Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Meguro's high-energy sushi counter, Michelin-noted.
A Michelin Plate sushi counter in Meguro with two years of consecutive recognition and a 4.5 Google rating from 266 reviews. Sushi Rinda earns its place in Tokyo's ¥¥¥¥ tier with lively counter energy, technically considered fatty-tuna preparations, and the signature Rindamaki roll. Easier to book than Ginza competition, and a strong call for special-occasion sushi.
If you're weighing up Meguro sushi options against the omakase heavyweights of Ginza or Shinjuku, Sushi Rinda makes a clear case for itself on atmosphere and energy. This is not the hushed, reverent counter experience you get at Sushi Kanesaka or Harutaka. The room runs with a lively momentum, the kitchen team moves fast, and the whole operation feels like a celebration rather than a ceremony. Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024, 2025) and a 4.5 Google rating across 266 reviews confirm this is a venue performing well above the neighbourhood average. Book it for a special occasion where you want genuine warmth alongside serious fish work.
Sushi Rinda sits in Shimomeguro, Meguro City, a residential neighbourhood that sits at a useful remove from the tourist-heavy sushi corridors of central Tokyo. The address alone signals something: this is a place that earns its audience rather than inheriting it from foot traffic. The venue's name is a double reference — to the chef's daughter and to a song by his favourite rock band — and that dual identity tells you something about what you're walking into. The energy here is personal, not institutional.
What the Michelin inspectors noted is worth taking seriously as a framing device for your decision. The technique on the tuna is deliberate and considered: fatty flesh sliced thin, piled high, then moulded so the fat melts faster against the rice. That is not a casual approach to nigiri construction. The 'Rindamaki' roll , tuna, sea urchin, and salmon roe , is cited specifically as a signature, combining three of the richest ingredients in the sushi vocabulary into a single piece. If your preference runs toward leaner, more austere edomae-style sushi, you may find the flavour profile here richer than you want. If you are booking for a celebration and want something that registers as genuinely generous, Rinda's approach delivers on that.
The kitchen team's energy is a feature, not a side effect. The Michelin description specifically calls out the young cooks as a blur of motion and notes the lively enthusiasm of the team as something that lifts the room. For a special occasion dinner, that matters: the difference between a technically accomplished counter where the atmosphere is formal and one where the room feels alive is significant. Sushi Rinda sits firmly in the latter category. Compare this with the more measured atmosphere at Edomae Sushi Hanabusa or Hiroo Ishizaka, where the formality is part of the proposition.
On price, the ¥¥¥¥ bracket in Tokyo puts Rinda in the same tier as some of the city's most decorated counters. That positioning asks a fair question: what are you trading off against the Ginza names? The answer is location convenience (Meguro is accessible but not central), the more casual atmosphere (clearly a feature for some, a drawback for others), and the relative booking ease. What you gain is a more personal room, a distinct flavour identity around rich, fatty cuts and layered combination pieces, and a counter that has earned its Michelin recognition two years running without becoming difficult to access.
For solo diners or pairs on a date, the counter format works well here. The team's energy means the room never feels quiet or uncomfortable for a single diner, and the combination-roll signatures give you something to engage with beyond direct nigiri progression. For groups marking a birthday or anniversary, the celebratory atmosphere is a genuine asset. This is one of the more party-friendly counters in Tokyo's ¥¥¥¥ sushi tier , a comparison worth making if you are choosing between this and somewhere more austere for a group occasion.
Tokyo's sushi scene extends well beyond the city, and if you are planning a broader Japan itinerary, the contrast is instructive. Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong and Shoukouwa in Singapore both export the Tokyo omakase format with notable success, but neither replicates the specific neighbourhood energy of a counter like Rinda. Within Japan, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto and HAJIME in Osaka offer high-end Japanese dining with very different formats and registers if you are building a multi-city trip.
Booking is rated Easy, which is a meaningful differentiator in Tokyo's top-tier sushi market. You do not need to plan months ahead the way you would for the most decorated Ginza counters. That accessibility, combined with two years of Michelin recognition, makes Rinda a strong option for visitors who have not pre-planned six months out, or for Tokyo residents who want a special-occasion counter without the reservation anxiety. See our full Tokyo restaurants guide for broader context, and our Tokyo hotels guide if you are planning a wider stay.
Booking difficulty at Sushi Rinda is Easy by Tokyo ¥¥¥¥ sushi standards. No phone or website is listed in the current database, so confirm the current reservation method via a local concierge or hotel front desk before your visit. The Meguro address is direct to reach from central Tokyo.
| Detail | Sushi Rinda | Harutaka | Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongiten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | ¥¥¥¥ | ¥¥¥¥ | ¥¥¥¥ |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Hard | Hard |
| Michelin recognition | Plate (2024, 2025) | Stars | Stars |
| Atmosphere | Lively, celebratory | Formal, precise | Formal, traditional |
| Location | Meguro (residential) | Ginza (central) | Roppongi (central) |
| Leading for | Special occasion, solo | Serious omakase fans | Prestige/status dining |
For more Tokyo dining, see our guides to Tokyo bars, Tokyo wineries, and Tokyo experiences. Also worth considering elsewhere in Japan: akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa.
