Eating out daily to conquer the top 100 restaurants. Today, I visited Harajuku Gyoza-rou in Omotesando, a shop selected for the Gyoza Top 100 in 2022. I used to frequent Tokyo Gyoza-rou in Sangenjaya, so I thought they were related, but after checking their website, it seems they are not. It looks like someone who used to work at Tokyo Gyoza-rou opened this new shop. I used to visit Tokyo Gyoza-rou about 20 years ago, so I was excited. I arrived at the shop around 8 pm on Saturday. The place was almost full, but since I was alone, I managed to get a seat at the counter. It seemed like many people around were here for drinks. Looking at the menu, it was almost the same as Tokyo Gyoza-rou, which I couldn't remember entirely. I ordered bean sprouts for 295 yen, spicy tofu for 295 yen, garlic pan-fried gyoza for 390 yen, and rice for 240 yen. While there are many places with delicious rice and gyoza, you should definitely order side dishes like bean sprouts. The gyoza is delicious on its own, but the lightness of bean sprouts and spicy tofu enhances the flavor. It's a great place for a casual drink or dining alone.

The strength of the popular Gyoza restaurant Gyoza Hyakumeiten on Tabelog! - Instagrammable: ★★★★☆ - Taste: ★★★★☆ - Atmosphere: ★★★★☆ - Service: ★★★☆☆ - Value for money: ★★★★★ - Difficulty of reservation: ★★☆☆☆ - Estimated price: Around 1,000 yen Review: I decided to go on a Gyoza tour and visited the Harajuku Gyoza Lou, which is one of the top 100 Gyoza restaurants on Tabelog! (I think I've been there a few times in the past). I ordered steamed Gyoza, pan-fried Gyoza, and rice! The Gyoza were slightly small in size, with crispy skin and juicy filling! The steamed Gyoza were simple but delicious! The highlight was the homemade chili oil! Affordable, quick, and delicious - this Gyoza restaurant is highly recommended!

I think it's cost-effective. Especially good when drinking. The operation is disastrous, so you need to persistently continue ordering.

From Jingumae Station, it's a 3-4 minute walk to the restaurant. The interior is very spacious with a counter and multiple table seats. There were quite a few foreign customers. The manager is very friendly, interacting with foreign customers and regulars, creating a great atmosphere. I ordered the Lunch Set B (with water dumplings instead of a dish) with rice, soup, and bean sprouts for 990 yen. The water dumplings arrived first, they were soft but a bit bland. The pan-fried dumplings arrived 5-6 minutes later, they were a good size and nicely cooked. The crispy texture and aroma were great. I prefer the filling to be a bit meatier, but these were still good. Lastly, the bean sprouts and minced meat stir-fried and served over rice, along with the dumplings, was a delicious combination. Overall, the water dumplings may not be necessary, but the portion size and price were good, and the pan-fried dumplings were quite tasty. It was a wonderful meal!

I decided to stop by this restaurant in Harajuku that I had bookmarked for a quick meal before heading home. It was a Saturday afternoon around 5 pm and the place was empty, with only two groups of customers at the counter. I ordered the pan-fried dumplings (with leeks and garlic) for 290 yen, which were cooked from pre-made dumplings in a steamer. They had a nice, crispy texture and the filling was decent. I also ordered rice for 240 yen, which came with soup. The rice was neither too hard nor too soft, but I felt like the portion was a bit small for the price. The soup, however, was satisfying. When it came time to pay, I was surprised that the two dumplings cost me 580 yen and the rice was an additional 240 yen, making the total 820 yen. It seemed like the prices were a bit higher than what was listed on the official page on Tabelog. Overall, it was an okay experience at this dumpling restaurant, but I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed with the pricing discrepancy.

I visited a gyoza restaurant that was selected as one of the top 100 inexpensive and delicious restaurants! When I arrived, I was surprised to see a retro-style gyoza restaurant in the trendy Omotesando area. Despite it being a weekday, the restaurant was crowded with many people, mostly tourists. Since I was alone, I was seated right away. I wasn't sure what to order, so I asked the staff for recommendations. They kindly explained the lunch menu to me and I decided to order the Lunch B Set with shiso gyoza and boiled gyoza. The food arrived quickly, including rice, soup, and bean sprouts. The bean sprouts with minced meat and a slightly sweet chili oil sauce were delicious. The soup, with large pieces of ginger and green onions, added a nice crunchy texture and was a refreshing accompaniment to the meal. The boiled gyoza arrived first, followed by the shiso gyoza. Both were light and easy to eat, with a refreshing taste. I enjoyed making my own dipping sauce using the provided condiments. The gyoza and the sauce were to my liking, and I finished everything quickly. Eating gyoza in the summer heat while feeling the heat of the kitchen was a unique experience. And the best part was the affordable price! I was pleasantly surprised by the bill, which came to only 1040 yen (including tax) for the set. Considering the portion size and taste, I thought it was a great deal! Just a reminder, the restaurant only accepts cash for payment. I am grateful to the staff for their attentive service until the end. The gyoza was delicious and overall, it was a great dining experience! Thank you for the meal!

