Shinjuku Unatetsu Hanare is located in Kabukicho, Shinjuku. Last year, a branch of Shinjuku Unatetsu called "Hanare" opened near Seibu Shinjuku Station. Although it is still in Kabukicho, Hanare has a more modern design, with chic table seating on the second floor. I have not been to the main branch, but I felt satisfied with the ambiance of Hanare. I enjoyed the skewers, grilled liver, kabuto (pork cheek), kuri-kara (chestnut wrapped in bacon), and shirobara (white rose). They all paired well with beer. After watching a movie, I switched to sake and savored the eel. The eel, served with wasabi soy sauce, was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The eel rice bowl (special) was delicious with its slightly salty Kanto-style sauce. It's impressive to find such quality eel in Kabukicho, near the station. I always thought you had to go to the eel's place of origin to get the best, but you can enjoy it here in Kabukicho. The restaurant is surrounded by pachinko parlors, but it's a hidden gem.

It's a popular restaurant with a line in front of it! It seems like the skilled people have made reservations. I didn't take any photos, but I had grilled horse mackerel, grilled eggplant, and a variety of 10 skewers. I also had chicken liver, and another bitter one (for those with unique tastes). It seems like a good place to enjoy with drinks. I tried to order something cool, but it was too mature haha. Next time, I'll go for something easier to eat. I'm looking forward to trying the white wasabi next time. It seems like they have secret menu items for regular customers. I'm grateful for the opportunity to dine here. I'll definitely come back.

Visited at 12:00 on a weekday. No wait. Able to enter smoothly without a reservation. The top floor was smoking allowed last time at night, but all seats were non-smoking during the day. From the special two-tiered eel liver to the eel sushi and chilled tomato, the eel bowl on this day was fluffy, tender, and juicy. Consistently delicious. The seasoning of the sauce was also excellent. The best eel in Shinjuku!

Treat for myself lunch. I couldn't make a reservation for one person at the main store of Unatei, so I went to the branch. I had a variety of eel skewers, all of them were delicious and satisfying. I was drinking while eating, so I'm not sure which dish is which in the photos, but everything was delicious. The nearby Kato-san is two-thirds of the price here, but the service is not very friendly, so I feel a bit tense there. Here, you can eat in a beautiful and calm atmosphere. The special eel rice bowl comes with a small amount of rice, cooked firm by default. I think this is a matter of personal preference, but I liked the firmness, and it was just the right amount for drinking. It might be a bit unsatisfying for those who are just looking for a meal. Including beer (Super Dry medium bottle), shochu (Kikaijima), and sake (Dassai), the total bill was 12,050 yen. It was delicious, thank you for the meal!

I had delicious eel. The price was a bit high, but the atmosphere of the restaurant was nice and I could enjoy my meal in a quiet and calm setting. They had a wide variety of alcohol and appetizers, so it's a good place to drink as well. The restaurant had three floors and was spacious, so even without a reservation, it seemed like you could get a table. I think it's a great restaurant.

I had never tried eel dishes when eating out, but there were various eel dishes available and they were delicious! I was full and satisfied. I made a reservation for my birthday celebration and as a special treat, the manager gave us some watermelon at the end. It was the perfect day! I would love to visit this restaurant again if I have the chance!

I had a great time dining out on the day after the midsummer day of the ox, even though it was a weekday afternoon! It was amazing! The water eggplant and Yanaka ginger were also excellent, and I happened to get a different Junmai Daiginjo because they were out of stock of the usual one, which was a pleasant surprise. The restaurant was full even though it was a weekday afternoon, so I recommend making a reservation. I'm satisfied!

I had a eel course on the midsummer day of the ox! With the recent intense heat, I wanted to eat eel to feel the seasonal atmosphere and recover my strength, so I visited Unatei as usual. I tried the liver skewers, which I had never eaten anywhere else but at Uzaku and Unatei. The unique taste is addictive. The last eel rice bowl is so soft that the meat crumbles when picked up with chopsticks, and it blends perfectly with the delicious eel sauce. It's exquisite.

I decided to go to a fancy restaurant to eat, so I visited this place that seemed to serve expensive eel dishes. I ordered escharlot, grated yam with soy sauce, shishito peppers on skewers, garlic on skewers, chestnuts, and an eel bowl as appetizers. And the most anticipated eel dish... the taste was so refined that I felt like my palate couldn't keep up with it. Perhaps I prefer more familiar and affordable eel dishes, or maybe the high price raised my expectations too much. Either way, it seems like eel with a strong sauce that is easy to understand is more suited for my taste.

At the first-floor counter, you can watch eel being prepared, while the second-floor seating offers a calm atmosphere for a quiet meal. The menu includes a variety of skewers and other à la carte options, making it suitable for izakaya-style dining. Those who enjoy drinking will appreciate the wide selection of alcohol available.

