Cheap Eats in Tokyo: 10 of the Best Affordable Lunch and Late-Night Spots!

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Y’all know I would never lie to you, right? Well, let me give it to you straight. Japan is not a cheap destination. And even though there are a few shortcuts you can take, like Couchsurfing as a guest to save on accommodation or only doing free activities in Tokyo, you can’t really get around the price of food. Which is not free. So today I’ve rounded up the best cheap eats in Tokyo with the help of some other travel bloggers to help you get full on a budget!

Just a couple of tips before we jump into this list of cheap eats in Tokyo:

1. Download Japanese offline for Google Translate: A lot of menus you encounter will only be in Japanese. Many waiters and restaurant staff will only speak Japanese (or very little English). So don’t expect every restaurant to accommodate to your language. You can use the camera app to translate menus and ask about ingredients if you are traveling with food allergies or dietary restrictions.
2. No tipping: Japan is not a country with tipping culture! Which helps on the budget side for sure, but just be aware that outside of resorts and Western chain hotels, tipping could come off as rude. In general, if you’re eating at a cheap eats in Tokyo, you probably shouldn’t tip.
3. Have cash on you: For the mosttt part, most restaurants (and stores) take foreign credit cards. But I did run into situations were small local places didn’t. That was basically five years ago, so things might be different, but yanno, just in case.

Aight, now with that out of the way, let’s find some cheap eats in Tokyo!

Takokyuu

 Location: 2 Chome-11-8 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japan

by Kenny from Knycx Journeying

Takoyuu is an old restaurant in Ueno, serving only oden, yet with a lot on their menu. It’s a small and historic Izakaya-style restaurant with a homey and cozy vibe. Oden is traditional Japanese hot-pot that’s a portion of soothing comfort food, especially during the winter.

While only oden was served in Takoyuu, they have a lot of choices on their menu, because oden has a lot of delicious ingredients. Oden has boiled eggs, daikon, konjac, shirataki noodles, fish cakes, bean curd, and other ingredients are cooked in a light, soy-flavored stew. The stew is cooked for a long time and so daikon is soft and tender, and bean curd is juicy and tasty, both fully absorbed the slightly salty broth, with a lingering sweet taste. Oden could be eaten all year, as a full meal or as a snack.

If you’re celebrating Christmas in Japan, or just visit anytime during the winter, this restaurant is the perfect cheap eats in Tokyo to warm you up. The menu in Takoyuu is only in Japanese, but don’t worry, the staff is completely accustomed to guests just pointing at the menu ingredients they would like to add.

CoCo Curry House (CoCoICHI)

Location: 〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 24−10 横田ビル 1F

If you’re in the mood for some simple curry, CoCo Curry House is one of the iconic cheap eats in Tokyo. Also known casually as CoCoIchi, it’s a classic chain that is so delicious (and affordable!) that it has expanded to locations in other countries as well.

The base curry dish starts at only 530 yen, and you can add ingredients to customize your meal to perfection. You can also customize the amount of rice, spice level, and thickness! Then you can pick toppings such as sausages, scrambled eggs, pork cutlets, hashed beef, or you can leave it as a vegetarian curry! Although it is a chain, it’s one of the best restaurants to try traditional Japanese curry.

Katsu Midori

Location: 〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 21−1 A 館8階 レストラン街ダイニング プラザ

by Daria from The Discovery Nut

Located in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Katsu Midori is a casual conveyor belt sushi eatery that boasts traditional Japanese food as well as vegan and vegetarian options.

Visitors order their food on an iPad and can choose from a variety of options such as sashimi, tempura, soups as well as drinks and delicious desserts. Cooks prepare your food right in front of you and when it’s ready, they put it on a conveyor belt where you can take it. When you remove your order from the conveyor belt, all you need to do is press the red button to say that you received your order.

