4 Best Restaurants in Tokyo, Japan

This lively gastro-pub in the Coredo Muromachi complex specializes in local craft beers, with the 20 or so brews on tap covering a range of styles. Though you can stop by for just a pint, there's also a food menu featuring Japanese izakaya staples and lunchtime teishoku meals that are great value for money.

For a post-shopping drink and a bite to eat, stop by this tiny brewpub amid the side streets just east of Nakano Broadway. The rustic decor makes the place seem as if a carpentry enthusiast has made a bar in their garage (the name kobo translates to "workshop," after all), but you're really here for the beer. Although offerings change often, reliable choices include IPA, stout, and white beer—perhaps accompanied by sausage, buffalo wings, or fries.

In a converted waterfront warehouse, T.Y. Harbor brews five of its own year-round beers and seasonal specials in a tank that reaches all the way to the 46-foot-high ceiling. The restaurant, which is known for its grilled meat and fish, has a California-meets-Asian approach, with such dishes as wheat ale steamed clams, Thai-style gai yang chicken sate, or Indian spice-marinated lamb chops. Although the tables on the bayside deck art the best, regardless of where you're seated, you'll appreciate the relaxed, modern vibe. Reservations are a good idea on weekends.

Although some might find the glitzy decor at this restaurant to be over the top, the service is cordial and professional; the food, which is centered on Tokyo's version of international cuisine, is superb; and the wine list has more than 200 bottles, ranging from affordable house wines to real rarities. There might be a DJ during your dinner, and if you feel like some live music and a drink after, check out the Tableaux Lounge in the same building.