The restaurant "Fishing Restaurant ZAUO" is packed with entertainment elements where you can fish on a boat while dining. The fish you catch can be prepared in your preferred way, such as sashimi, fried, or simmered, and the freshness is outstanding. They have stores in the Kanto and Kansai areas, but in this article, we will introduce the easily accessible "Fishing Restaurant Zauo Shinjuku Branch". It's not just about eating, you can have a valuable experience!
"Fishing Restaurant ZAUO" became famous as a restaurant where you can fish
"ZAUO", a restaurant where you can fish, has been featured in various media such as TV and magazines and has become a hot topic. The main store is located in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The Shinjuku store, which we will introduce this time, opened for the first time in Tokyo in June 2003. It is located on the first floor of the "Shinjuku Washington Hotel", which is right next to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. The name of the store was originally "座魚" (read as zauo), as you would "sit and eat fish", but from the second store, it became a fishing boat format, and at that time, it was changed to the hiragana notation "ざうお" (still read as zauo) so that everyone could get familiar with it. In Kanto, they have stores not only in Shinjuku but also in Shibuya, Meguro, Tokorozawa, and in Kansai, they have stores such as the Namba main store.
The charm of this place is, above all, the fact that there is a live fish tank where you can fish for yourself and eat the fish you catch. In addition, they offer a wide variety of menus, including fresh seafood, set meals, a la carte dishes, and Hakata gourmet.
A special dining experience as if you were fishing on a fishing boat
The interior design of the restaurant is very unique. A live fish tank, one of the main attractions, is placed in the center, with a large fishing boat inside where you can fish. If it's your first visit, be sure to take a seat on the boat. It will make you feel as if you're really on a fishing boat.
Also, the seats right next to the live fish tank are recommended. It's a private room where you can look in like an aquarium. Both are popular seats, so make a reservation in advance.
With 105 tatami mat seats, 94 table seats, and private rooms, there are many seating options, making it ideal for large group trips, such as three-generation family trips.
The staff are energetic and have a very friendly atmosphere. There is a "Smile Card" where customers can write a message to the staff who had a wonderful smile. Customers who give it to the staff will receive a coupon that can be used on their next visit.
How to Enjoy Fishing at "Fishing Restaurant ZAUO"
If you visit this restaurant, be sure to try fishing. The procedure starts with renting a fishing rod (110 yen per rod). There are rods of various lengths, so choose one that is easy to use according to your height. Once you've chosen your rod, tell the staff which fish you'd like to catch and take on the challenge of fishing!
In the live fish tank, there are many types of seafood such as sea bream, flounder, horse mackerel, spiny lobster (ise-ebi), turban shell, shrimp, and abalone. The trick is to put the bait in the water and keep it still, patiently waiting for the fish to bite. If you're still having trouble catching anything, don't hesitate to ask the staff for help. They will support you.
Right: Fried Flounder (Regular price 6,388 yen, 5,178 yen if caught)
Right: Grilled Spiny Lobster with Salt
*Prices vary depending on size and availability
The popular fish is sea bream. The staff says, "It's also an auspicious menu, and we'd love for you to try it at least once." The recommended way to enjoy it is to have one fish prepared in two ways, such as "half as live sashimi, half as fried". If you're unsure how to eat it, just tell the staff, "I'll leave the cooking method up to you" (調理方法はお任せ / chouri houhou wa omakase).
In addition to live sashimi and fried sea bream, there are many ways to cook it, such as grilling with salt, simmering, frying with butter, serving with fries, and deep-frying.
Also, the gills, middle bones, and tails left after taking the meat for sashimi are called "Ara", and these parts can also be cooked. For sea bream, you can enjoy "Ara stew" or "Ara soup", and for flounder and horse mackerel, you can fry them in oil and eat them all the way to the bone as "bone crackers", without wasting anything.
The flounder, which has a mild and unobtrusive taste, changes its flavor depending on the cooking method, such as "simmered" where the flavor is soaked and plump, "fried" that is crispy, "butter grilled" with a tantalizing butter aroma, and "deep-fried" where the bones are crispy and the meat is juicy.
There are many unique menus such as "Squid Shumai"!
The recommended dish on the grand menu is the "Shiosai" sashimi assortment, which uses fresh seafood. The "ZAUO's Specialty Tai Kamameshi", which is cooked with homemade broth, is also said to be popular among foreign tourists visiting Japan.
