Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Nine seats, serious fish, book early.
Ranmaru is a nine-seat Edomae sushi counter in Meguro with five consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and three appearances in the Sushi TOKYO Top 100. At JPY 30,000–39,999 per person for dinner only (Tuesday–Saturday), it delivers consistent, peer-validated quality at a booking difficulty that most comparable Tokyo counters cannot match. A strong pick for serious solo diners and couples who want depth without the reservation battle.
Getting a seat at Ranmaru is not the ordeal that Tokyo's most reservation-impossible counters demand, but do not let that fool you into treating it casually. This nine-seat counter in Meguro's Shimomeguro neighbourhood has held a Tabelog Bronze Award every year since 2020 and has appeared in the Tabelog Sushi TOKYO Top 100 in 2021, 2022, and 2025. It ranked #398 on Opinionated About Dining's Japan list in 2024 and climbed to #444 in 2025. That is a consistent, peer-validated track record that gives the JPY 30,000–39,999 dinner price a solid floor of credibility. If you are in Tokyo for serious sushi and want a counter that sits between the near-impossible Harutaka and the more accessible end of the Meguro dining scene, Ranmaru is worth the booking effort.
Ranmaru seats nine people at a counter, full stop. There are no private rooms and no casual à la carte option to fall back on. The venue describes its location as a "hideout," and the Shimomeguro address, a short walk from Fudo Mae station, keeps it off the tourist circuit that clusters around Ginza or Roppongi. Chef Kouki Tanabe has been running this room since February 2018, and the venue's consistent appearance in Tabelog's most competitive peer-reviewed rankings signals that the quality has not drifted since opening.
Two seatings run Tuesday through Saturday: 5:30–8 pm and 8:30–11 pm. Monday and Sunday are closed. The later seating is the one that suits a full evening, though the earlier slot gives you more flexibility to continue the night elsewhere in Meguro. Both seatings are fully committed, counter-only experiences, so arrive ready to eat for the duration. The 10% service charge is added on leading of the menu price, which nudges the effective cost toward the upper end of that JPY 30,000–39,999 bracket. Budget accordingly.
The drink program at Ranmaru is deliberately curated. The venue is particular about its sake and shochu selections rather than offering a broad wine list as the headline, which fits the Edomae format. Wine is available, and the venue accepts BYO, which is a practical option if you have a bottle worth the occasion. Credit cards are accepted across the major networks (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners), which matters at this price point in a city where cash-only counters still exist. The room is entirely non-smoking.
For a solo diner, Ranmaru is close to ideal. A nine-seat counter is the format built for it, and the Tabelog 4.15 score and Google rating of 4.5 across 187 reviews both suggest consistent execution rather than occasional brilliance. If you are two people who want a focused, conversation-friendly sushi dinner in a neighbourhood that is not performing for tourists, this works. Larger groups should note the private-use option: the venue can be booked exclusively for parties of up to 20 people, which makes it a viable option for a corporate dinner or a celebratory group booking, despite the standard nine-seat room size.
The venue does not appear in Michelin's Tokyo guide based on the available record, but the Tabelog system carries genuine weight among Tokyo diners and professionals. A Bronze Award with a score above 4.0 sustained across five consecutive years is not an accident. For context, Tabelog's scoring system is notoriously compressed at the leading end, making a 4.15 a meaningful signal. Compare that to the mid-3s that most well-regarded restaurants settle at, and the gap becomes clear.
If Ranmaru is on your list, these counters deserve consideration too, depending on your priorities: Harutaka sits at a higher difficulty and price tier; Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongiten operates in a different register entirely; Sushi Kanesaka is the comparison point for Ginza-area Edomae; Edomae Sushi Hanabusa and Hiroo Ishizaka round out the neighbourhood-counter tier worth tracking. For the broader Tokyo dining picture, our full Tokyo restaurants guide covers the full range, and our Tokyo hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide help build the full trip around a dinner like this.
If your Japan itinerary extends beyond Tokyo, the sushi conversation continues: Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong and Shoukouwa in Singapore represent the Edomae tradition exported to Southeast Asian fine-dining rooms. For broader Japan planning, HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa are the Pearl-tracked options worth adding to your planning.
Booking difficulty at Ranmaru is rated Easy relative to the competition among Tokyo's awarded sushi counters, but that does not mean same-week availability is guaranteed for a specific seating. With only nine seats and two seatings per night, Tuesday through Saturday, the room fills predictably on Friday and Saturday. Aim for two to three weeks out for a weekday seating; four weeks for a weekend. The venue accepts reservations directly by phone (+81-3-5734-1461).
