Jenna in Japan

My Random Adventures in Japan

Jenna in Japan

My Random Adventures in Japan

Jenna in Japan

My Random Adventures in Japan

Jenna in Japan

My Random Adventures in Japan

Jenna in Japan

My Random Adventures in Japan

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Eating in Japan…When You Don’t (Often) Like Japanese Food


Hi, I’m Jenna’s BFF Lauren. I’ve appeared in this blog many times, as I visited Jenna in Japan in August of 2010 and March of 2014. This will be my first post and it’s a long time coming. I’ve decided to do a brief “guide” on food I liked in Japan. I’m not a big fan of Japanese food but I do make a few exceptions for vegetable sushi and some ramen. This will be basically a brief rundown of my favorite meals from my second visit to Japan.

American or Japanized American Food

Swanky Denny’s


This is one of two restaurants from this trip that Jenna and I reminisce about the most. When we were staying in Toyoko Inn Shinagawa Oimachi, which is in a quieter area of Tokyo, we went to eat at an “upscale” Denny’s which we fondly refer to as “swanky Denny’s”. 

Japan has a ton of “family restaurants” like Denny’s and Jonathan’s. If you’ve been to Denny’s in America, it’s pretty much the same concept. Normal reasonable food at  a sit down place for a normal reasonable price. 

But not including the “express” version we went to at SkyTree (which I did not like) this is the only one I visited either of my times in Japan. It had an upscale vibe to it and Jenna and I got to relax and talk in our booth and have our own space which I think is why I really liked it. 

The food was good. I got a hambagu, which is a hamburger without the bun, and it comes with some rice. Not exactly American, but still quite good, and certainly not traditional Japanese food. These are very popular at  family restaurants. 


Jenna has been to Jonathan’s and other Denny’s and would recommend both. But the swanky one we went to was her favorite.