A person who used to work at "Tokyo Gyoza-rou" in Sangenjaya has opened their own shop. The shop does not have air conditioning, so it can get hot and humid inside. In the summer, you will sweat a lot. - Pan-fried Gyoza (6 pieces) @340 yen You can choose from leek and garlic, or without. - Boiled Gyoza (6 pieces) @340 yen You can choose from leek and garlic, or without. - Shiso Gyoza (6 pieces) @390 yen - Bean Sprouts @295 yen Hot boiled bean sprouts with flavorful meat miso. The cost performance is great, but it's too hot. Thank you for the meal.

Arrived around 11:40 on Saturday afternoon. I thought it would be crowded, but it was about 60% full. Lucky! I sat at the counter and ordered pan-fried dumplings for 340 yen and boiled dumplings for 340 yen, with rice (soup included) for 240 yen. I had to wait a bit. The rice soup and boiled dumplings arrived surprisingly quickly, followed by the pan-fried dumplings. It's more expensive than it was about 10 years ago, but being able to eat all this for under 1,000 yen in Harajuku is amazing! Thank you for the meal! I will definitely go back again. ^ ^

Visited the restaurant before 12:00 on Thursday, August 24, 2023. It's a gyoza restaurant located a little off the main street of Omotesando. I wonder what kind of shop it used to be before. Nearly half of the customers were foreigners, giving a sense of inbound tourism. The door was left open, the air conditioning wasn't working very well, and it felt still inside. The staff seemed to be from India or Nepal. I ordered the Lunch Set B (¥990), which came with gyoza for two, both pan-fried with garlic. The set also included rice, soup, gyoza for two, and bean sprouts. The gyoza had a normal size with a nice crispy texture from being pan-fried. The garlic flavor was not overpowering. The water served was just like the gyoza, nothing special. The bean sprouts were hot and fresh, with a rich flavor of seasoned ground meat that would go well with a highball. The prices were reasonable, the food was delicious, and I highly recommend it.

I happened to come across this gyoza specialty restaurant in the Omotesando-Harajuku area at night. It's located a little off the main street. I had recently visited a similar named restaurant in a different town, but it didn't leave much of an impression, so I passed by when I saw it empty. However, on my way back, I noticed it was full with a few groups waiting outside! Inside, the atmosphere was lively, with customers enjoying beer and gyoza. I decided to join the line, and soon enough, I was able to get in due to the small group size and good turnover. The gyoza options included pan-fried, boiled, and shiso gyoza, with variations of garlic and chives. The taste was completely different from the previous restaurant, with a homemade feel to the filling and a nice crispy texture from the pan-frying. The appetizers were all delicious, and I ended up getting seconds of the pickled cabbage (laughs). Considering the prices, I think this place is a great find. Seeing the constant turnover of customers, it's clear that this place is popular. It has become a restaurant I would like to visit again in this trendy area. Thank you for the meal.

Located in a backstreet off Omotesando, "Harajuku Gyoza Lou" is a surprising dumpling restaurant. Despite my initial surprise, it is actually a super popular restaurant that has been selected as one of the top 100 gyoza restaurants. What's even more surprising is that 80% of the customers are foreigners. It seems like gyoza is popular even overseas! Since it was a weekday, the waiting time was only about 3 minutes and I was able to get in quickly. The most shocking part was the price!! 6 dumplings for 290 yen, isn't that incredibly cheap? It's an easy place to casually drop by alone, so next time I'm thinking of using it for a quick drink too. ☺︎

Garlic dumplings for ¥340, shiso dumplings for around ¥390. I was expecting a quick service since it's dumplings, but even though there wasn't a long line and the place was only about half full, I had to wait for about 20 minutes. There were three staff members, including a Japanese man who seemed like the manager, and they only used one of the two grills, causing a long wait. In the summer, sitting in front of the boiling pot and grill was too hot, and I was sweating the whole time. The door was left open and the air conditioning wasn't effective. After the long wait, the dumplings that came out were burnt. The taste was nothing special, just average. Most of the customers were foreigners. It's not worth it if you can't eat quickly, right?

