–30,000 per person to be safe. Reservations are accepted via the internet only; phone bookings are not available. The booking window through omakase-japan.jp tends to fill quickly given the size of the room and the restaurant's consistent award recognition, so plan accordingly.
Getting there is direct. Exit Ikebukuro Station via the west exit, head along Theater Street toward Kawagoe Street in the direction of the post office, turn left at the first street, and the restaurant is immediately on the right. The venue is approximately 463 metres from the station. No parking is available on site.
Kabuto is non-smoking throughout, has no private rooms, and is not set up for private hire. Children are technically permitted but the restaurant itself notes the format is not well suited to them. For groups of friends sharing an interest in serious Japanese food, this is among the stronger options in Ikebukuro.
Compared to unagi specialists elsewhere in Tokyo, Kabuto's Ikebukuro location is less central than Obana in Mukojima or Hashimoto Unagi, but its award consistency since 2017 places it in a different tier of recognition. If you are planning a broader food itinerary, Akimoto, Sangubashi Asaya, and Uomasa are worth considering alongside Kabuto depending on your neighbourhood and budget. For the broader Tokyo dining picture, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, and if you are planning around accommodation, our full Tokyo hotels guide covers where to stay. Pearl also has guides to Tokyo bars, Tokyo wineries, and Tokyo experiences if you are building a longer itinerary.
If unagi is a priority and you are travelling beyond Tokyo, Chikuyoutei in Osaka and Unafuji in Nagoya are the peer references worth benchmarking. For high-end dining elsewhere in Japan, HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa round out the national picture.
Quick reference: Dinner JPY 20,000–29,999 | 15 seats | Reservation-only via internet | Cash only | Closed Thursday and Sunday | Two sittings: 15:00 and 18:00 | Ikebukuro, 463m from west exit.
Reservations are accepted online only, through omakase-japan.jp. Phone bookings are not available. Given the 15-seat capacity and the restaurant's sustained award profile, booking difficulty is rated as moderate to easy depending on the season, but do not leave it to the week before. Two to three weeks advance notice is a reasonable baseline. The two-sitting format means you will be allocated either the 15:00 or 18:00 start; the second sitting at 18:00 is the more conventional dinner hour if you have a preference.
Two to three weeks in advance is a sensible minimum for most dates. With only 15 seats and a decade of consecutive Tabelog Silver Awards behind it, Kabuto fills faster than its Ikebukuro location might suggest. The 18:00 sitting on Friday and Saturday tends to go first. If your dates are fixed, book as soon as the reservation window opens on omakase-japan.jp. Phone bookings are not accepted.
Kabuto does not serve lunch. The kitchen operates on an evening-only schedule with two sittings: 15:00 and 18:00. The 15:00 sitting is the earlier option and suits those who prefer a long, unhurried meal with time to continue the evening elsewhere. The 18:00 sitting is the standard dinner hour. The price range of JPY 20,000–29,999 applies to both.
The menu is structured and kitchen-led rather than à la carte in the traditional sense, so there is limited ordering to do beyond your drink preferences. The restaurant takes its sake and shochu selection seriously and flags both as areas of focus, so lean on the drinks list. Arrive with an open brief and let the kitchen set the pace.
Yes, and the counter is the recommended seat for a first visit. Eight of the 15 seats are at the counter, which places you closest to the kitchen and gives the meal a more engaged, focused feel than the table or raised platform. When booking, indicate a counter preference if you have one, though seating is at the restaurant's discretion.
There is no formal dress code, but at JPY 20,000–29,999 per head and with a Tabelog Silver Award pedigree, smart casual is the appropriate read. This is not a jeans-and-sneakers crowd, even without a stated policy. Think of it as the level of care you would bring to a serious omakase counter.
The maximum table configuration is four seats at the table section, with three on the raised platform and eight at the counter. For a group of four, a table booking works. For larger groups, the room's 15-seat total capacity makes full private hire impossible, and private rooms are not available. Groups of five or more will almost certainly be split across different seating areas or different sittings. Contact the restaurant directly via omakase-japan.jp to discuss options.
The menu is built around unagi as its single specialist ingredient, which makes significant dietary substitutions structurally difficult. If you have a specific restriction, contact the restaurant in advance through the booking platform. Given that the format is kitchen-led, flagging requirements early gives the leading chance of accommodation, though there are no guarantees at a restaurant this focused on a single ingredient.
For unagi at a comparable level, Obana in Mukojima is the most storied alternative, with a longer history and a more traditional setting. Hashimoto Unagi and Akimoto are worth considering if location matters. If you are open to a different format entirely, Sangubashi Asaya and Uomasa offer contrasting approaches at different price points within Tokyo.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kabuto Unagi | Unagi | Easy | |
| Harutaka | Sushi | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki, Japanese | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| L'Effervescence | French | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| HOMMAGE | Innovtive French, French | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| Florilège | French | ¥¥¥ | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Tokyo for this tier.
Groups are limited by the 15-seat total capacity, split across 8 counter seats, 3 raised platform seats, and 4 table seats. Private dining is not available, and private buyout is also off the table. Parties of 2–4 are the practical sweet spot; larger groups should book well in advance and confirm whether adjacent seats can be arranged.
Kabuto Unagi is the reference point for specialist unagi dining in Tokyo, with a Tabelog score of 4.44 and Silver recognition every year since 2017. If unagi is not your format, Harutaka is the comparable benchmark for high-commitment counter dining at a similar price tier. For a broader kaiseki experience at comparable spend, RyuGin is the obvious pivot.
No dietary restriction information is available in the venue data. Given the specialist unagi format and the 15-seat, reservation-only structure, this is not a venue built around substitutions. check the venue's official channels via omakase-japan.jp before booking if you have restrictions.
Specific menu items are not published in available venue data. The restaurant is a dedicated unagi specialist, so the format centres on eel preparation rather than a broad menu. At JPY 20,000–29,999 per head, expect a set or structured progression rather than à la carte choice.
Dinner only. Kabuto Unagi does not offer lunch service. The two sittings run at 15:00 and 18:00, Tuesday through Saturday (closed Thursday and Sunday). Book the 15:00 sitting if you want the earlier slot, noting that this is still an early dinner format rather than a traditional lunch.
No dress code is specified. The venue is a 15-seat specialist counter in Ikebukuro, not a formal hotel dining room, so neat casual is appropriate. Avoid arriving overdressed expecting white-tablecloth formality; the atmosphere is counter-focused and ingredient-driven.
Yes. Eight of the 15 seats are at the counter, which is the primary format here. Counter seats are the standard booking, not a premium upgrade. If you prefer a table, 4 table seats are available, though counter seating gives the clearest view of the preparation.
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