shinn679
First visit. Over 10 years ago, I became obsessed with eel and tried it at various places. I was not completely unfamiliar with this place, but for some reason, I was not drawn to it. The reason being that at the time, they were serving eel ramen and I thought it was just another eel restaurant catering to tourists near Kameido Tenjin Shrine. However, after reading reviews, it seemed like a proper eel restaurant. My mother wanted to eat eel, so we decided to go there for a belated Mother's Day celebration. I made a reservation on Tabelog for lunch on Saturday and we headed there. By the way, it was my first time coming to Kameido for something other than Ramen Jiro (lol).
Access: It's about a 10-minute walk from Kameido Station, right in front of Kameido Tenjin Shrine. We arrived 10 minutes before opening and surprisingly got the first spot in line. I always thought there would be a long line, so it was a bit of a letdown. There were staff preparing and grilling eel outside, creating a smoky atmosphere. And right on time, the restaurant opened.
Interior: According to Tabelog, there are 39 seats, with both table and tatami seating available. The interior had sliding doors and transoms, and the layout seemed a bit strange with tables in the tatami area. The restaurant opened in 1978, but it didn't feel outdated. There were several types of eel on the menu, and you could choose between Kanto-style steamed eel or Nagoya-style grilled eel. I decided to order the locally grilled farmed eel brand Bando Taro from the blackboard menu starting at 7500 yen, while my mother ordered the steamed blue eel set for 5500 yen. We were told it would take about 40 minutes, so we patiently waited. A lady came back and informed me that the Bando Taro eel was larger and cost 10,000 yen. Believing that bigger eel is tastier, I impulsively agreed (lol). But thinking about it calmly, was it a strategy? (lol) Perhaps due to the cloudy weather, the restaurant was not full throughout the meal. It took about 50 minutes until our dishes arrived.
Impressions: When the eel dishes were served, I was surprised by how small they were (lol). I expected it to be much bigger for the price of 10,000 yen, but it was smaller than regular eel servings. However, it was incredibly delicious! The sauce was light, but the intensity of the flavor, compared to the usual steamed eel, was outstanding. It felt like I was eating wild eel with a concentrated flavor. What impressed me the most was the perfect grilling. Especially the crispy texture of the slightly burnt parts was amazing. I also tried my mother's steamed blue eel, which was tender and had a delicious burnt flavor. I must admit, I underestimated this restaurant. I'm not sure if the famous farmed eel brand Bando Taro is worth the high price. It felt a bit expensive. The blue eel set was half the price and still delicious. However, I am now consumed by the desire to try the locally grilled wild eel here. Will it surpass my eternal number one eel restaurant, "Sakata"? (lol) Please note that credit cards are not accepted during the day, so be careful if you order an expensive eel dish without cash (lol). However, PayPay is accepted.
My Eel Restaurant Rankings:
☆☆☆☆☆ Sakata (Anju 20110921) *Wild eel
☆☆☆☆ Oohana (Minami-Senju 20130414), Kabuto (Ikebukuro 20160122), Tsukiji Miyagawa Honten (Higashi-Ginza 20120205), Watabe (Kasuga 20220305), Hachibee (Kameido 20230520), Yashima (Okachimachi 20170721), Ichinoya (Jinsen 20110904), Atsutahoraijingu-mae (Nagoya 20161228) *Hitsumabushi no Daya (Iriya 20160923), Echigoya (Tokorozawa-Kotehashi 20101028), Tomoe (Hakone-Yumoto 20110216), Unafuji (Yurakucho 20210812) *Hitsumabushi, Unagi no Murakami (Shimoda 20220321), Nihonbashi Tamaya (Nihonbashi 20160707) *Anago Donburi Komoroya (Tenno-Dai 20180217), Musashino (Urawa), Shimamura (Takada 20120818), Suzuki (Chofu), Mansuke (Kanda 20120315), Myojin Kandagawa Honten (Kanda 20100202), Yasai (Ogikubo), Sakata (Anju), Ogawa (Abiko 20220424), Aikawa (Takada)