Founded in 1870, this eel restaurant boasts over 100 years of history. The atmosphere inside exudes a sense of nostalgia with its brick entrance and traditional decor. The reviewer, who usually frequents "Kabuto" in Ikebukuro or "Shun" in Shizuoka, decided to try this restaurant after a business meeting. The course menu is only available in the evening, but there are also appetizers available during lunch. The reviewer ordered eel rice and was pleasantly surprised by the delicious taste and perfect balance of flavors. Despite the high prices, the historic ambiance and quality of the food made the experience worth it. The reviewer expressed a desire to return for lunch to enjoy the eel rice again.

When I called on the same day, there was one last table available and I made a reservation for lunch on Saturday. My friend and I arrived around 12:20. As soon as we entered, there were three tables in the entrance area, with one available. When I made the reservation over the phone, I had ordered the regular eel (6,800 yen) and the premium eel (7,800 yen), but this restaurant charges a separate 10% service fee, so it became 7,480 yen for regular and 8,580 yen for premium. Since we drove there, we didn't order any drinks and just got water. I had actually been to this restaurant once before. That time, it was for a course dinner, and I was treated by a senior at work. This time, I paid out of my own pocket. It's quite pricey, haha. We waited as is. The eel was served 52 minutes after we entered. Even if you make a reservation and order in advance, the timing doesn't change. It's tough to wait without drinks during this time. Now, since we were quite hungry, we quickly opened the lids. The premium eel was 1.5 pieces and the regular was 1 piece. The eels were slightly small and the meat was thin. They were steamed but lacked a juicy texture. The grilling was light. Is this the Kanto style? When I tried it, the sauce was a light type without sweetness. It had a strong soy sauce flavor, more like the Edo style. It might be a matter of personal preference. I personally liked this sauce. However, since the eel itself was thin and lacked juiciness, I couldn't help but think it might be better grilled over charcoal. The rice was slightly firm, which was okay. The liver in the liver soup was slightly fishy. That was disappointing. The watercress was good. The pickles included Nara pickles, lightly pickled Chinese cabbage, and cucumber pickled in rice bran. These were all delicious. We ate quickly and left the restaurant 70 minutes after entering. It's a long-established restaurant, so they have regular customers and seem to be thriving. This type of eel is also worth trying. Thank you for the meal. September 2, 2023. Rating: 3.76

Edogawabashi Unagi Ishibashi "Special Unaju and Eel Bone Senbei" Established in 1910. A Michelin one-star eel restaurant in Edogawabashi where you can enjoy exquisite eel through traditional sauce and secret bed of rice bran. Located in a quiet neighborhood about a 6-minute walk from Edogawabashi Station, "Ishibashi" is a renowned restaurant that has been passed down through generations, with the 3rd and 4th generations working at the grill, the landlady cooking rice with special care, and the young landlady selecting and serving sake in a traditional family-run business. The building has some parts made of pre-war materials, and the brick wall at the entrance is quite charming, almost like the face of Ishibashi. Reservations are almost like a complete reservation system, depending on the number of people and the day of the week, but it is safe to make a reservation at least 3 weeks in advance, and it is necessary to inform the meal content (excluding drinks) at the time of reservation. The calm atmosphere of the interior of the restaurant seems to weave an eternal time when you gently close your eyes. The unaju comes with fragrant condiments and liver soup. The difference between regular and special is understood, and today's eel is from Toyohashi. The first beer pairing is with zaru tofu, which is gentle and good for the body. Next, the eel bone senbei that was ordered, with a crisp finish and a sharp saltiness, increases the anticipation for the eel dish. 55 minutes from entering, at 12:25, the special unaju, liver soup, condiments, and tea arrive. The lacquered box with a green lotus design is truly divine. The eel is crispy on the outside while being fluffy and tender on the inside, with outstanding sweetness and umami. The balance of the light sauce is excellent, and the rice is incredibly delicious, made with a blend of carefully selected rice from Niigata and other regions. An exceptional dish that lives up to the rumors, thank you for the feast!

Visiting the eel restaurant is very rare for me, maybe once a year, even though there are many well-established and renowned restaurants in Tokyo. For the past few years, I have been coming to this restaurant. Located in a slightly minor area near Edogawabashi, where there are many publishing houses, there are not many restaurants around. It seems like this place was relocated here shortly after the end of the war. Upon arrival at the restaurant, I was guided to a private room and immediately served a beer. It tasted especially good in the humid weather after walking here. The menu for the day is quite consistent and doesn't change much. It includes appetizers (oboro tofu, tsukudani), a three-point plate (edamame, boiled sea bream with kelp, fish cake), homemade delicacies (rolled omelette, crab and tofu stew, cod roe with tarako), eel chawanmushi, pickles, eel bone crackers, eel rice bowl (with condiments and liver), and a dessert with cold sake. This restaurant's unique feature is the long steaming process of the eel after grilling, which takes about 1 hour. The eel is then coated with a sauce and grilled, and the sauce, which has been added to over the years, has a distinct sharpness and richness, allowing the true taste of the eel to shine through. The texture of the eel is very delicate and fluffy, thanks to the meticulous process it goes through before being served. The perfectly balanced combination of the tender flesh and the crispy skin, grilled over binchotan charcoal, is unique to this restaurant. The eel on this day was excellent, with perfect richness, aroma, and the deep flavor characteristic of eel. It was a very satisfying meal, and I feel like I can get through this hot summer somehow.

