Private Tokyo Food Tour
A private food tour in Tokyo: 5 venues, 15+ tastings and 6 hours across Shibuya, Ebisu and Nakameguro. Your guide sorts out dietary restrictions in Japanese, takes you into standing bars and izakayas missing from English maps, and explains ordering so you can eat well on your own afterward.
Why Choose This Experience
Who This Private Tokyo Food Tour Is For
Five stops across Shibuya, Ebisu and Nakameguro. The sushi bar has no English menu, the yakitori joint expects you to order cuts by name, and the sake bar is easy to walk past three times. Your guide talks to each kitchen about your diet and shows you the house rules. By the end you'll know how eating out in Tokyo works.
Dietary Restrictions Handled
Celiac, vegan, halal or a severe allergy: your guide talks it through with the kitchen in Japanese, which a translation app can't do
Japanese-Only Venues
Standing bars with no English, izakayas with house rules, and yakitori counters where locals go after work
How Tokyo Dining Works
Menu layout, types of venue and the ordering words you'll use at every meal on your own
15+ Tastings, 5 Venues
Standing sushi, yakitori, a hidden sake bar, a Nakameguro izakaya, then matcha or whisky to finish, all in 6 hours
Private Tokyo Food Tour Highlights
What Our Guests Say
"Felt like we'd known him for years. Wanted an authentic lunch with no Ramen for a change — a 3rd floor Hot Pot Restaurant we never would have found."
"He took me to hole-in-the-wall spots — a peppercorn specialist in Tsukiji, a Matcha beer spot. We finished at a rooftop foot bath with a beer and an amazing view."
"He took us where the locals go. Hidden spots he knew we'd enjoy, and a quaint yakiniku place with over the top wagyu beef."
"He took us to a little restaurant for 'nibbles and Sake' — three types. Later, an afternoon pastry. Then we finished at a pub for Japanese beer. Above and beyond!"
STANDING SUSHI
CHARCOAL SMOKE
ALLEYWAY ENERGY
Your Journey
Shibuya Standing Sushi & Yakitori Joint
Start at a standing sushi bar where the fish is pressed by hand in front of you. Your guide orders, explains what's in season and translates the options. Then walk to a small yakitori joint for chicken skewers grilled with tare.
- Order uni warship, seasonal sashimi and fatty tuna
- Learn how standing bars work: limited space, pay before you leave
- Yakitori: tare-glazed meatballs, charred leeks and chicken thigh
- About 1 hour per venue, paced to your appetite
Ebisu Hidden Sake Bar & Nakameguro Izakaya
Next is a tucked-away standing sake bar in Ebisu. Your guide explains each craft sake as you taste it. Then on to a busy izakaya in Nakameguro for smoky kushiyaki.
- Sake flight with grilled snacks
- Junmai vs. daiginjo, and when to drink sake warm or cold
- Shared izakaya plates, with your guide translating and ordering
- Nakameguro is where Tokyoites go to relax, with few tourists
Nakameguro Tea House or Retro Bar Finale
You pick the ending: matcha affogato at a modern tea house (powdered green tea over ice cream) or whisky highballs at a retro bar nearby.
- Matcha affogato: bitter tea, sweet cream
- Or a highball: whisky and cold soda
- The Meguro River in the evening
Cultural Learning & Protocol Navigation
Your guide shows you the patterns as you go: menus grouped by cooking method, how a standing bar differs from an izakaya, useful ordering words, and how to pay (often cash only; cross your index fingers in an X to ask for the bill).
- Dining skills you'll use for the rest of your trip
- Why some places have no English, and how to manage anyway
- Dietary restrictions explained to staff on the spot if needed
This is merely a suggestion. Your itinerary is fully bespoke.
Your Private Experience Includes
RAMEN COMFORT
COME INSIDE
NAKAMEGURO NIGHT