In addition, cooks constantly prepare fresh food and put it on a conveyor belt, so any customer can take it. Each dish has a price tag and specific color code. Katsu Midori is a budget-friendly restaurant so you can easily get full without breaking your bank. However, it’s not uncommon to wait in line to get into Katsu Midori, especially in its Shibuya location. Luckily, the restaurant also has locations in Meguro and Ikebukuro, two other popular districts in Tokyo, for more cheap eats in Tokyo.

Dongara Gassyan

Location: 1-1-9 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

If you’re looking for an local’s spot for some late night drinking, you have to head to Shinjuku’s “Golden Gai,” aka the street alley with all the swanky bars. No, literally, the Golden Gai area is about six super-narrow alleys long lined with bars. And we all know, where there are bars, there are cheap eats in Tokyo.

Like most restaurant stalls in Golden Gai, Dongara Gassyan is a small place that sells over forty kinds of 40 kinds of “Kushi-age” (deep-fried skewers). Each skewer will cost between 100-250 yen. It’s a great opportunity to try a lot of different foods for a low cost, while also bumping shoulders with others in a chill (and often inebriated) environment.

PomPomPurin Cafe

Location: 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 1 Chome−7−1 CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU 3階

by Francesca from Homeroom Travel

The PomPomPurin Cafe is one of the best cheap eats in Tokyo. Plus – it’s CUTE. This café is themed to the Sanrio character, a cute yellow golden retriever. There are three locations in Tokyo, but the original is located in Harajuku and can get quite busy.

Make sure to get there early to guarantee a spot. The inside has a very cutesy theme, themed to PomPomPurin and friends. From the entrance through PomPomPurin’s mouth, the themed tables, to scattered decorations around the restaurant, PomPomPurin makes an appearance everywhere. All of the items on the menu are also themed as such.

The café is also very affordable and great for travelers on a budget. The menu is not extensive but offers some delicious choices. The coconut milk chicken curry was delicious and the taco rice in a cup of friendship had a super cute display. Also, do not miss the caramel and banana pancakes shaped like PomPomPurin! Looking for more cutesy places to eat? Spend time at Tokyo Disney for some other cute restaurants and snacks.

Kuumba du Falafel

Location: 23-1 Shinsencho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0045, Japan

by Loredana from Destguides

Kuumba du Falafel, in the Shibuya region of Tokyo, easily has one of the best falafel wraps in the city, if not the country. It is a bit out of the way from the main area of Shibuya, but well worth the walk to get to. As a vegetarian or vegan travelling around Japan, it can be quite tricky to find veg-friendly restaurants that are both tasty AND affordable.

This vegan café has a minimal healthy menu, in this case, mostly falafels and hummus dishes, and they do it really well. This is perhaps one of the benefits of having very few items on a menu, because each one is done so well it’s incredible they keep their prices low. Their most popular menu item, the falafel pita sandwich, is the reason most people make a return visit. The greens were incredibly fresh, the sauce and flavors meld together very nicely, and the balls were filling and juicy. (that’s what she said)

If you’re craving a break from ramen or sushi, or just need a veg-friendly option, give Kuumba du Falafel place a try as a cheap eats in Tokyo.

Ippudo

 Location: 〒150-0012 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Hiroo, 1 Chome−3−13 ハイネス恵比寿

by Monica from Planner At Heart

Authentically experience Japan by enjoying a delicious cornerstone of its cuisine in a contemporary setting, all while keeping your wallet happy. Started in 1985, Ippudo is a casual, yet award-winning, ramen restaurant with 100 locations throughout the country.

No matter what Tokyo location you visit, you’ll pat yourself on the back for eating at a place with few, to none, tourists. Whether it’s businessmen (with ties slung over their shoulders) eating a post-work snack at a train station café or groups of friends gathering for jovial dinners in residential areas it’s a beloved ramen chain in the country. Even if you don’t speak Japanese, the menus have pictures. Win!