I visited this place for the first time. The shop, quietly standing on a peaceful street, seems to be renovated from an old traditional house. It feels like visiting an aunt's house. The course menu offers a variety from tofu to eel rice bowl, and the portion seems generous but not too heavy. The steamed egg custard and grilled fish might be unique to this place.

I like spicy sauce! I enjoy the spiciness of the sauce. Also, it depends on the person, but I like the rice to be a bit soft. The ingredients for the kimoyaki are heart, cartilage, fillet, and liver. It was delicious based on my experience.

- Tofu with a firm yet smooth texture, perfect for snacking. - Assorted snacks: Edamame, Thai-style pickled plums with perilla seeds, and tender ubekama from Yamaguchi Prefecture. The pickled plums are well-marinated and not too strong, with a nice texture. - Homemade tarako (cod roe) with a flavor similar to karasumi (bottarga), soft and delicious with a good balance of saltiness. - Eel bone senbei (rice crackers) with a strong flavor, great for snacking. - Eel rice bowl: The eel was delicious with a nice texture, and the sauce was not too sweet, making it refreshing. - Oshinko (pickled vegetables) as a side dish with a strong flavor, nostalgic and tasty. - Grilled eel liver with good seasoning, enjoyed in a private room with a calm atmosphere. The historic building has a charming ambiance.

I made a reservation for an hour before the time I wanted to eat, as they take about 45 minutes to come out after arriving at the restaurant. The reservation slots were all filled up. The fluffy pancakes were delicious, with the sauce soaking in well. You can choose between 2 or 3 pancakes. I enjoyed my meal in a spacious room in silence. It was delicious.

The crispy surface and fluffy interior create a perfect balance, and the secret sauce is not too sweet, making it a great combination with rice. The atmosphere inside the restaurant, with photos from the founding period, gives a sense of history.

It was delicious. I made a reservation for lunch on the weekend (reservation required in advance). I ordered the premium option. The taste was light and not too rich, with a fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth texture. I finished it in no time. It's best to make a reservation early. There is a signature from Mr. Kagawa Teruyuki.

This might be the most delicious eel I have ever eaten. In addition to the three types of appetizers that came with beer, tofu was also served. The eel bowl is top-notch, with a perfect balance of eel and rice. The portion size is just right. The seasoning of the eel is not too strong or too weak, just right and elegant. The eel is soft and fluffy both on the outside and inside. However, there is no slimy feeling on the skin at all. For dessert, melon and cherries were served, both very sweet. The bill was just under 10,000 yen. It's not cheap, but the price is justified. I can't come every month, but I want to come at least once every six months.

