Tsukishima Monjayaki Street: Best 5 Shops & Access
Tokyo Mate
🔥 Must-read for Tokyo Monjayaki travelers!
From how to get to Tsukishima Monja Street,
To local favorites like Moheji, Koboreya, and Monkichi.
We've also included waiting tips and recommended menus!
If you want to experience the true local vibe of Tokyo, there is one place you must visit.
It is Tsukishima Monja Street (Monjayaki Street).
This alley, where about 80 Monjayaki specialty stores are gathered, is more than just a food street; it is a symbol of Tokyo's local food culture.
As soon as you enter the alley, the sizzling sound of the iron plate and the savory smell of the sauce stimulate your nose, and you can easily see Tokyo locals enjoying Monjayaki with a glass of beer after work.
👉 If you want to see "the food culture that Tokyo people actually eat and enjoy" rather than flashy tourist spots, this is the answer.
In this article, we have organized everything so that even those who are new to Monjayaki or have trouble deciding can finish it with just this one post:
✔️ How to get to Tsukishima Monjayaki Street
✔️ Representative restaurants that won't fail even if you go for the first time
✔️ How to wisely enjoy restaurants with long queues
1. What is Tsukishima Monjayaki Street, Tokyo's Tasty Alley?
Tsukishima is an artificial island close to Ginza and Tsukiji Market.
A staggering 80+ Monjayaki specialty stores are concentrated around the Nishinaka-dori Shopping Street here.
2. How to Get to Tsukishima Monjayaki Street (Best Accessibility)
From Ginza! From Tsukiji Market! Only 5 minutes by subway! Accessibility is really good.
🚇 Subway: Get off at 'Tsukishima Station' on the Yurakucho Line (Y) / Oedo Line (E)
🚪 Exit: Come out of Exit 7 and the entrance to Monja Street (Nishinaka-dori) will unfold right away.
📌 Tip. The smell of savory sauce vibrates throughout the street. Since Monjayaki smells really stick to your clothes, wear comfortable clothes rather than your favorite ones!
3. TOP 5 Representative Restaurants in Tsukishima
Among the countless shops, where should you go?
We have carefully selected 5 representative restaurants based on the Tabelog ranking, which Japanese locals strictly score, and the latest buzz. Choose according to your taste!
1️⃣ The Undisputed No. 1 Ranking, Moheji (もへじ)
Directly managed by a 150-year-old dried fish wholesaler · Seafood Dashi · Overwhelming Visuals
It is a shop operated by a dried fish wholesaler in Tsukiji Market, founded in 1871 (Meiji 4). Like the photo hung largely on the signboard in front of the store, the quality of the ingredients and the depth of the seafood broth (Dashi) are on another level. (Operates 5 branches on Monja Street)
📢 [Latest Info] 2025-2026 Year-End and New Year Business Guide
Even during the year-end and New Year holidays when many shops are closed, Moheji is open without rest!
Period: December 31 (Wed) ~ January 3 (Sat)
Time: 10:15 ~ 23:00 (Opens early in the morning!)
🍽️ Recommended Menu (Must Order This!)
Mentaiko Mochi Monjayaki (明太子もちもんじゃ): [Official Specialty] A huge spicy cod roe (mentaiko) that crosses the bowl goes on top whole. It is a representative menu that is No. 1 in both visuals and taste.
+ Cheese Topping (チーズ): Adding cheese to this menu is essential, not optional!
Grilled Squid (いかの丸焼き): [Hidden Menu] Great as an appetizer before eating Monja! It is grilled with squid brilliance (wata) sauce, and reviews are pouring in saying "I can't stop drinking beer" because of its bitter and savory taste.
💬 One Line Review "Overwhelming Mentaiko visuals! There is a definite reason why people line up to eat."
📍 View Moheji Main Store on Google Maps
2️⃣ The Ultimate Visuals, Koboreya (こぼれや)
Michelin Tempura Flour · Overwhelming Visuals · High-Class Dashi
It's not just a simple Monjayaki. It is a high-end Monjayaki specialty store that uses deep broth boiled for 5 hours by adding pork spine to the broth of a dried fish store in Kyoto, and tempura flour from the Michelin restaurant 'Abe'.
🍽️ Recommended Menu (Must Order This!)
Seafood Koboreya (海鮮こぼれや): [Overwhelming No. 1] The signature menu with the store's name. Seafood directly from Toyosu Market is served as if it were spilling (kobore) out of the bowl.
Duck Green Onion Monja (鴨ねぎ / Kamo Negi): [Store Certified Masterpiece] Soy sauce based Monja with high-quality duck meat and Kujo green onions from Kyoto. It is considered the menu that harmonizes best with Koboreya's broth.
Squid Ink Monja (漆黒 / Shikkoku): A unique menu with a pitch-black visual containing squid ink, butter, and grilled whole squid. Very popular with Instagrammers.
💬 One Line Review "The meeting of Michelin tempura flour and high-class broth! The standard of high-class Monja that makes you feel treated."
👉 Reserve Monjayaki Koboreya Main Store Online
📍 View Koboreya Main Store on Google Maps
3️⃣ The Symbol of Waiting: Monja Kura (もんじゃ 蔵)
Center of Main Street · White Sauce (Cream) · English Menu
Located in the middle of Monja Street, it is a place where long lines are always formed. The staff kindly grills it for you, and unique Monja based on 'cream sauce' rather than the usual sauce taste is famous.
🍽️ Recommended Menu (Must Order This!)
