Must-try restaurants in Tokyo

Try to get reservations at Sukiyabashi Jiro.  Definitely see the documentary about this place "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" if you haven't seen it.  Magical and beautiful film.

We were recently in Tokyo, and the food was amazing.  There is great food everywhere, even in department stores.  Here are some of our favorites spots:

• Sushi at the  Tsukiji Fish Market.  Walking around the world-class market is an adventure in itself.  We had breakfast at Sushi Bun twice.
• Modern French food at Florilege in the Aoyama neighborhood.  You have to make a reservation in advance for this tiny restaurant, but it's worth it for a special meal.
• Yakitori at  Bird Land in the Ginza neighborhod.  The prix fixe meal at this Michelin rated restaurant is a fun experience.
• Soba at Matsugen in the Ebisu neighborhood.  We just had the soba.  Next time we will have a full meal.
• Ramen anywhere on Ramen Street in the Tokyo Station.  If you love ramen, then this is a must.  Several top ramen shops have opened shops here.  Cheap and delicious.
• Coffee at Omotesando Koffee.  This tiny, zen coffe shop serves wonderful hand-crafted coffee drinks.

If you're interested, we have more information and photos for all of the above at www.2foodtrippers.com.

I've spent time in Tokyo in persuit of the best sushi on earth. I've had Juro (mentioned above) and it was great -- but I prefer the tiny 6 seat, 2 michelin star, "Sawada". 

Reservations are tricky, booked about a month out. Ask you hotel concierage and be willing to shift you schedule around any openings.

Expect to spend around $400 per person. You'll leave full of the best fish on earth.

This isn't a restaurant, but if you love sushi, Tsukiji Fish Market is the place to go. Downside is you have to get there before sunrise, basically. WORTH IT!

Go to Sukiyabashi Jiro if you can. Meal of a lifetime. worth a trip to Japan just to eat there. Honestly.

I've got quite a few recommendations...

For sushi:

• Sushi Mizutani is hidden in the basement of an office building. It's hard to find and even harder to get a table. Take it from me though, the search is worth it.
  
• Nobu Tokyo is where world-renowned sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa serves up incrediable sushi at this lively sushi bar. The ingredients are bought daily at the local Tsukiji Market.
  
• Sushi Dai, located in the Tsukiji Market, is one of the top sushi restaurants in the world. The wait is long, but it is worth it.
  
• By the way, Tsukiji Fish Market is a must. I could people watch all morning at Tsukiji, world's largest fish market. The diversity of offerings can delight any seafood lover's cravings. Go early to watch the auctions. You won't believe the prices some of these fish garner.

For noodles:

• Namiki Yabusoba is one of most well-known noodle shops in Tokyo. The dishes are so good, there is almost always a line.
  
• Ivan Ramen serves ramen that is handcrafted with local ingredients. Dorm food doesn't even come close.
  
• Nagatacho Kurosawa Restaurant.
  
• Nagi is not a typical noodle shop. Nagi has a wait staff waiting to take your order. Tell them how you would like your noodles and enjoy.
  

Here are some other places in the city for really good traditional Japanese food:

• Don’t let the appearance of Robata of Tokyo scare you. It might be a little small, but it makes up for it in a big way with the food. And no need to order. Just say how much you want to spend and they'll take care of the rest.
  
• Isehiro: When the ingredients of a dish are each hand selected by the chef, you know it's going to be good.
• The chefs at Raku-tei take their food seriously, which leads to some pretty serious tempura.
• Ganchan is so fun. The wait staff are always in a good mood and you can't help but enjoy the restaurant's sound track.
  
• Bird Land: Named after Weather Report's jazz-fusion song "Birdland," the restaurant plays plenty of jazzy tunes. Sit down, grab a perfectly grilled skewer and enjoy the dulcet tones.
  
• Onyasai: Personalize your shabu-shabu by choosing your soups and ingredients. I like mine spicy with the "hinabe dashi" soup.
  
• Ten-ichi: Grab a seat at the counter and watch the chef prepare your meal. Dinner and a show all in one.
  
• Inakaya is such a fun place for a dinner. Sit around the U-shaped counter and watch as a team of chefs put together your meal robatayaki style.
  
• Hayashi, you order a Japanese set meal and grill it over one of five hibachi grills. If you are concerned you won't do it right, no worries, there is always someone ready to help.
  
• Kuroba-tei is a seafood lover's paradise. Try the 20 lb. oven-roasted tuna head cooked and served whole.
  
• Arashio Sumo Table: I loved the chankonabe, a traditional stew made with fried fried tofu, mushrooms, cabbage, and spring onions. It is rich in fiber and protein and a favorite dish of sumo wrestlers.
  

Check out Blue Sky Coffee! Only in Tokyo can you take home a souvenir toaster to remind you of your Panda bear toast. Oh, there's coffee too.

Also, Cafe Obscura is very interesting. If you're one of those people who held onto their record players because you liked the sound and then it became cool again, you probably still have some sort of siphon coffee maker, also known as vacuum style. Considered a full sensory experience it is said to be making a comeback. Cafe Obscura takes it seriously.

Here are my favorites from a recent trip:

Sawada - One of a handful of truly outstanding Tokyo sushi restaurants. We had a flight of Tuna belly—at least four different kinds if memory serves—among many other delicacies during our three hour lunch. 

Bear Pond Espresso - The owner of this shop famously closes around 2:00 pm every day, after which time he feels the demands on the Tokyo power grid don't allow his equipment to reach its potential. It has a cult following, and deservedly so. 

Tempra Kondo - Father and son duo serving a tempura tasting menu on the top floor of a Ginza high rise. 

Pannya Cafe Curry - A sleepy establishment that feels more like eating at a friend's kitchen counter than a restaurant. The standout on the tiny menu is their delicious curry, which is served with fried pork brought in from Kyoto's most prestigious meat ager. 

TAMA - An Okinawan-Chinese restaurant with a fun crowd and a great wine list. 

Trattoria Pizzeria Il Lupone - An Italian restaurant as good as any in Italy, serving truly perfect Neapolitan pizza (and handmade-pasta dishes too).  

Star Bar Ginza - Tiny, basement, speakeasy vibe serving perfect cocktails. 

Fukuyoshi- Comically delicious fried pork in various arrangements, including a dish unique to Tokyo that somehow manages to fry an egg and a pork cutlet at the same time in an unholy marriage of tasty proteins. They've been doing this in the same spot since the ’70s, and they are really really good at it. 

Maruichi Bagel - A genuine New York style bagel in an unsuspecting little shop. They open early but don't start serving bagel sandwiches (i.e. egg salad, smoked salmon—anything other than cream cheese) until lunch.  

Chukasoba Suzuran - We averaged a bowl of ramen every other day during our two week stay, and this was our favorite. 

AFURI - Speaking of ramen, this place warrants a mention for its yuzu variant. 

My best dining advice overall is to buy this book from Amazon Japan.