Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Counter-seat teppanyaki with real OAD credentials.
An Opinionated About Dining-ranked teppanyaki counter in Ginza's Jiji Press Building, Ukai-tei Ginza is worth booking for a special occasion dinner or a well-priced weekday lunch. Three consecutive OAD citations and a 4.6 Google rating across 1,357 reviews confirm its consistency. Booking is Easy — two to three weeks out is enough for most dinner slots.
Ukai-tei Ginza sits in the ground floor of the Jiji Press Building on Chuo-dori, and it delivers the kind of teppanyaki that justifies a reservation before you even land in Tokyo. Price range is not confirmed in our data, but Ginza teppanyaki at this standard typically runs from ¥15,000 to ¥30,000+ per head at dinner. If that range suits your budget for a special occasion meal, book it. If you want to test the room for less, lunch service runs from noon and tends to offer better value entry points into the same kitchen. The venue is closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly.
What you see when you sit down is the point. A teppanyaki counter positions you close enough to watch every technique in real time: the sear, the rest, the plating sequence. At Ukai-tei Ginza, that visual theatre is not incidental — it is the format. The chef works in front of you on a flat iron surface, and the pacing of a meal here is governed by what is being cooked and how, not by a kitchen hidden somewhere behind a pass. For a special occasion dinner or a business meal where the conversation needs a focal point, this format works reliably well. There is enough to watch that silence is never awkward, and enough precision on the plate to give both parties something to talk about.
The Opinionated About Dining ranking tells you something concrete: ranked #181 in Japan in 2024 and #213 in 2025, with a Highly Recommended citation in 2023. That is a meaningful credential in a country where the competition at the leading end of the restaurant market is genuinely difficult. OAD rankings are generated from critic and regular diner data, not from a single tasting panel, so sustained placement across three consecutive years suggests this is not a one-visit anomaly. For a Ginza teppanyaki room, that consistency matters more than a single high-water-mark score.
The Ginza location is worth factoring into your plan. The neighbourhood runs at a premium across every category — retail, hotels, dining , and Ukai-tei Ginza sits comfortably in that context without feeling like it is trading on postcode alone. If you are already in Ginza for a business day or a shopping afternoon, the lunch window (noon to 4 pm, last seating presumably earlier) is the most practical entry point. Saturday extends the lunch window slightly, opening at 11:30 am, which makes it a realistic option for a weekend occasion meal without committing to a full dinner spend. The sister property, Ukai-tei Omotesando, covers the same teppanyaki format in a different neighbourhood if Ginza timing does not work for you.
Booking difficulty at Ukai-tei Ginza is rated Easy by Pearl. In practical terms, that means you are unlikely to need a month of lead time to secure a table, unlike the Michelin omakase counters in the same city tier. That said, Saturday dinner slots and key holiday windows in Tokyo fill faster than weekday lunch. If your trip dates are fixed, book two to three weeks out as a baseline. For a weekday lunch, a week's notice is generally sufficient. No phone number is listed in our data, so reservation access is most likely through a booking platform or directly via the restaurant's own channels , confirm before you travel.
For other high-quality teppanyaki experiences in Japan, JIBUNDOKI in Osaka and Hibana by Koki in Hanoi offer points of comparison if your itinerary takes you beyond Tokyo. Within Tokyo's broader dining picture, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide for context across cuisine types. If you are building a wider Japan trip, HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, and akordu in Nara are all worth mapping into the trip. For Tokyo dining adjacent to the Ginza area, Ishigaki Yoshida is another address to consider. Pearl's Tokyo hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide can help you build the rest of the visit around this meal.
Ukai-tei Ginza is open Monday through Saturday. Lunch runs noon to 4 pm on weekdays (11:30 am on Saturdays), and dinner runs 5 pm to 9:30 pm. The restaurant is closed Sundays. Booking difficulty is Easy , two to three weeks notice is a sensible baseline for dinner, one week for a weekday lunch. The address is 5-15-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, ground floor of the Jiji Press Building. No dress code is confirmed in our data, but Ginza's dining context means smart casual is the floor , anything you would wear to a formal business lunch will be appropriate. No phone contact is available in our data; use a booking platform or the restaurant's own reservation system.
See the comparison section below for Ukai-tei Ginza vs. peer venues in Tokyo.
Teppanyaki counters are well-suited to groups because the format keeps everyone oriented toward the same focal point. Ukai-tei Ginza's counter structure means a group of four to eight will likely be seated together along the iron. For larger parties, contact the restaurant directly before booking , private room availability is not confirmed in our data, but Ukai venues in Japan often have separated dining areas. Avoid assuming walk-in flexibility for groups of six or more; pre-booking is the only reliable approach.
Yes, the counter format makes solo dining natural here. You sit at the iron alongside other diners and watch the cooking , there is no awkward table-for-one dynamic. Ginza teppanyaki at this level is one of the more comfortable solo fine-dining formats in Tokyo because the kitchen performance fills the experience. Lunch is the most practical solo visit: lower spend, faster pacing, and easier to book on short notice than a Saturday dinner slot.
