Bakushuan Ebisu

Rows of draft beer taps and chillers packed with sake bottles set the tone at Bakushuan Ebisu, where ordering begins by expressing your mood rather than studying a rigid drink list. Guests can describe their preferred aroma, sweetness, or body to the staff, who select the ideal pour—whether chilled or warmed—from a rotating collection of nearly 200 sake varieties.

For a starting plate, the hassun platter offers an inviting assortment of seasonal delicacies in small portions. Dishes like herring roe with cream cheese, bright vinegar-dressed bites, and crisp fried seasonal fish evolve with every sip. Oysters, the house specialty, appear in diverse preparations: a comparative flight of three raw varieties highlighting regional nuances, steamed oysters, savory chawanmushi egg custard, or spicy stir-fried oyster chinjao, alongside grilled and fried versions.

Beer enthusiasts can gravitate toward bolder flavors, such as smoke-infused oden simmered specifically to complement malt, or deep-fried breaded oysters served with green curry tartar sauce. When you prefer to leave the orchestrations entirely to the kitchen, the all-inclusive omakase pairing course matches craft beer and sake pours to each progressive dish.

To conclude the meal, satisfying staples maintain the beverage harmony right to the end, from soba coated with cured mullet roe (karasumi) and aromatic sea bream rice served in cedar wappa steamers to savory grilled rice balls enriched with oysters.