Against Harutaka, the comparison is sharp: both sit at ¥¥¥¥ and both have Michelin recognition, but Harutaka's starred status and Ginza location put it in a harder-to-book, higher-formality bracket. If technical precision and a quieter, more austere counter are your priority, Harutaka is the call. If you want Michelin-validated quality with a livelier room and easier access to a reservation, Rinda wins.
RyuGin and the French-leaning options , L'Effervescence, HOMMAGE, and Florilège , are different formats entirely. RyuGin is the pick if kaiseki is the format you want; its highly seasonal, multi-course structure is a fundamentally different proposition to a sushi counter. The French venues make sense if your group includes diners less comfortable with raw fish, or if you want a longer, more wine-friendly progression. Florilège also drops to ¥¥¥, making it the better-value option in that French set.
For a special occasion in Tokyo where sushi is the chosen format, Rinda occupies a clear position: accessible, energetic, Michelin-recognised, and genuinely celebratory in atmosphere. It is not the place to book if you want the most technically rigorous, starched-linen omakase experience in the city. It is a strong choice if you want a ¥¥¥¥ counter that delivers quality fish, a memorable room energy, and a reservation you can actually secure.
Smart casual is the safe call for a ¥¥¥¥ sushi counter in Tokyo. No specific dress code is listed for Rinda, but the atmosphere is described as lively rather than formal, so you do not need to dress as you would for a Ginza starred venue. Think neat, comfortable clothing you would wear to a quality dinner rather than a black-tie setting.
No group capacity data is listed in the current record. Rinda's celebratory atmosphere makes it a reasonable choice for a birthday or anniversary dinner, but for groups of more than four, contact the venue directly to confirm seating and availability before assuming a counter booking will work. Tokyo sushi counters vary significantly in their group-size limits.
Sushi counters in Tokyo typically have a counter/bar format as their primary seating. While the specific seat layout at Rinda is not confirmed in the available data, omakase-style sushi venues of this type generally seat diners at the counter facing the chef. That format suits solo diners and pairs particularly well.
No specific dietary policy is listed. As with most high-end sushi counters, omakase menus are built around the chef's selection and substitutions can be difficult to accommodate without advance notice. If you have restrictions, contact the venue before booking. Sushi formats are generally less flexible than multi-course Western or kaiseki menus.
Yes. The counter format and the team's noted energy make Rinda a comfortable solo option at the ¥¥¥¥ tier. Solo sushi dining is well-established in Tokyo, and a lively, approachable room like Rinda is easier for a single diner than a more formal, quieter counter. The easy booking also means you are not committing months in advance for a solo seat.
Three things: the flavour profile leans rich, with fatty tuna preparations and a signature roll combining tuna, sea urchin, and salmon roe , this is not a lean, minimalist omakase. The atmosphere is livelier than most ¥¥¥¥ Tokyo sushi counters, which is an asset for celebrations but worth knowing if you prefer a quieter experience. And booking is easy relative to the competition, so you do not need to plan far in advance.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, which puts Rinda well ahead of venues like Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongiten or Harutaka in terms of accessibility. One to two weeks ahead should be sufficient for most dates, though weekends and holiday periods warrant earlier contact. Confirm the current reservation channel via your hotel concierge, as no direct booking link is available in the current data.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Rinda | Sushi | ¥¥¥¥ | Easy |
| Harutaka | Sushi | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki, Japanese | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| L'Effervescence | French | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| HOMMAGE | Innovtive French, French | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown |
| Florilège | French | ¥¥¥ | Unknown |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Nothing in the venue record prescribes a dress code, and the high-energy, rock-inspired atmosphere at Rinda suggests formality is not the priority here. Neat, clean clothing is a reasonable baseline for any ¥¥¥¥ Tokyo sushi counter. Leave the tie at the hotel.
No seating capacity is documented for Sushi Rinda, so large group bookings are hard to plan around. For ¥¥¥¥ omakase counters in Tokyo, parties of more than four tend to be difficult; confirm directly before assuming space exists. If group dining is the priority, a restaurant with a documented private room is a safer bet.
Counter seating is standard format at Tokyo sushi restaurants at this price level, and Rinda's described setup — with chefs in constant motion shaping nigiri in front of guests — is consistent with a counter-led experience. No alternative dining areas are documented in the venue record.
No dietary restriction policy is listed in the venue data. As a ¥¥¥¥ omakase counter, the menu is likely chef-led with limited substitution flexibility — that is standard for the format in Tokyo. check the venue's official channels before booking if restrictions are a concern.
Yes. The counter format and the lively, engaged team described in the Michelin notes make Sushi Rinda well-suited to solo guests. A single seat at a busy counter is easier to secure than a table for two, and the direct chef interaction is part of what you are paying ¥¥¥¥ for.
The restaurant is named for the chef's daughter — and a song by his favourite rock band — which sets the tone: this is not a solemn, reverent sushi temple. The Michelin Plate (2025) notes fast-moving young cooks, thinly sliced fatty tuna piled high, and the Rindamaki, a roll of tuna, sea urchin, and salmon roe. Come expecting energy, not ceremony.
Pearl rates booking difficulty as Easy by Tokyo ¥¥¥¥ standards, which is a genuine advantage over Ginza omakase counters that require months of lead time. That said, no phone or website is currently listed in the database, so confirming the booking channel before you plan around it is the first step. Two to three weeks out is a reasonable starting point.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
