Aoyama Esaki

Reasonably priced, modestly laid out, and with completely creative and tasty food, Aoyama Esaki was a lovely surprise among Tokyo’s 3-​star restaurants.
Service was not (repeat NOT) well-​versed in English, but what they lacked in language skill they more than made up for with attention to detail and enthusiasm. For example, when we asked for more information about some of the fish dishes, the server ran to the back of the restaurant, took out a full-​color fish reference book that describe the particular species, and brought us to the exact page. A very touching gesture.
The meal itself was exceptionally innovative– dishes that brought together ten types of fruits and vegetables, all prepared differently, into an ensemble that worked seamlessly, for example. For a course-​by-​course description, go here:
I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking to try an economically responsible culinary adventure while in Tokyo.

If you are a foreigner, it’s best to come with someone who can speak Japanese. Everything is meticulously detailed – service, the fresh food, the ambiance – and in a really good way. It’s the only Japanese Michelin place I’ve tried so I don’t have any comparison but it was really enjoyable.
Caveats:
–If you don’t speak any Japanese, they do have a picture book for you to point out what you’re eating (i.e. the different fish) so I can’t really tell you what I ate because I have no idea. But it was good
–Also, even though this place was 2 subway stops from our hotel and we had printed out directions on Google Maps, we most definitely got lost for 2 hours LOL. Japanese people are so unbelievably helpful but the language barrier truly made it difficult to find where we were going. So please plan ahead – we did and it still failed on us haha

A true hidden gem, this place is wonderful — delicious, great service, calm ambience. Could not believe how reasonable the price was given Esaki was awarded 3 Michelin stars. A must.

Esaki is situated between three stations in the Jingumae area.
For a high-​end restaurant and it quality, a omakase set for 13,000yen really shouldn’t be considered pricey. In fact, amongst the Michelin 3 stars, this is probably one of the cheapest restaurants.
The three of us that night so we were lucky to get small private room, everything here are in considerably big portions and I sooooo full by the time my abalone came.
The cooking is very very gentle… it’s like food made from a very gentle Japanese mum (when really Esaki san is a man) with a bit of a playful twist once in a while like the fried abalone with grapes.
We started with a really delicious nodokuro fish prepared with 12 different types of seasonal vegetables, and that was only the beginning!
When the kinki fish came out I thought it was for the three of us to share, turns out we all had our own fish. Seriously, the portions here is not your usual Japanese portions.
Everything was beyond my expectation. Again, I have to say for what you’re getting at a three stars restaurant, the price was really affordable.
I can’t wait to bring my family here!