Teppanyaki menus at this level in Japan can sometimes be adjusted for dietary requirements, but this is not confirmed in our data for Ukai-tei Ginza specifically. Given the format , proteins cooked individually on the iron , some substitutions may be possible. Contact the restaurant directly before booking if you have specific restrictions. Do not assume flexibility on shellfish or allergy-critical requirements without prior confirmation.
Yes , it is one of the stronger teppanyaki options in Ginza for a celebration or date meal. Three consecutive years on the Opinionated About Dining Japan list, a 4.6 Google rating from over 1,300 reviews, and the inherent theatre of counter teppanyaki all combine to make this a reliable choice when the occasion calls for something memorable. The visual performance of the cooking format does the work that a static dining room cannot. For comparison, RyuGin delivers a more ceremonial kaiseki experience if you want a longer, more structured progression, but Ukai-tei Ginza is the better pick if you want engagement and spectacle alongside the food.
For teppanyaki in a different Tokyo neighbourhood, Ukai-tei Omotesando is the closest like-for-like alternative. For high-end dining at a comparable spend in Tokyo but across different formats: Harutaka is the counter sushi option at ¥¥¥¥ if you want precision over theatre; L'Effervescence is the pick for a quieter, more course-driven Western fine-dining experience. Goh in Fukuoka and 1000 in Yokohama are worth considering if your trip extends beyond the city.
Lunch is the smarter booking if you are value-conscious or visiting solo. It runs noon to 4 pm on weekdays and opens at 11:30 am on Saturdays, giving you more flexibility than the dinner window. Teppanyaki lunch menus at this level in Japan are typically shorter and lower in price than dinner equivalents, and the room is less pressured. Dinner (5 pm to 9:30 pm) is the better choice for a formal occasion or group where the full progression of the menu matters more than cost efficiency.
Teppanyaki is inherently a counter format , the iron grill surface is the focal point of every seat in the room. In that sense, all seating at Ukai-tei Ginza functions like bar seating: you are positioned in front of the chef. There is no separate bar area confirmed in our data. If you are looking for a drinks-only stop, this is not the venue for it , the format is built around a full meal experience.
No dress code is confirmed in our data, but Ginza is Tokyo's most formal retail and dining district, and an OAD-ranked teppanyaki room at this level sets expectations accordingly. Smart casual is the safe baseline: no sportswear, no shorts. Business casual or above is appropriate and will not be overdressed. If you are coming from a business meeting elsewhere in Chuo or the broader central Tokyo area, your meeting attire will work without any changes.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukai-tei Ginza | Teppanyaki | Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #213 (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #181 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Highly Recommended (2023) | Easy | — |
| Harutaka | Sushi | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki, Japanese | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Effervescence | French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| HOMMAGE | Innovtive French, French | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Florilège | French | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Teppanyaki counters are structured around shared cooking surfaces, which makes Ukai-tei Ginza a natural fit for small-to-medium groups who want a communal experience. For larger parties, check the venue's official channels to confirm seating arrangements — counter configurations vary by location within the Jiji Press Building. Parties of 6 or more should enquire well in advance, as availability around a single counter is finite.
Yes — the teppanyaki counter format is one of the better solo dining setups in Tokyo. You have a clear sightline to the cooking, a natural focal point that removes any awkwardness of dining alone, and a paced meal that doesn't rush you. Ukai-tei Ginza's OAD ranking (Top 213 in Japan, 2025) means quality is consistent enough that a solo visit is worth the reservation effort.
Teppanyaki menus at this tier typically allow for ingredient adjustments, but specific dietary accommodation details are not confirmed in available records for this venue. Communicate restrictions clearly when booking — ideally in writing — rather than raising them on arrival. Japanese restaurants of this calibre generally respond better to advance notice than last-minute requests.
It works well for a special occasion: the counter format creates a theatre-style experience without demanding the silence of a kaiseki or omakase room, and Ginza's address adds context. The Opinionated About Dining recognition three years running (2023–2025) means you are not gambling on quality. It suits celebrations where the cooking is the spectacle rather than an afterthought.
For teppanyaki specifically, Ukai has multiple Tokyo locations worth comparing directly. If you are open to format, RyuGin offers a higher-intensity Japanese fine dining experience in Roppongi with stronger international award recognition. L'Effervescence is the right alternative if French-influenced cuisine is the goal. Ukai-tei Ginza is the call when you want counter teppanyaki in a central Ginza location with a proven OAD track record.
Lunch is worth considering for first-timers: the room is typically quieter, the pace is less compressed, and teppanyaki at midday tends to draw a more local clientele. Dinner runs until 9:30 pm and suits the full Ginza evening experience. Saturday lunch starts at 11:30 am, which gives you the most flexible window. The restaurant is closed Sundays, so plan accordingly.
At a teppanyaki restaurant, the counter is functionally the bar — you sit directly in front of the cooking surface, which is the defining feature of the format. There is no separate bar seating in the traditional sense. If counter dining is the experience you want, Ukai-tei Ginza delivers it; if you want a drinks-first lounge option, this is not the format.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