Ranmaru runs as a counter-only omakase in Meguro, a residential neighbourhood rather than a tourist dining district. The format is committed: you are seated for the full experience, not ordering from a menu. At JPY 30,000–39,999 plus 10% service charge, it is a significant spend, but one backed by five consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and three appearances in the Tabelog Sushi TOKYO Top 100. Come with a clear appetite, arrive on time for your seating, and note that the venue has no official website so phone reservations are the route in.
Ranmaru does not serve lunch. The venue operates dinner only, Tuesday through Saturday, with seatings at 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm. The earlier seating works well if you want to keep your evening open; the later seating is better suited to making the dinner the centrepiece of the night. Pricing is the same across both seatings at JPY 30,000–39,999.
Yes, and the counter format actively supports it. A nine-seat counter is the natural habitat for a solo diner in Tokyo's sushi scene, and Ranmaru's consistent Tabelog scores suggest a room where serious individual diners are well accommodated. At this price point, a solo seat at Ranmaru compares favourably to a solo booking at harder-to-access counters like Harutaka, where the booking difficulty adds friction that Ranmaru currently avoids.
Ranmaru operates as an omakase counter, so the menu is set by chef Kouki Tanabe rather than selected by the diner. The venue's Tabelog profile notes a particular focus on fish quality. Specific dishes are not available in the verified record, so treat the experience as a commitment to the chef's selection rather than arriving with particular pieces in mind. The drink program emphasises sake and shochu, which pair naturally with the Edomae format.
No dress code is listed for Ranmaru. At JPY 30,000–39,999 per head in a counter setting that has held Tabelog Bronze recognition since 2020, smart casual is the practical standard: clean, considered clothing without being formal. Avoid strong fragrances, which are broadly discouraged at sushi counters where delicate flavours are the focus.
Ranmaru is an omakase sushi counter with a stated focus on fish quality, so the format is not naturally suited to vegetarian, vegan, or shellfish-allergic diners. If you have specific dietary requirements, contact the venue directly before booking: +81-3-5734-1461. No official website exists, so a phone call is the only confirmed route to clarify this before you commit at this price point.
Ranmaru's entire room is counter seating. All nine seats face the chef, so there is no distinction between a "bar seat" and a table at this venue. That is the standard configuration for a Tokyo omakase counter, and it is part of what makes the format work for solo diners and couples who want the closest possible engagement with the preparation.
No dress code is listed in the venue's own data, but a nine-seat counter charging ¥30,000–¥39,999 per head draws a crowd that dresses accordingly. Smart, unfussy clothing works — avoid anything with strong fragrance, which is a standard expectation at serious sushi counters where the chef's work is at close range.
Book at least four to six weeks out. Ranmaru runs two seatings per evening across only nine seats, Tuesday through Saturday, and has held Tabelog Bronze consecutively since 2020. That combination keeps the counter consistently full. Reservations are confirmed as available, but do not expect last-minute slots.
Ranmaru is a counter-only, omakase-format sushi restaurant in Shimomeguro with nine seats and no private rooms. Dinner runs ¥30,000–¥39,999 per person plus a 10% service charge, and only credit cards are accepted (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners). The nearest station is Fudo Mae, roughly 475 metres away. BYO drinks are permitted if you want to bring a specific bottle.
Dinner is the only option. Ranmaru operates Tuesday through Saturday, evenings only, with seatings at 17:30 and 20:30. There is no lunch service.
Yes, it is one of the stronger cases for solo dining in the Tokyo sushi category. The nine-seat counter is exactly the format where a solo diner gets the full experience with no compromise — direct counter access, full omakase progression, and no awkward table sizing. Ranmaru's Tabelog score of 4.15 and its placement in the Tabelog Sushi Tokyo Top 100 for 2021, 2022, and 2025 suggest the experience holds up at any party size.
Ranmaru is an omakase counter, so the menu is set by the chef — there is no à la carte ordering. The venue notes it is particular about fish, which is the operating premise of the format. Show up, follow the chef's lead, and consider pairing with sake or shochu from their curated selection.
No specific policy is documented in the venue data. At a nine-seat omakase counter, dietary restrictions should be communicated clearly at the time of reservation — the tighter the format, the less flexibility exists mid-service. check the venue's official channels at +81-3-5734-1461 before booking if restrictions are a factor.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
