I Ate at Every Michelin-Starred Restaurant in Tokyo in One Week—Here’s What I Learned

Tokyo is a food obsessive’s paradise. It has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city—over 200—and 12 of them hold the coveted three stars. I decided to do something insane: eat at all 12 in one week. Yes, I spent about $5,000. Yes, I gained five pounds. Yes, I’d do it again. But I learned some things that go beyond the hype. Not every three-star restaurant is worth the price, and some of the best meals I had were at places you’ve never heard of.

Let me break it down, from the life-changing to the overrated.

Sukiyabashi Jiro: The Godfather, But Is It Still Worth It?

Jiro Ono’s sushi temple is legendary. I got a seat through a miracle—a friend of a friend canceled. The meal is 20 pieces of sushi, served at a breakneck pace. The sushi is perfect. The rice is warm, the fish is buttery, and the wasabi is freshly grated. But here’s the thing: it costs $400, and the meal is over in 30 minutes. The atmosphere is tense. Jiro’s son is now running the show, and he’s polite but not warm. I felt like I was being judged. Is it the best sushi I’ve ever had? Yes. But the experience is not for everyone. If you’re a sushi fanatic, go. If you want a relaxing meal, skip it.

Kanda: The Warmest Three-Star Meal

Kanda is the opposite of Jiro. Chef Hiroyuki Kanda runs a tiny, 8-seat counter in a quiet neighborhood in Azabu. The food is kaiseki—a multi-course meal that’s more art than food. I had a soup with matsutake mushrooms that tasted like autumn in a bowl. The chef explained every course in English, and he cracked jokes. He even remembered my name from the reservation email. The meal lasted three hours, and I left feeling like I’d made a friend. At $250, it’s a steal compared to Jiro. This is the one restaurant I’d recommend to anyone who can get a reservation.

Ishikawa: Beautiful but Forgettable

Ishikawa is famous for its kuri (chestnut) rice and its elegant presentation. But the flavors didn’t wow me. The crab dish was good, the tempura was crispy, but nothing made me stop and think “wow.” It felt like a very expensive, very polished dinner at a nice restaurant, not a transcendent experience. The service was impeccable, but the food lacked soul. For $350, I expected more. I’d put it in the “good but not great” category.

Ryugin: The Future of Kaiseki

Ryugin uses technology in ways that feel fresh, not gimmicky. They have a “digital” course where you watch a video of the chef preparing the dish before you eat it. Sounds cheesy, but it actually deepens your appreciation. The food is modern—think foams, gels, and unexpected textures—but rooted in tradition. My favorite dish was a soup made with clam and sake that was served in a bowl that shimmered with gold leaf. It was $280, and worth every yen. If you want to see where Japanese cuisine is going, go to Ryugin.

Chateau Restaurant Joel Robuchon: Overrated Tourist Trap

This one is in Ebisu, in a fake French chateau that looks like a wedding venue. The food is French, not Japanese, and it’s… fine. The service is stuffy. The wine pairing costs as much as the meal. I spent $600 and felt like I was at a corporate event. Robuchon died in 2018, and the restaurant feels like it’s living on reputation alone. Skip it. Go to a neighborhood bistro instead.

What I Learned: Three Stars Don’t Always Mean Three Stars

Michelin is notoriously inconsistent. Some three-star restaurants—like Jiro and Kanda—deserve every accolade. Others, like Ishikawa and Robuchon, are coasting on fame. My advice: focus on one- and two-star restaurants in Tokyo. They’re often more creative, less expensive, and more fun. Places like Sushi Tokami (one star) and Tempura Kondo (one star) gave me meals that were 90% as good as the three-star spots for half the price. Tokyo’s food scene is so deep that even the cheap sushi at the fish market is incredible. You don’t need to spend a fortune to eat well here.

Would I do the three-star tour again? Probably not. But I’m glad I did it once. My wallet is crying, but my taste buds are still dancing.