Kura Special Monja (蔵スペシャルもんじゃ): [Store Recommendation] A luxurious menu for 1.5 people containing a whopping 10 ingredients including crab, scallops, mentaiko, shrimp, and soba.
Clam Chowder Monja (クラムチャウダーもんじゃ): [Popular with Women] A soft taste where clams and vegetables harmonize with a white sauce base! A delicacy unique to this house.
Mentaiko Mochi Cheese Monja (明太子もちチーズ): If cream sauce is unfamiliar, we recommend this classic combination that is ordered the most.
💬 One Line Review "Taste worth the wait! Be sure to try the 'Cream Monja' that you can't find anywhere else."
📍 View Monja Kura on Google Maps
4️⃣ 70-Year Tradition, Kondou (近どう)
Opened in 1950 · Dignity of the Original · Cost-effective and Nostalgic
It is one of the oldest shops in Tsukishima. It preserves the original taste that started in a corner of an old candy store (Dagashiya). The nostalgic atmosphere is attractive rather than flashy.
🍽️ Recommended Menu (Must Order This!)
Special Kondou Monja (特製近どうもんじゃ): The signature with the shop's name. It features a generous amount containing beef, squid, shrimp, octopus, and even 'Soba Noodles'.
Bacon Tomato Cheese Monja (ベーコントマトチーズもんじゃ): A delicacy unique to this house! Italian style where bacon juices and tomatoes harmonize, No. 1 popularity among women.
Special Kondou Tamaten (特製近どう玉天): If it's a pity to eat only Monja? Try the No. 1 popular menu 'Tamaten (Okonomiyaki)' together.
💬 One Line Review "The taste of 70 years of tradition! Experience the original style with soba noodles in Monjayaki."
📍 View Monja Kondou Main Store on Google Maps
5️⃣ Anime Holy Land & Story Keeper, Monkichi (もん吉)
Anime Background · Celebrity Autographs · Mix Style
It is famous as the background of the anime <Edomae Elf>, and celebrity autographs filling the wall prove that it is a delicious restaurant. It is famous for not skimping on ingredients.
🍽️ Recommended Menu (Must Order This!)
Monkichi Special (もん吉スペシャル): A 'Jjamppong' (Mix) style that seems to have put all the ingredients of the store such as pork, squid, shrimp, corn, etc.
Chigae Nabe Style Monja (チゲ鍋風もんじゃ): Targeting Korean tastes! It is a spicy soup style Monja with pork, spicy kimchi, tofu, and rice grains. It is great as a snack with beer.
💬 One Line Review "That place in the anime! The generous ingredients and lively atmosphere are attractive"
📍 View Monkichi on Google Maps
4. Tips for eating at the No. 1 restaurant 'Moheji' without waiting
Since Moheji is the most popular place on Tsukishima Monjayaki Street, waiting is essential. Don't panic and follow the order below.
① Write your 'Name' first when you arrive!
The basic rule is to write your name (English or Katakana) and the number of people on the waiting list in front of the store and wait. The staff calls names in order.
(※ If you are lucky, a notice saying "We can guide you immediately right now (すぐにご案内できます)" like in the picture might be posted!)
② Is the line too long? Target 'Branches'.
Don't give up even if the waiting at the main store looks too long. Several branches such as 'Hanare (Annex)', 'Hanare no Hanare (Annex of Annex)' are operating right nearby.
✨ Key Points:
The taste and menu are 100% the same.
When the main store is full, the staff sometimes guides you to other branches.
Don't just stick to the main store signboard, enter immediately if you see a branch with a short line!
5. FAQ (Q&A)
Q. What is the difference between Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki?
A. Okonomiyaki is fried thickly like a 'pancake', but Monjayaki spreads dough with a lot of moisture thinly and grills it as if boiling it down. It is fun to scrape and eat with a small dedicated spatula (hagashi)!
Q. Do I have to grill it myself?
A. In most shops, the staff grills it for you. Watching the expert's touch is also great fun, so don't worry.
6. Dessert Essential Course! 'Kyuei' Melon Pan (久栄)
After eating salty Monjayaki, you crave sweet dessert. The place you must stop by at this time is the melon bread specialty store 'Kyuei'.
If you walk down the street and smell sweet butter breaking through the smell of Monja sauce, that is the place.
🍽️ Recommended Menu
Freshly Baked Melon Bread (焼きたてメロンパン): A specialty evaluated as 'No. 1 in Japan' on Tabelog. The outside is crispy like a cookie, and the inside is fluffy like a cloud.
💬 Tip: It is a takeout specialty store, but there is a small bench in front of the store. Even if the line is long, it goes down quickly, so don't be scared and try it! (Prepare cash or QR payment)
📍 View Kyuei Melon Pan on Google Maps
Wrap-up: Summary of Tsukishima Monja Travel
Tsukishima is closer to Ginza and Tsukiji Market than you think, making it perfect for a dinner course.
Accessibility: 5 minutes by subway from Ginza/Tsukiji
Recommended: Moheji (Mentaiko), Koboreya (Seafood), Monkichi (Atmosphere)
Dessert: Kyuei Melon Bread
Tip: If the waiting at the main store is long, aim for the branch right away!
Enjoy the most 'Tokyo-like' gourmet trip in a street full of savory smells! 🥢
➡️ Yurakucho Line 5 min! Ginza Complete Guide (Shopping, Food, Tips)
➡️ Oedo Line 5 min! Tsukiji Market Guide (Hours, Holidays, Food)