Mitsuaji

Glazed in a savory-sweet sauce and loved for its remarkably meat-like texture, the maguro hoho-niku don set meal is the defining signature at Mitsuaji. Tucked into the middle of Sugamo Jizodori Shopping Street, this neighborhood kappo izakaya draws lunchgoers and dinner guests alike with bowls topped with this prized cut of tuna cheek. The sweet soy tare sinks into the steaming rice, accompanied by miso soup and pickles for a thoroughly satisfying meal that keeps chopsticks moving.

Seafood options extend well beyond tuna. Diners can opt for the meticulously prepared Edomae anago don set meal featuring simmered sea conger, crisp conger eel tempura lightly dusted with salt, unglazed shirayaki, or thick, tender freshwater eel. The kitchen also turns out daily seafood to match any appetite, from rich, fatty mackerel simmered in savory miso until it yields effortlessly to chopsticks, to sashimi assortment set meals featuring the season's freshest catch.

Blackboards and paper wall slips listing seasonal drinking snacks make an evening lingering over drinks just as appealing. Simple bites like kinukatsugi—steamed baby taro slipped from their skins and dipped in sesame salt—sit alongside ankimo monkfish liver in ponzu, milt tempura, and creamy fresh yuba sashimi. The sake list spans noted regional breweries, including Kubota and Hakkaisan from Niigata alongside Zaku from Mie, complemented by crisp pomegranate vinegar sours and highballs made with strong carbonation.

With counter seating and tables arranged in an unpretentious space, the tavern suits solo meals just as naturally as lively conversation with companions. It welcomes both mid-day diners and those stopping by for an early evening drink. As payment is strictly cash only, be sure to have bills ready before stepping through the noren curtains.