Avoiding Major Tourist Restaurants in Tokyo
I made a conscious decision to avoid many super touristy (and expensive) eateries in Tokyo—my most expensive meal was maybe $12. In fact, I avoided telling most of my friends who had visited because I knew they would suggest the pricier spots or the spots that were a bit more Instagrammable. I love creating content and did so during my entire trip; however, I didn’t want to feel like I was “working” the whole time. I did; however, frequent a lot of places that looked particularly solo diner friendly.
These were all super casual, inexpensive, and fast! Check out how I ate like a local in Tokyo (sometimes). Be warned—I am not proud of these food photos; however, I didn’t want to take out my light and start shooting pro food pics in crowded places so enjoy these realistic, sad, poorly lit pics of really delicious food. LOL
Budget Food Tips from a Tokyo Local Which Inspired Me to Eat Like a Local
I got a lot of tips and tricks ahead of my trip from YouTuber Grace Chin (her IG is @itsgracechin). She lives in Tokyo and gives great recommendations for travel, food, and everything else in Japan. Through her account, I found a few budget spots that I really enjoyed, and a few inexpensive spots here in the U.S. were already on my list (my favorite Udon place in LA was one of them).
Eating Well on a Budget in Tokyo
I love food and definitely consider myself a foodie (I think I’ve earned the title after managing the Eater Vegas Instagram account for a few years). That said, I definitely still appreciate a budget meal and fast food from time to time.
Two spots I always try to visit in other countries are Starbucks and McDonald’s. There was a McDonald’s on my walk back to the hotel from the train station, and I really wanted to try a local item that isn’t available back home. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t mindblowing, but it was decent, and it was CHEAP.
Starbucks in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Starbucks was a much more interesting experience. I visited the one inside Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, and this location was stunning. They had large windows overlooking the gardens and seating for solo diners.
My meal (a scone sandwich and Frappuccino) was also cheaper than a tall drink at my local Starbucks, so it was a big win (especially with that view). The vibe was also considerably more relaxed then the fast-paced nature of many American locations.
Udon, Sushi & Familiar Chains in Tokyo
My favorite udon spot is Marugame Seimen, and you can find a ton of them in Southern California (called Marugame Udon in CA). They’re somewhat inexpensive back home, but in Tokyo, they’re downright cheap. I ordered exactly what I got at home, and while I expected a bit of a difference, there wasn’t one, except the noodles stayed hotter longer.
I also hit up the gigantic Kura Sushi (conveyor belt sushi) in Harajuku since we have one in Vegas that I really like. This location was super crowded (I had tried once already and given up because there were so many people waiting, I didn’t realize I probably would have been seated quickly anyway as a solo diner), but I was seated in minutes. I spent under $9 on two melon sodas (they’re just so good) and five or six plates of sushi (two pieces per plate).
Japanese Curry in Tokyo vs the U.S.
One of the things I wanted to do on this trip was compare Japanese chains in Tokyo with their American locations to see if there were any differences beyond price (which was extremely cheap in Tokyo compared to what I spend back home). I wasn’t a huge fan of Coco Ichibanya in California; however, I really wanted Japanese curry, and since the prices were low and they were kind of everywhere, I decided to give it a try in Tokyo.
I’m very glad I visited while in Tokyo though! There was a huge difference in quality, flavor, and, of course, the price. I hit up a location near Takeshita Street, right where all the tourists gather and was still able to find a seat since I was solo easily. It seemed to go fairly unnoticed.
Soufflé Pancakes at Hoshino Coffee
The only spot I really had to wait at was Hoshino Coffee. I hadn’t heard a crazy amount about them, but I gather there’s something of a following since the entryway was packed. This was also the only restaurant I visited with a traditional ordering system and traditional seating—the vibes were very Western coffeeshop with booths, decorative tucked-away corners, and groups of diners.
I still only waited about 15 minutes, and the staff were really friendly and spoke quite a bit of English. I came here for one purpose—Japanese soufflé pancakes! If you’re worried about ordering, don’t be. The restaurant was well-equipped with English menus, and the staff was great with communication. And the pancakes? DELICIOUS.
Budget Breakfast in Tokyo
I made an effort to try to enjoy breakfast whenever I could. I don’t usually eat a lot of breakfast, but I always try to do it on vacation since I pack in my days with lots of movement, and I need the energy. The spots I hit for breakfast were Shinpachi Shokudo, Sukiya, and Matsuya. Breakfasts were pretty much all under $5 and very filling.
Sukiya and Matsuya were different experiences—while Shinpachi Shokudo was quiet, the other two were definitely busier, filled with salarymen getting ready to head to work. At both of these spots, I had gyudon with soft-boiled eggs. At Sukiya, the staff spoke no English and at Matsuya, there was virtually no staff to speak to (you bus your own trays from the kitchen counter).
Each morning, I had a bowl of miso soup, rice, and Mugicha (roasted barley tea), often on tap. Shinpachi Shokudo is great for fish—this was my first meal in Tokyo and a very memorable one. Shinpachi Shokudo also definitely seemed more tourist-ready, even though it was a lot quieter since the staff spoke more English.
Overall, eating out in Tokyo was insanely inexpensive, and probably would have been cheaper if I hadn’t decided to taste test all the big snacks at every major convenience store. There are definitely other spots I would skip or save money on for my next visit, but also plenty of spots I’d splurge a little more on (and by splurge, I mean closer to $10-15). If you’re not looking for Michelin-starred spots, trendy Instagrammable places, or the super decadent omakase dinners, it’s really easy to eat cheaply (and eat well) in Tokyo!
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