Their values of omotenashi (hospitality) and their spirit of gratitude for all visitors ring true in all locations of this chain. Get the bite-sized dumplings as a starter and their most famous dish– tonkotsu ramen. Pile it high with all the delicious ramen toppings provided at each table. Everything on the menu is 1100 yen and under (about USD 10). It’s a must try for cheap eats in Tokyo!

Uobei Genki Sushi

Location:  〒150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Dogenzaka, 2 Chome−29−11 第六セントラルビル 1F

by Have Toothbrush Will Travel

Uobei Sushi is a cheap, yet delicious chain of sushi restaurants with a futuristic vibe. It is also one of the best cheap eats in Tokyo for sushi! Upon arrival at Uobei Sushi, you will be directed to sit in front of a small monitor. All orders are placed from the monitor and are served quickly using the double decker conveyor belt in front of you. There is almost no reason to speak to another person during your dining experience, a dream restaurant for any fellow introvert travelers!

All of the menu options are tasty and affordable. You can’t go wrong with any order. Be sure to add cheap, conveyor belt sushi to your next Tokyo, and even beyond to other cities in Japan.

Sometarō

Location: 2 Chome-2-2 Nishiasakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0035, Japan

Rosie from Flying Fluskey

In the popular tourist area of Asakusa, just five minutes from the famous temple of Sensō-Ji, is a little slice of Old Tokyo. A distinct contrast from the air conditioned shine of the modern city, serious heat emanates from the wooden entrance of Sometarō. Sometarō is a traditional tappenyaki restaurant where guests sit at low level tables, on tatami mats and grill their own okonomiyaki. All at a low price!

The black, flat grills sizzle with thick savoury Japanese pancakes, batter full of cabbage, seafood, meat and whatever else you want to stuff into it (okonomiyaki means cooked as you like). Guests can get some help from the staff but the brave newbies or regular diners can do it alone. However it turns out, covered in okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise, this is a hearty and affordable cheap eats in Tokyo!

The menu has plenty of other options for those that fancy something a little lighter. From self-grilled prawns to thin slices of steak, there is plenty to choose from. Whatever you choose, it is a great spot to soak up the traditional and cosy atmosphere.

Rokurinsha

Location: 〒100-0005 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Marunouchi, 1 Chome−9−1 東京駅一番街 B1 東京ラーメンストリート内

by Sydney from A World in Reach

If you’re looking for cheap eats in Tokyo, head down into the depths of Tokyo Station to grab some delicious tsukemen at Rokurinsha. Rokurinsha is one of the eight restaurants at Ramen Street, a line-up of ramen restaurants in Tokyo Station that’s worth a spot on everyone’s Tokyo bucket list.

Rokurinsha specializes in tsukemen-style ramen, which translates to “dipping ramen” in English. Tsukemen is served with a bowl of broth and a separate serving of noodles, which are then dipped in the broth before being eaten. At Rokurinsha, the noodles are served cold, which makes for a great contrast when dipped into the hot broth. Rokurinsha is popular with locals and tourists alike, which means that the lines can get pretty long.

The wait is worth it, though – the best time to get in line is right before they open for lunch (10am). The line tends to go pretty quickly. Once you make it to the front, you’ll place your order at a vending machine before being led to your table; your meal will be served shortly after you sit down.

Cheap Eats in Tokyo: Conclusion

If there is one thing to NOT skip out on while traveling in Japan, it’s definitely the food. That said, you don’t have to go bankrupt trying to eat well and try authentic Japanese cuisine! But if you’re REALLY trying to save coin, hit up the 7-11 for a midday meal. No, seriously. The food at Japanese 7-11’s (and Asia in general) are DELICIOUS.

Hopefully this list help you taste the best from Tokyo. If you’re an early riser, check out my list of the best breakfast in Tokyo. Or if you’re not on a budget, I have a list of great (slightly pricier) dinner restaurants in Tokyo as well.

Have you ever been to these cheap eats in Tokyo? Which was your favorite? If I left any off the list, let me know in the comments below!

Save these Cheap Eats in Tokyo for Later!

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