Review: Tachigui Sushi Akira

What were your first impressions when you arrived?

Follow the line (it’s a long one) down a rickety set of stairs to the weathered basement digs of Tachigui Sushi Akira, the casual little sister of renowned Sushi Shoryu. Beyond the blue noren curtain, a young sushi chef stands behind a wooden counter in a closet-sized space that can fit six to seven customers at a time. As the name—translated literally as, “eat while standing”—suggests, sitting is not an option. But this quintessentially Tokyo scene is the stuff that movies are made of.

What’s the crowd like?

You’ll knock elbows with a mix of locals, who started coming to Akira regularly during the pandemic. Since word got out about this place, though, it’s also been inundated with tourists predominantly from Asia.

What should we be drinking?

Beer is the best match for this ambiance and laid-back style of dining, but a selection of premium sake is also on offer.

Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss.

Since opening in 2021, Akira has kicked off a wave of casual offshoots by upscale sushi restaurants that have gained popularity for excellent sushi at affordable prices. The restaurant uses the same pristine seafood as its progenitor, but a meal with drinks will cost less than half of what you’d pay at Shoryu. The daily menu lists around 20 kinds of fish, from golden eye snapper and top-grade bluefin tuna to nodoguro (blackthroat perch) and delicate shiro-ebi prawns from the deep waters off the coast of Toyama Prefecture.

And how did the front-of-house folks treat you?

Service is fast and furious.

What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here?

Get ready to wait (this, too, is a very Tokyo experience), for up to an hour or more. Arrive early and you’ll get a ticket to come back at a designated time; however, you might have more luck if you aim for a later lunch, around 1:30pm. Opening hours are erratic, so be sure to check the Instagram page.