01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
A hallmark of an evening at Tenpai is watching the owner jot down the day's fresh arrivals on the whiteboard inside the shop, carried straight from the fish market. The selection shifts depending on the haul: beyond an assorted omakase sashimi platter, you might find black scraper (umazurahagi) paired with rich liver soy sauce, freshly dispatched filefish (kawahagi), or lightly seared blackthroat seaperch (nodoguro), all offered at reasonable prices. The most sought-after fish can run out quickly, so it pays to settle into your seat first and review the board before putting in your sashimi order.
Beyond the raw catch, the kitchen turns out a deep repertoire of comforting pub dishes that pair effortlessly with drinks. Oden simmered in dried-sardine (iriko) broth infuses radish and thick fried tofu with savory depth, while classic yakitori skewers like negima and chicken liver sit alongside homemade satsuma-age fish cakes, oversized deep-fried horse mackerel, and slow-simmered wagyu beef tendon. Diners looking for something hearty will also find soul-warming staples such as rice porridge with white fish and Sanriku wakame seaweed, as well as griddled sauce yakisoba.
Drinks cater to any appetite, from draft Sapporo beer and Hoppy sets (black or white) to selected regional sake like Daishinshu and Kirei, alongside a varied range of sour highballs. The doors open at 16:00, and seats tend to fill early with regulars, making advance reservations a sensible idea if you want to secure a spot.
