When traveling abroad, I’m sure many of you would naturally want to indulge in the local delicacies, right? How do you find the best places to eat?
When I travel overseas, I usually ask the hotel staff or taxi drivers for recommendations, or I search on Trip Advisor. While they may actively suggest places popular among foreign visitors, I often come across wonderful eateries using these methods.
In this article, I will introduce a recommended review site for dining in Japan!
Tabelog
If you want to know Japanese locals’ opinions about a restaurant, I definitely recommend “Tabelog.” It’s the most famous review site in Japan and hosts a vast number of dining establishments. Many of my colleagues and friends, as well as myself, use this site to find restaurants. You can search for places based on location, cuisine type, budget, and various other criteria.
Evaluation Method
On this site, each restaurant is evaluated on a 5-point scale for taste, service, ambiance, drinks, and cost performance. Please remember that the scores are just guidelines and do not indicate a restaurant’s ranking. Rest assured that there are plenty of delicious places regardless of their ratings. Even if a place is highly recommended by someone but has a low score on Tabelog, it doesn’t mean you should skip it.
However, I have to admit that visiting well-rated restaurants often leads to delightful dining experiences. For reference, it’s rare to come across places with a score of 4 or above. I don’t think I’ve ever been to one. Restaurants with scores of 3.5 and above have all been satisfying in my experience.
English Version
It appears that the site is also available in English and other languages. I’m not sure if all the restaurant information is translated, but it should still be helpful. When you visit Japan, I highly recommend giving it a try. Just keep in mind that these reviews are from Japanese diners, so whether they suit the tastes of non-Japanese visitors is another matter to consider. For reviews from foreign visitors, Trip Advisor should be a good option.
Other Information
Besides business hours and location details, you can also find plenty of photos posted on the site. It might be enjoyable enough to browse through these photos and decide on a place. I personally love looking at food pictures, and just doing that can easily make an hour fly by, haha!
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I hope this article helps you discover some fantastic restaurants during your visit to Japan!