Right: Avalanche Yam Salad with Plum Flavor, about 2 servings, 748 yen
Also, the "Specialty Umibozu Salad" which is sure to be a hit on social media is recommended. This unique dish is made by frying ZAUO's special spring roll skin into a crispy dome shape, and topping it with seasonal vegetables, fresh fish slices, and a soft-boiled egg. Not only is the visual impact impressive like the titanic Umibozu yokai, but the taste is also excellent. Let's mix everything up and enjoy it.
In addition, there are many menus that you will be tempted to order, such as the "Avalanche Yam Salad with Plum Flavor", which is made by combining radish strips, onions, and kaiware radish, topping it with a mountain of yam like an avalanche, and finishing it with the flavor of plum and bonito.
Right: Grilled stingray fin 638 yen
Right: Puri Puri shrimp fry with tartar sauce 858 yen
ZAUO offers unique local dishes from Kyushu, such as "Zauo's Specialty squid shumai" with squid mixed in, and "Isomen" (858 yen), a specialty of Nagasaki's Goto Islands with seaweed mixed in. In addition, they have kamameshi, sea bream chazuke, "grilled stingray fin" recommended as a snack for alcohol, "gyorokke" made from fish paste like a croquette, and "crispy shrimp fry with tartar sauce".
For drinks, they have a variety of options including draft beer, highball, sake, shochu, sour, and soft drinks such as cola, white water, white peach juice, 100% mango juice, and ramune.
Lunchtime is popular for bowl dishes such as tuna
The "Buri Kozara (Small Bowl) Set Meal" is popular during weekday lunchtimes. This set meal includes a bowl of fresh Buri Kozara, accompanied by fried horse mackerel and a small salad bowl, making it a great deal. The "Nishoku Donburi of Raw Honmaguro", which uses the king of tuna, Honmaguro, that has not been frozen, is popular among foreign visitors. There is also the "Maguro Buttataki Donburi" (2,000 yen), which generously uses fatty tuna that has been turned into Negitoro.
For those who are not fond of raw fish, we recommend the grilled fish set meal, simmered flounder set meal, and Tempura Gozen. In the course menu, the "Fish Shabu Course" that includes a "fishing experience" is popular.
Also, the "Kids ZAUOo Maru" set, which includes a choice of rice, main dish, dessert, and a bonus, served on a boat-shaped plate, is visually impactful and sure to delight children!
Free coffee during lunchtime, and refills of rice and miso soup are free
Fishing is possible from 1pm during weekday lunch times. They also offer a "fishing course" where you can fish. With a set meal, you get a free cup of coffee, and you can have as much rice and miso soup as you like through the free refill. For multilingual support, they have one staff member who can speak English stationed in the store. Most of the fishing experience methods and menus are written in English. They also have menus in English, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), and Korean.
Reservations are convenient from the website or from Google's My Business. Seat requests may not always be accommodated, so please inquire in advance.
Being able to fish and have the fish prepared on the spot in the way you want is a truly unique experience! Be sure to visit "ZAUO" with plenty of entertainment elements!
Spot Information
- Name: ZAUO Shinjuku Branch
- Address: 1F Shinjuku Washington Hotel, 3-2-9 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
- Access: 8-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station South Exit
- Business Hours:
- Weekdays:
- Lunch: 11:30-15:00 (L.O. 14:30, Drink L.O. 14:30) *Fishing is possible from 13:00 during weekday lunch times
- Dinner: 17:00-22:30 (L.O. 22:00, Drink L.O. 22:00), Last entry at 21:30. Fishing ends at 21:45
- Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays:
- Lunch: 11:30-14:30 (L.O. 14:00, Drink L.O. 14:00) *Fishing is possible from 11:30.
- Dinner: 16:00-22:00 (L.O. 22:00, Drink L.O. 22:00), Last entry at 21:30. Fishing ends at 21:45
- Closed: Irregular holidays, New Year's holidays
- Budget: (Lunch) About 1,000 yen, (Dinner) 4,000 yen (average), 5,000 yen (party average)
- Credit Cards: Accepted (VISA, JCB, AMEX, etc.), PayPay, etc.
- Official Website: https://www.zauo.com/en/
- Reservation Method: Website/ https://www.tablecheck.com/en/shops/zauo-shinjuku/reserve
- Phone Reception Hours: 11:30-21:00
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