Tokyo Monjayaki Restaurants You Can Only Book by Phone

If you have spent time in Tokyo and never tried monjayaki, you are not alone. Monjayaki is Tokyo's version of the savory iron griddle pancake, looser and more molten than okonomiyaki, cooked at the table on a hot iron plate. Most visitors walk past the restaurants without knowing what they are. It doesn't appear on most tourist itineraries, and the places that do it best tend to be small, local, and entirely in Japanese.

That last part is the problem. Getting a table at the right monjayaki restaurant requires a phone call in Japanese. This is part two of our series on Tokyo restaurants that are only bookable by phone.

A quick note: restaurant policies change. If any of these spots now appear on Tabelog with an online reservation option, book it there. If not, Rapym can make the call for you in Japanese.

MOHEJI Shin-Marunouchi

Marunouchi, Tokyo

One minute from Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Central Exit, on the seventh floor of the Shin-Marunouchi Building. MOHEJI is one of the most recognized monjayaki brands in Tokyo, and this location has the advantage of being easy to reach from almost anywhere in the city. Eighty seats, private rooms available, open daily with last orders at 10pm on most nights and 2am on Fridays. The kind of place that works equally well for a business dinner or a group night out.

Phone reservations only. Same-day reservations are not accepted.

Phone: 03-6206-3730 View on Tabelog · Book with Rapym

Tsukishima Monja Moheji Honten

Tsukishima, Chuo-ku

The original MOHEJI location, three minutes from Tsukishima Station on the famous Monja Street. The restaurant is run by a direct subsidiary of a Toyosu fish market wholesaler, which means the seafood in the monja is a cut above what most comparable restaurants offer. Twenty-four seats, no private rooms, a straightforward neighborhood setup that has been drawing regulars and out-of-towners in equal measure since 2015. Weekend reservations fill up fast. Three weeks ahead is a reasonable baseline if you have a specific date in mind.

Phone reservations only. Open for lunch and dinner on weekdays, all day on weekends and holidays.

Phone: 03-6204-2314 View on Tabelog · Book with Rapym

Kuuya Shibuya

Shibuya, Tokyo

Thirty seconds from Shibuya Station's Hachiko Exit, open until 4am every single day. Most monjayaki restaurants close by 11pm. Kuuya stays open through the night, which makes it one of the few places in Tokyo where you can sit down for a proper iron griddle meal at midnight or 2am. A hundred and ten seats, private rooms available for groups, prices that are reasonable for Shibuya. The menu covers classic Tokyo monjayaki alongside okonomiyaki. No regular closing day.

Phone reservations only.

Phone: 03-6712-6788 View on Tabelog · Book with Rapym

How to Book Any of These

Every restaurant on this list takes reservations by phone, in Japanese. If you speak Japanese, calling during afternoon hours between 2pm and 5pm tends to work best. If you don't, Rapym can make the call for you.

You give Rapym the restaurant name, phone number, your preferred date, time, and party size. Rapym calls the restaurant in natural Japanese, handles the full conversation, and confirms the reservation in your name. Current success rate on completed calls is over 90 percent.

Rapym makes restaurant reservations in Japan on your behalf, in Japanese, by phone, for any restaurant. Try it here

Also in this series: Why Tokyo's best restaurants only take phone calls Tokyo Yakiniku Restaurants You Can Only Book by Phone