What is Tabelog?
To those of you who don’t want to make a mistake when choosing a restaurant, why don’t you use Tabelog?
What is Tabelog? If you’re in search of delicious meals, Tabelog is your powerful ally. As Japan’s most popular restaurant review site, Tabelog offers reliable reviews and ratings from millions of users.
In this article, I’ll introduce how to use Tabelog, recommend best practices, and share my own experiences to highlight its appeal.
There’s also an English version, so be sure to check it out!
Contents
My Tabelog Experience
I almost always use Tabelog when I eat out. As a devoted fan of Tabelog, the following are the must-check items for me:
- Restaurants rated 3.5 stars or higher
- Review content
For example, when I visited Ginkaku-ji, I used the Tabelog app to search for restaurants near my current location.
I discovered “Omen Ginkakuji Honten” nearby. The reviews were highly positive, and the comments made me want to visit, so I decided to go.
Omen Ginkakuji Honten
Here, you eat very long and soft noodles dipped in broth. You can add condiments to the broth according to your preference.
The condiments include green onions, white onions, myoga (Japanese ginger), Chinese cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, eggplant, and kinpira gobo (braised burdock root).
The condiments themselves look so delicious that you could enjoy them with Japanese sake.
I ordered dengaku along with the udon. Dengaku is a traditional Japanese dish where tofu, konjac, or vegetables are skewered, grilled, and topped with miso sauce. The outside is crispy, and the inside is chewy, offering a delightful texture.
Since Kyoto’s local sake is delicious, I recommend enjoying it with the local sake.
I regularly use Tabelog and find its reviews and ratings to be very helpful.
Recommended Way to Use Tabelog
Tabelog is an excellent tool for discovering the best dining spots in Japan. To get the most out of this platform, consider the following tips and strategies. By leveraging Tabelog’s features, you can make informed decisions and enhance your dining experiences.
How to use Tabelog?
- Search Function: You can easily search for restaurants by area, genre, and budget using Tabelog’s search function.
- Reviews and Ratings: By reading user reviews, you can reference real experiences and ratings. The number of stars (out of five) and the specific comments are particularly helpful.
- Bookmarks: Bookmark your favorite places so you can easily look back at them later.
Key Points to Note About Tabelog
To find a restaurant that suits your preferences, it’s good to keep the following points in mind:
- Number of Reviews: The more reviews, the more reliable the ratings are likely to be.
- Latest Reviews: Referencing the latest information helps you understand the current situation.
- Photos: Viewing user-posted photos can give you an idea of the restaurant’s atmosphere and the appearance of the dishes.
For example, I visited “Spice Curry SOMA,” a restaurant that has been selected for Tabelog’s Top 100 for several consecutive years.
I was impressed by the refreshing spice flavor of their curry. One of the frequently mentioned comments on Tabelog reviews is about the intriguing interior of the restaurant.
The plants inside the restaurant, which resemble a botanical garden, are connected with wires leading to speakers. The background music is modular synth music played by the plants, creating a fascinating sound that resonates in the brain.
Seeing candid comments from people who have actually visited makes choosing a restaurant very helpful.
I highly recommend trying it out for yourself.