Ginza Oishi (Tabelog Silver 4.44) Tokyo, Japan

For one of our evenings in Tokyo, I was looking for something a little different. Ginza Oishi doesn’t seem to be mentioned often on this subreddit, but the idea of “theater-style French cuisine” combined with a highly interactive experience from Chef Oishi immediately intrigued me.

I had read beforehand that portions can be customized, since the meal runs about three and a half hours and can get quite heavy. I arrived with an appetite and gave my wife fair warning.

We were warmly welcomed by the chef as we entered the 12-seat counter. We chose two seats slightly off-center so we could take everything in. There is absolutely a theatrical element to the experience. Before cooking even begins, the chefs present the ingredients and seasonal produce that will appear throughout the menu, which builds a surprising amount of anticipation.

The menu changes frequently with the seasons. This is what we had in November, which aligned with their autumn menu.

Menu

Crab, Avocado, and Caviar
A generous amount of caviar for the opening bite. Rich and luxurious.

Sea Urchin Consommé Jelly with Cauliflower Cream

Sanma Crepe with Pickles
Finished with a liver sauce. One of the standout bites of the night.

Soft-Shell Turtle Soup with Turnip
Served as a light palate cleanser.

Pâté Platter
Included jellied vegetables, terrine, and ginkgo nuts. What stood out the most was watching the sous-chefs obsessively plate this dish—adding seasonal leaves, adjusting elements, then returning to adjust again. Fascinating to watch, though in this case less might have been more aesthetically.

Foie Gras and Pear Monaka
Crisp, creamy, and beautifully balanced.

Grilled Tilefish (Yawatahama)
Served with a yuzu vin blanc sauce.

Watermelon Juice, Mojito Style
Shockingly fresh and delicious. My wife and I were genuinely surprised by how good this was.

Beef Wellington (Matsusaka Beef)
The main event. We had been watching components of this dish prepared throughout the meal, and it absolutely delivered. The beef was otherworldly in flavor. Chef caught my expression and, even though I had chosen a standard portion, I asked for an extra bite. He looked slightly surprised but happily obliged.

Risotto with Shirasu
A Japanese-leaning twist, topped with a generous amount of whitebait.

Curry Rice
The only real miss for me. Lacked seasoning and felt out of sync with the rest of the menu.

Desserts
Two were served: Haguma fig with ice cream, and a Mont Blanc crepe. Both were excellent, especially the crepe.

There was also an optional deep-fried matsutake mushroom supplement. Knowing how large the meal was, we skipped it, but in hindsight I probably would add it next time.

Drinks

There is no formal wine pairing, so we tried a variety of glasses throughout the meal. The selection was interesting, and the sommelier was personable and engaging. I learned he was a fellow fan of 90s NBA, which led to some fun conversations.

Service and Ambience

Out of the 12 guests that night, only four of us were foreigners. Chef Oishi has a loud, charismatic presence that fills the room. His English is limited, so most of his long dish introductions are in Japanese, followed by brief summaries from his staff. You definitely sense that some nuance is lost in translation, but between overhearing neighboring diners and quick interactions with the chef (plus the help of Google Translate), we picked up more context.

There were several regulars dining that evening, and the Chef interacted with them a bit more, but he remained approachable and took time to engage with everyone.

Overall

After several meals in Japan centered on subtle flavors and quiet technical precision, Ginza Oishi felt like a complete shift in the best way possible. Loud, bold, deeply satisfying flavors with an engaging and theatrical style of cooking. The Beef Wellington is something I’ll dream about for years.

If you enjoy a more interactive, laid-back counter experience with a chef who brings real personality along with fantastic cooking, I highly recommend adding this to your Tokyo list. Both my wife and I agreed it might have been our favorite meal of the trip.