Omotenashi Toriyoshi Machidaten

My wife wanted to try this spot and I had no idea what I was getting into. We shared a couple of skewers of beef and chicken, both of which were nicely prepared. The English-speaking waiter was a delight.

Visited September 2018

OK, so here's the thing: I am not a huge fan of Japanese food. Given the chance to chose what I want to eat from a Japanese food buffet is fine, since I can then eat just what I want. To me, there are some Japanese dishes that I really like, and others that, well... Anyway, eating at this restaurant... with a group of Japanese, which I did just a short time ago, was definitely in the "take what you're served category". But I survived. A little about this restaurant. It's on an upper floor of a high-rise building in the heart of Machida. You really need to know how to get here to be able to find it. The restaurant itself is made up of a number of small rooms, with their own doors for privacy and a sunken table in the middle. In fact, to sit at the table you are basically sitting on the floor with your feet in the well underneath the table. Our host ordered a bewildering variety of food, some of which I was not too fond of (for instance, chicken gizzards), but overall I ate well, and had a good impression of what Japanese food is really like (not all sushi, that's for sure). We drank a lot of beer to wash it all down, and had a really good experience. My favorite thing of the whole evening was the bell, which you used to call one of the waiters for service. They would be in the room in less than 20 seconds every time, eager to serve. So if you want the real Japanese dining experience, this is definitely it. It's best to book ahead, as this place gets really busy. Oh, and don't forget to take off your shoes when you enter your private room...

Visited October 2012