Hienadz Vardanyan 
Michelin star restaurants are among the best in the world – it’s how we know what’s the gold standard, and this is no different when it comes to Japan.
Tempura is one of the most popular dishes in Japan and around the world, so knowing which Tempura Restaurants are the best when you’re traveling somewhere like Tokyo is critical.
We’ve compiled this handy list for you to know what Michelin Star restaurants are available in Tokyo for famous Tempura Japanese Cuisine.
What Is Tempura?
Tempura is a very famous and popular Japanese dish that primarily uses vegetables, seafood and sushi.
They are battered slightly and deep fried to allow for a unique coating, known as being “Tempura fried”.
The batter itself contains only three ingredients. Ice water, eggs and flour but possibly the most important element of this is the ice water.
This is because it hinders the formation of gluten, keeping the batter light and preventing the absorption of oil.
Naturally of course, you have a unique dish that is highly popular!
Tentempura Uchitsu (天てんぷら うち津)
If you’re looking for a fantastic Tempura restaurant in the Tokyo area, you’ve got a really good choice with Uchitsu!
Found near the Ebisu area, this restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars in 2014 and we can certainly understand why.
You can find this restaurant at 5 Chome-25-4 Hiroo, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0012, Japan. It’s well worth the journey because they make the best tempura in Shibuya.
Everything is fantastic in this restaurant from the dishes to the interior design! Certainly highly recommended.
Once you enter the restaurant, the wild outside is stopped to reveal a pleasant and calming atmosphere. You’ll be seated on amazingly clean, comfortable, cream colored chairs.
You can envisage the beautiful garden and take in the smells of freshly prepared Japanese cuisine.
Want to have a chat with the chef while they prepare your culinary masterpiece? No problem at all. You really have it all here.
Store Information
- Tel: +815054942581
- Business Hours: 18:00～23:00
- Regular Holiday: No fixed holiday
- Access: 6 minutes walk from Hiroo Station on the Hibiya Subway Line
- Address: 1F, Takara Building, 5-25-4 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tempura Kondo (てんぷら 近藤)
It’s pretty much unarguable that one of the greatest places for Japanese cuisine is the Tempura restaurant, Tempura Kondo.
With their chef (Fumio Kondo) that has over five decades of experience, naturally you’re in safe hands.
You’ll find this restaurant in the Ginza area of Tokyo which provides their take on the traditional Japanese dishes.
If you’re near the area, you should certainly head there between 12 and 3:30 or later in the evening between 5-10pm.
This restaurant talks about the secrets of utilizing steam to the advantage of the customer. Almost doubling down on the traditional fried Tempura, steam is then the second part of the equation.
What does it make? The ideal signature dish. The chef sees the value of incorporating vegetables to Tempura and makes it part of its culture – once you see it, you’ll understand!
Store Information
- Tel: +81355680923
- Business Hours: Lunch: 12:00 p.m – 3:00 p.m. (1:30 p.m.) Two lunch slots: 12:00 and 1:30 p.m.
- Dinner: 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 4 Dinner slots starting at the following times: 5:00 p.m. / 6:00 p.m./7:00 p.m. / 8:00 p.m. ※Time in parentheses is the last order.
- Regular Holiday: Sunday
- Access: 5 minutes walk from “Ginza Station” on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, and Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
- Address: 5-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Sakaguchi Building 9F
Tempura Ginya (天ぷら 銀屋)
Using a unique method of changing the cooking temperature depending on the size of the fish, naturally – your experience at Ginya will be truly magical.
The chef believes that it is critical to allow a light texture to shine the natural flavors through. Additionally, the frying time should be short but at a high temperature to let all the flavors condense.
All of their vegetables are sourced fresh from growers on the day, ready for a true culinary masterpiece.
If you’re near Minato City, be sure to get yourself a reservation for an amazing dining experience.
Store Information
- Tel: +81354227612
- Business Hours: Tuesday to Saturday Dinner 18: 00-21: 30
- Regular Holiday: Monday, Sunday, and national holiday
- Access: 4 minutes walk from Shirokanedai Station on the Namboku Subway Line
- Address: 5-17-9 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Basement1
What Have Past Guests Said?
Naturally, you’ll be wondering what previous guests have said about these restaurants. We’ll take you through all three of them and provide you with a summary of their experiences.
Tempura Uchitsu
With a 4.8 out of 5 star review coalition, it is easy to see how this Tempura restaurant has received such terrific PR. The majority of the reviews talk about how amazing the decor of the restaurant is.
They also mention their fondness for the traditional Japanese food and how well the ingredients blend with one another.
One reviewer even speaks about the landscaped box garden and how tranquil it is whilst you’re enjoying a calm meal.
What we can see here is how well this Michelin Star restaurant conducts itself whilst also serving quality standard cuisine.
The attention to season dining is important with this restaurant to truly enjoy the landscape whilst you feast upon traditional Japanese Tempura and enjoy the scenery from Japanese-style comfort.
The beautiful setting is one that has to truly be seen to be believed and this is partly why it’s so highly recommended.
Tempura Kondo
With 4.4 out of 5 stars with over 500 reviews, Chef Kondo’s Tempura restaurant naturally makes us understand how and why it is one of the best tempura in Tokyo with Michelin star.
Guests talk about their favorite foods and many recommend the sweet potato dish – but aside from that, they generally discuss their fondness for how fresh and beautiful the cuisine is.
One local guide discusses how skillfully crafted her meal was whilst you’re watching the master at work.
What we can see from these reviews is how well the restaurant has incorporated traditional Japanese Tempura and a playful, creative spin on the food’s genre.
Needless to say, this is a restaurant that has to be tried!
Tempura Ginya
With a 4.7 out of 5 star general review score, we see some highly praised comments about this restaurant.
The reviewers discuss the chef’s professionalism, delivering food to an incredibly high and quality standard.
The experience is topped off by your expectation being superseded due to the extreme attention to detail, but of course – the main positive review that we read is about the food’s taste.
The chef not only takes the presentation of the food extremely seriously, but also the deliciousness of the finished product.
This is why this restaurant has so many returning customers – the food’s quality is difficult to beat.
Naturally, we know that Tempura chefs take a huge amount of pride in their food, in not only the presentation but the preparation, the cooking process and your overall dining experience.
The Tempura Ginya certainly holds up to these levels of expectation and excellence – so it’s certainly one not to miss! After such a unique and high-end tempura experience, you might also be interested in exploring more seafood options in a more casual setting. Check out our guide to the best seafood buffets in Tokyo for some great recommendations.