It's been about 3 years since I last visited Ishibashi in Edogawabashi. Established in 1910, it is a super long-established restaurant. Although it doesn't reach the level of the main store in Meijinshita Kandagawa established in 1805, it is still a shop with a history of over 100 years. I remember myself from 3 years ago giving high praise, so I came back to see how I would feel now. I recently visited the main store in Meijinshita Kandagawa after a long time, and it was even more delicious than I remembered. Returning to old restaurants occasionally is still enjoyable, especially when it comes to eel restaurants. This place is a reservation-only restaurant, so I made a reservation in advance this time as well. Of course, if there are seats available on the day, it's fine to walk in. When making a reservation, you will be asked about the menu. It seems that they adjust based on your preference. Perhaps they don't prepare the eel completely fresh, but rather have some pre-preparation. Nevertheless, they should still be handling it well. This is a common practice in long-established restaurants, but it is disappointing that there is an additional service charge here. The main store in Meijinshita Kandagawa is completely private rooms, so it's understandable, but both here and at Noda Iwa, the service is quite normal. Especially when nothing special is done, an additional service charge is applied. While history and tradition are important, I hope they can somehow adjust to the times in this regard. Complaints aside, this time I only ordered the eel rice bowl. After trying various dishes, I didn't find the steamed white eel particularly appealing. The difference between the regular and special eel rice bowls is whether it comes with 2 or 3 pieces of broiled eel. With the price difference, I think it's definitely worth going for the special one. Today's eel is from Aichi Prefecture, and it is steamed and then charcoal-grilled. ▶︎Ordered Items ・Special Eel Rice Bowl 7300 yen Pickles and liver soup are served separately An additional service charge of 10% was applied It arrived in about 40 minutes. The grilling is quite strong, giving off a fragrant aroma. The eel is about 5P to 4.5P in size. The steaming is strong, with the surface being well grilled. There is hardly any grilled skin. When I tried it, I could definitely taste the strong grilling. The surface is crispy, while the flesh is soft and melts in your mouth. The skin has a soft melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the fat on the skin side is decent. I think the grilling is done very well. The surface is grilled thoroughly with far-infrared heat, and the inside is cooked thoroughly, which is evident. It's not overly dry from overcooking, leaving a moderate moistness and a great taste. It's the deliciousness of well-grilled eel. Even with a similar strong grilling, the taste is completely different between gas and charcoal. It's refreshing due to the fat dripping off, making it easy to eat and light. This sauce definitely goes well with this grilling. The soy sauce is strong and refreshing, complementing the deliciousness of the well-grilled eel. It also goes well with the charcoal flavor. The eel has a good texture and quality, and freshness-wise, it's close to being freshly prepared. The difference is clear when you eat it. The rice is firm. The cooking was good, but the slightly dry texture was a bit of a concern. The portion size is decent. The pickles are, as expected, delicious. The liver soup has a solid flavor, but the liver was disappointing, as it seemed a bit fake. Perhaps it had lost some freshness. There are some changes in preferences, and the awe I felt when I first visited was not there this time. However, it was a very meticulous and earnest eel. I hope they continue to uphold their tradition. I would be happier if the price was a bit more friendly though. If we're talking about taste only, the rating might be a bit higher, but with this portion size at this price, the score goes down. The additional service charge is just unnecessary. At least let us pay by card! (laughs) Thank you for the meal!

I used it to boost my stamina the day before the Tokyo Marathon. About 50 minutes after ordering, a freshly made, hot and fluffy eel rice bowl arrived! The taste was perfect. The atmosphere in the restaurant was reminiscent of pre-war times, giving a strong sense of being a long-established place. It was impressive how they served green tea at first and roasted green tea after the meal.

Edogawabashi's long-established restaurant, Ishibashi-san. The lovely Japanese-style house with a modest entrance exudes a charming atmosphere. The private rooms are spacious and luxurious, creating a relaxing ambiance. Starting with some light snacks and beer or sake, and finishing with an eel rice bowl is the usual flow. The snacks are diverse, and the sake selection is excellent with a wide range from sharp dry to rich junmai sake. The warm junmai sake pairs perfectly with the eel rice bowl sauce. The eel rice bowl has a sharp soy sauce flavor that complements the well-grilled eel, not too sweet or heavy, and not overwhelming until the last bite. It embodies the image of Edo-style eel. A luxurious time for adults. I hope this wonderful restaurant remains unchanged.

Located near the Edogawa River, this longstanding restaurant specializes in eel dishes and has been in business for over a hundred years. Reservations are required in advance, and you can choose to order just the eel bowl or opt for a set menu. During the daytime, the restaurant is not too crowded, making it easy to enjoy a quick eel bowl. The single bowl comes with two appetizers: sesame tofu and a cold assortment of red sea bream fish cake and silkworm pupae. The premium eel bowl costs 7300 yen and comes with three large grilled eel pieces, offering a generous portion that will leave you satisfied. While the eel bowl itself does not have any unique features compared to other restaurants, the establishment offers a wide selection of high-quality sake, particularly a variety of premium Japanese sake brands like Juyondai, Shinsei, Eikun, Tsuruno Koshi, and Nabeshima. You can order sake by the cup or half cup.

The meal was very delicious and had a great atmosphere. We dined in a private room at the back, and everything was delicious. The appetizer with tofu, mentaiko, edamame, kamaboko, and delicious ikura was particularly tasty. The salted fish roe, yuba, homemade karasumi were all served in historic dishes. The chawanmushi was also very delicious, served with sake. We had Shichihonyari sake from Shiga Prefecture, which was excellent. The soup was served in a beautiful bowl with a bird design, and inside was a delicious eel soup. Lastly, we had eel on rice, which was very tender and tasty. It was a fantastic restaurant experience. The liver potato was also excellent. We finished with melon.

