Jiro Sukiyabashi Roppongi

Those who have their heart set on eating at the famed Sukiyabashi Jiro but couldn’t get in (or who perhaps are turned off by the legendarily gruff and serious chef Jiro Ono) might try their luck at the Roppongi branch, which is run by Jiro’s son.

As is the case with many haute dining temples in Tokyo, the surroundings are spartan, the restaurant is petite with just eight counter seats, and the list of rules for diners to observe is lengthy—no perfume, no collarless shirts, no dipping of sushi into additional soy sauce… And the sushi, which has a cult following for its fairly vinegary rice preparation, is exquisite. Omakase highlights include the remarkable salmon roe, blissfully creamy sea urchin, and potent smoked umami. While the ambience is not the selling point, Jiro Sukiyabashi Roppongi fits the bill for one of those wildly memorable (and expensive) sushi dinners the city is known for. Book well in advance.