Rare parts of eel skewers can be enjoyed here. The liver and head, both have no fishy taste and are delicious. They are more like delicacies, and go well with sake. Also, I tried eel tataki for the first time. Personally, I prefer the regular sauce, but this version is also good and refreshing. The ponzu sauce is not too strong, and goes smoothly with ginger. Although the whole place was a bit chaotic, the service is good.

This detached building was my first visit. I had the special deluxe eel rice bowl from Kushidori Street. It was incredibly delicious. The interior of the restaurant is clean, modern, and suitable for entertaining or business meals. I used a table seat on the second floor this time. The third floor seems to have tatami mats. I hope to visit the main store with a Showa-era atmosphere next time and enjoy some skewers during the day. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I usually go to the main store, but it was full so I went to Unatei Hanare for the first time! I enjoyed eel skewers and beer. The eel skewers were so delicious that I lost count of how many additional skewers I ordered. It was another satisfying year enjoying eel at Unatei.

Located right in the middle of Kabukicho, this restaurant is surprisingly calm. I visited around 6pm and it was constantly busy, so I recommend making a reservation. We ordered a la carte items including: 2 types of appetizers, 9 assorted skewers (liver, short rib, turnip, liver, chestnut, grilled skewers, white rose, rose, fin), seasonal grilled vegetables, grilled white fish, eel tartare, grilled nagaimo, and a delicious eel rice bowl to finish. The food was so delicious that I ended up eating too much.

I regularly visit this restaurant, alternating between the main store and the branch. The quality is consistently good at both locations. On this day, I ordered skewers, grilled fish, sashimi, and more. For dessert, I tried the unique dish only available at the branch, hitsumabushi. I enjoyed the delicious food as always. I sat at the counter on the first floor, while there are table seats on the second and third floors. Please note that there is no elevator and the restroom is on the second floor, so it may be difficult for those who have trouble with stairs.

I often go to the main store, but this was my first visit to this branch. The new store has a beautiful interior. Jazz music playing in the background creates a nice atmosphere. I started with a black label beer and a selection of 5 skewers. The skewers were nicely fatty and paired perfectly with the beer. I sipped on Dassai while waiting for the eel rice bowl. It arrived in about 20 minutes. It came with liver, pickles, and egg tofu. The tender eel with its fragrant sauce was delicious and I finished it quickly. I also had a cup of Yoshigoroku as an extra. The total bill came to just under 11,000 yen.

I had been to the main store several times, but I didn't know there was a separate building. The new store is even nicer than the main store, with good customer service. I might even like it more than the main store. The main store is not bad at all, but in this day and age, a sense of cleanliness is important. The food was just as delicious as at the main store.

I had made a reservation at Hanare for a special meal with an important person, but we were casually transferred to the main store. I was wearing a suit that day. I didn't like the main store because there were no partitions at the counter and it was smoky. My companion was looking forward to the eel, so we reluctantly moved to the main store, but it felt like "why?". When we arrived at the main store, there was no apology. Of course, there was no service either. The eel was delicious as always, but it was disappointing. I will use the restaurant again, so please make sure not to double book next time.

I wanted to eat eel, so I went with a friend. We ordered the special eel rice bowl. It was tender, perfectly seasoned, and just the right amount of rice to eat. Everything was exquisite and very delicious. I forgot to take a photo, but the egg tofu was also delicious. I would like to go again as a reward.

Visited after 9 pm on a regular day. Was guided to the 3rd floor seats, quite a climb up the stairs, but finally reached a cozy tatami room. A sigh of relief. Ordered the special two-tiered eel rice bowl. For me, this is the ultimate eel dish. Layers of eel and rice, eel and rice, a luxurious combination. The eel had a firm texture, not the usual melt-in-your-mouth type, but still incredibly delicious. And the pieces were quite thick. Opening the lid to find the eel covering almost all the rice was truly impressive. Lately, many places serve eel bowls with too little eel, so this was exactly what I was looking for! Perfect eel bowl. The skewers had a soft and creamy texture, with a wonderfully crispy exterior. All the side dishes were delicious as well, especially the vegetables. The tomatoes, pickles, and shiitake mushrooms were all fresh and juicy. Absolutely flawless!! Thank you for the meal ^_^

The restaurant is perfect for dining with loved ones. The second-floor seating is very quiet, making it ideal for enjoying a meal. The first-floor seating offers a fun experience as you can see the eel being grilled over the counter. Opting for the course meal allows you to enjoy a variety of eel dishes. For those who want to indulge in eel, it is recommended to add eel on rice, eel rolls, and eel Hachiman rolls. While there may be some roughness in the service, it adds to the charm of the Shinjuku area.