10 Best Restaurants in Harajuku, Tokyo

Founded by American Bryan Baird in 2000, Baird Brewing has become one of the leaders in Japan's now booming craft-beer movement, with a range of year-round brews, such as the hop-heavy Suruga Bay IPA, and creative seasonal beers that use local ingredients such as yuzu citrus and even wasabi. The Harajuku Taproom combines Baird's excellent lineup of microbrews with Japanese izakaya (pub) fare like yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), gyoza (dumplings), and curry rice. The Taproom's rotation of 15 beers on tap, plus two hand-pumped ales, as well as its quality food and friendly atmosphere make it a must for beer lovers and dispel any notion that all Japanese beers taste the same. There are other branches in Naka Meguro, Takadanobaba, Kichijoji, and Yokohama.

Offering up high-end Mediterranean cuisine in an incredibly stylish setting, Cicada's resortlike atmosphere feels a world away from Omotesando's busy shopping streets. In the warmer months, the outdoor patio is especially relaxing. The menu ranges from Spanish tapas and Middle Eastern mezze to hearty grilled meats and seafood. An expansive wine list and craft beers complement the range of cuisine, and the outdoor bar makes a great spot for a nightcap. Though spacious, this popular restaurant fills up quickly, so dinner reservations are recommended.

Carnivores flock here for the all-you-can-eat Brazilian grilled chicken and barbecued beef, which the efficient waiters keep bringing to your table on skewers until you tell them to stop. It comes with a self-serve salad bar and for an extra fee all-you-can-drink beer, wine and other alcohol for two hours. Hardwood floors, lithographs of bull motifs, warm lighting, and salmon-colored tablecloths provide the backdrop. The drink menu provides the chance to try a selection of Brazilian cocktails. Look for the entrance just off Omotesando-dori on the Harajuku 2-chome shopping street (on the north side of Omotesando-dori), about 50 yards down on the left. There's also a Barbacoa near Tokyo Station, as well as others in Roppongi, Shibuya, and Shinjuku. Dinner with drinks can easily run ¥10,000 per person, but the weekday lunch buffet offers largely the same selection at a fraction of the price.

Run by Neal's Yard Remedies, this laid-back café has all-natural wooden interiors and natural produce on the menu. If shopping in Harajuku, it's a great place to stop for a healthy Japanese teishoku set, vegetable curry, tofu lemon cake, or other vegan fare.

Connected to a natural-foods store, and with natural airy wooden interiors to match, Crayon House serves Japanese and Western dishes with a common theme—it's all very healthy. Ninety-five percent of ingredients are organic, and the mixture of curries, pastas, salads, and other dishes are all wholesome. The lunchtime buffet is good value. The desserts taste as if the notion of health has been thrown out the window.

Often, a meal of sushi is a costly indulgence. The rock-bottom alternative is a kaiten-zushi, where it is literally served assembly line–style: chefs inside the circular counter place a constant supply of dishes on the revolving belt with plates color-coded for price; just choose whatever takes your fancy as the sushi parades by. A cheerful, bustling example of this genre is the Heiroku-zushi chain's branch opposite Omotesando Hills; it's all about the fresh fish here (and clearly not the design). When you're done, the server counts up your plates and calculates your bill. The cheapest prices are reserved for staples like tuna and squid, and you'll pay a bit more for delicacies like high-grade toro cuts of tuna and sea urchin.

For an afternoon of people-watching, head to this three-story café on Omotesando street in the heart of one of the most fashion-conscious areas of Tokyo. It's the perfect place to relax and indulge. Order one of the scrumptious homemade tarts or cakes, sip a coffee, and watch the trendiest Tokyoites stroll by the full-length windows.

A short walk down a narrow alley from Omotesando Crossing guests squeeze into tiny antique school chairs in this cozy bistro. The cuisine is constantly changing and most diners ignore the printed menu in favor of the daily recommendations chalked on blackboards (mainly in Japanese) propped up outside and on the walls. Specials lean toward French-accented comfort food often with a seasonal flare.

At this do-it-yourself restaurant for okonomiyaki (a kind of savory pancake made with egg, meat, and vegetables), you choose ingredients and cook them on the teppan (grill). Okonomiyaki is generally easy to make, but flipping the pancake to cook the other side can be challenging—potentially messy but still fun. Fortunately you're not expected to wash the dishes. Okonomiyaki literally means "as you like it," and unlike most Okonomiyaki joints you can experiment with your own recipe here, if you opt for the all-you-can-eat deal. But if you're feeling uninspired, you can always default to the house special, sakurayaki (with pork, squid, and onions) or monjayaki (a watered-down Tokyo variation of okonomiyaki).

Really taking pride in their coffee, the Roastery serves up some good single-origin coffee. Tucked away along a shopping street connecting Omotesando to Shibuya, the shop offers outdoor seating, giving you a place to watch the shoppers stream by.