Named after the famed Tokyo fish market, the specialty here is sashimi and sushi. The clientele is mostly Japanese salarymen, and although the place bears an affiliation with the Fuji chain, this is the original founder’s first restaurant in Bangkok and operates on a whole other level to the ubiquitous mall restaurants under the Fuji brand.
The gray granite décor is suitably bland, while the staff no-nonsense kimono-clad waitresses and a halfdozen sushi itamae—includes its fair share of seasoned pros. The sushi bar and four-seat booths downstairs are replaced by private rooms with blond wood and tatami seating upstairs, to accommodate larger parties.
Much of Tsukiji’s popularity can be traced back to its sushi set lunch, which was stuck at a sub-B200 price point for years. It’s now been jacked up to B297 but remains a solid deal, alongside the crispy, non-oily tempura set (B297). In fact, Tsukiji’s tempura is some of the best in town.
At these prices, don’t expect A-grade sushi, though; you’ll have to go à la carte for Tsukiji’s best catches. The chef’s sashimi selection (two slices of Japanese amberjack, squid, salmon, tuna, fatty tuna and shrimps, B1,200) is a good introduction to how fresh and masterfully cut their fish is. The chunks are prepared in the more reasonable sizes of yesteryear, not the massive slabs that have become the trend, but it’s still very good bang for your buck.
We’re less impressed with the sushi, simply because the rice is a bit too dry and compact. Nor do any of the creative dishes—the flounder’s edge sitting on sushi pressed into cubes (B450), or the seabass topped with ponzu sauce (B240)—really work.
So many Japanese expats can’t be wrong, but Tsukiji is now more like a reasonably priced canteen for businessmen than the culinary leader it once was.