I visited this restaurant after a long time and enjoyed some appetizers and eel rice bowl. It's a place I highly recommend trying out. You enter through a gate with a brick wall, guided by the host to a nostalgic tatami room you reserved. While waiting for the eel rice bowl, I enjoyed some drinks and appetizers. - Drinks: Kyuto Ryu Junmai (aged), Hokurakusei Junmai Ginjo (cold) - Appetizers: Zaru tofu with toppings - Tofu was creamy with a strong soybean flavor. Toppings included grated radish, fish cake, boiled taro, boiled string beans, and miso. The fish cake was a bit disappointing, could have had a stronger fish flavor. The taro with mentaiko-style topping was presented like Mount Fuji and had a nice balance of saltiness. I might prefer this over cod roe. A pleasant hour before the eel rice bowl arrives. - Eel Rice Bowl: The broiled eel here has a balanced soy sauce flavor, not too sweet or heavy, allowing the sweetness and umami of the eel to shine through. The meat and skin melt in your mouth. I love this taste, but it's a matter of preference. I haven't tried eel from outside Tokyo, but another eel restaurant I like is Kanda River Meijin. If you have similar tastes, you might enjoy Kanda River too. I prefer the building at Kanda River. I hope this information is helpful.

Tokyo trip... On the first day, I decided to have "eel" for lunch. This restaurant, "Ishibashi," seems to have a system where you order when making a reservation. Unfortunately, the lunch portions were small... This time, I reserved the grilled eel and the premium eel on rice. The place has a good atmosphere of a long-established restaurant. When you order Oolong tea, you get a complimentary appetizer. It took an hour for the food to be ready, which was fine. The chilled tofu with soy sauce was rich and delicious. First, the grilled eel arrived. It looks fluffy from the outside. With one bite, it melts softly. It's steamed, so the fat doesn't drip too much... It's delicious. You don't even need soy sauce, just a little wasabi goes well. The premium eel on rice... When you open the lid, you see one and a half eels. They have a nice sheen. The sauce is not too sweet, it's light. The flavor of the eel stands out. If I could ask for one thing, it would be for the skin to be a bit more crispy... that would be great. The waiting time made the food even more delicious. Thank you for the meal.

In Kagurazaka, there is an eel restaurant called "Ishihashi". If you make a reservation online, it's only available for courses for 2 people or more. So, I had to call to make a reservation. I arrived at the restaurant around 10 o'clock, thinking that if I got there about an hour before the 11:30 opening, I might catch a waitress. I was right, as I managed to place my order over the phone at 10:40. They told me it would take an hour to prepare the eel dish. I had reserved the premium eel dish in advance. When I arrived at the restaurant, I noticed they charge a 10% seating fee, even though it's not a tatami room. If it was a tatami room, there would be an additional 5% charge. The appetizer arrived 10 minutes later, but the main eel dish did not come. Pre-ordering didn't seem to make a difference. Eventually, it took about an hour for the eel dish to arrive after being seated. I ordered the premium eel dish (7300 yen, excluding 10% seating fee), which includes one regular piece and 1.5 premium pieces. The soy sauce flavor was strong, and the sauce quickly soaked into the rice, losing its flavor. The skin was lightly grilled, resulting in a very tender texture. The meat side had a firm grill and a nice aroma. It was my first time trying this type of eel dish, and it was delicious. The texture balance between the skin and meat was excellent, creating a harmonious eel dish. I experienced a different cooking technique and enjoyed the meal.

I enjoyed a fluffy and creamy eel bowl with a strong soy sauce flavor, prepared in the Kanto style. I made a reservation about a month in advance for my Tokyo sightseeing trip, and it was easy to book at that time. Orders need to be placed in advance, not upon arrival. I reserved for the 11:30 am opening time and ordered the eel bowl (deluxe) and a side dish. The total cost was around 8,800 yen, which felt a bit expensive. The restaurant has a traditional exterior and a spacious interior with a courtyard. After a 40-minute wait, the eel bowl arrived in a green box, giving a luxurious feel. The sauce was strong in soy sauce, not too sweet, with a hint of saltiness and acidity. The texture was soft and melty, blending perfectly with the firm rice. The Kanto style eel was different from the Kansai or Nagoya style, but still delicious. The pickles and soup were also tasty. The attention to detail, like neatly arranged shoes at the exit, was appreciated. Overall, it was a great experience to enjoy traditional Edo-style eel. Personally, I prefer the bold flavors of the local grilled eel sauce and fat.

I visited the restaurant "Ishibashi" in Edogawabashi, which had caught my attention for a while. I called on the day of my visit and was told that I could come during opening hours, so I hurried over. The restaurant was established in 1909 and moved to its current location after the war. It has one Michelin star and is listed in the top 100 on Tabelog (a popular restaurant review site in Japan). When I called to make a reservation, I was asked if I wanted the premium or regular eel dish. The premium option (7,300 yen) includes one and a half eels, while the regular option (6,300 yen) includes one eel. Both come with pickles and eel liver soup. This time, I ordered the regular option. After a short wait for the eel to be grilled, it was brought to me along with a fragrant aroma. When I opened the lid, I saw the perfectly grilled eel with a crispy surface. The inside was fluffy and tender. I enjoyed it as is at first, then later with some sansho pepper. It was a delicious meal.