I've always wanted to go to Harajuku Gyoza Lou, but there's always a long line and I couldn't make a reservation, so I couldn't go. Nearby, there's Chao Bamboo, a famous Thai restaurant. This place also doesn't take reservations. However, when I passed by late at night, there was no line. Last order is at 10:30 PM. I was able to enter 10 minutes before closing. More than half of the customers were foreigners, and there were also young people coming in with suitcases. The staff members were also foreigners, speaking fluent Japanese. I ordered gyoza one serving at a time. I had a Wulong Highball for 530 yen, and the alcoholic drinks were mostly 500 yen or more. The water dumplings arrived first, 6 pieces for 340 yen. The soup was like hot water, and the dumplings had plenty of filling with a simple taste that everyone would enjoy. The pan-fried dumplings, 6 pieces for 340 yen, allowed me to choose whether I wanted garlic and chives. I chose to have them, and although it took a bit of time, they arrived. They had a nice golden brown color and a crispy texture. The thin skin made them easy to eat quickly. They reminded me a bit of Shibuya Gyoza. It wasn't so amazing that I would wait in line for 30 minutes or an hour, but they were simply delicious dumplings. They have a limited menu with items like bean sprouts and cucumbers, so it's good for a quick visit rather than a leisurely drinking session. I paid in cash. Lunch seems to be a good deal here.

It's filled with foreign customers to the point where you might think you're in a foreign country. I was curious and decided to go in, and found that most of the staff were also foreigners. The atmosphere of the restaurant made it feel like I wasn't in Japan at all. The prices were surprisingly good for this area. Everything is cheap! I intended to order simple dumplings and shiso dumplings, but ended up with 12 simple dumplings. Oh well, it was a fun surprise. The taste was good (not mind-blowing), so if you're hungry in this area and want a quick bite, I recommend coming here. I also want to come back for a rematch with the shiso dumplings!

Ordered pan-fried dumplings, boiled dumplings, and shiso dumplings. The pan-fried dumplings had a crispy texture and were simple. The shiso dumplings had a subtle shiso flavor and were refreshing and delicious. But the garlic chive pan-fried dumplings were the best! Also ordered bean sprouts and spicy tofu as side dishes. The spicy and slightly salty flavors paired well with alcohol. The staff were kind, considerate, and attentive, making sure we were comfortable while waiting in a cool area.

This is a shop with a great Asian atmosphere. The menu mainly consists of dumplings with a few side dishes. The dumplings are around 300 yen per plate, so they're not very filling, but they are crispy and delicious. Adding tofu on the side makes for a perfect combination. I might just become a regular here!

You can enjoy quite reasonably priced and delicious dumplings here. They have a crispy texture that is easy to eat, but not too light, just the right amount of bite. It's quite hot inside because they don't have air conditioning, but maybe that's to keep the prices low.

I visited during the daytime on a regular day. The restaurant was busy but I was able to get in fairly easily. The customers were mostly foreigners. The menu was simple. I didn't need rice, so I ordered just the pan-fried dumplings and shiso dumplings. The shiso dumplings had a slight shiso aroma compared to the pan-fried dumplings. Both were delicious with simple seasoning. They were not too meaty or vegetable-heavy, just simple in taste. I wanted to pair them with beer or lemon sour, but I had plans afterwards so I resisted and just had them on their own! The restaurant was hot inside, so enjoy them with some drinks! ⭐︎

I arrived at the restaurant in 2-3 minutes from Meiji Jingu-mae Station (depending on the exit). There was a line, but I got in after about 10 minutes. There were many foreign customers and also many foreign staff members. I ordered boiled and pan-fried dumplings, as well as rice. Both the pan-fried and boiled dumplings had a high meat filling ratio, which made them very satisfying to eat. I finished all the rice without any leftovers. The soup for the boiled dumplings was a bit light, so you may want to adjust the flavor to your liking. This restaurant is a counterpart to Kameido Gyoza, another famous dumpling shop. The service was a bit slow for a dumpling restaurant, but I understood that it's a tourist area, so it's acceptable.

The dumplings are too cheap, served quickly, and delicious. Everyone is puzzled by how this is possible. It seems like it might have been featured in a guidebook or website, as it's popular among tourists. People line up, but the great value makes the wait worth it. The staff are friendly and it's always a fun experience. Thank you as always.

When you think of Harajuku, you usually think of pancakes and Instagrammable cafes. So, I was surprised to find a dumpling restaurant there! I went right before closing on a weekday, and the place was almost full. Luckily, I was able to order just in time before they stopped taking orders. The food came pretty quickly after ordering. I had pan-fried dumplings, boiled dumplings, and a tofu dish. The dumplings were easy to eat and didn't have a strong smell.