【Top 100 Restaurants】 Unagi Top 100 2026 【Tabelog Rating】 4.38 (as of posting) 【Reservation Method】 Phone reservation or Web reservation 【Visit Day/Time】 Sunday, 7:00 AM (Doyo no Ushi no Hi) 【Reservation Lead Time/Wait Time】 2 months in advance, 3 hours 【Nearest Station/Walking Distance】 Kazamatsuri Station, about 10 minutes on foot 【Order】 Unaju (JPY 8000) (as of posting) 【Add-ons】 Freshly grilled liver (JPY 1400 x 2) (as of posting) 【Impressions】 Every year, my wife treats me to a luxurious eel meal for my birthday. This year, at my request, we visited "Tomoei," a renowned eel restaurant representing Odawara. She made a phone reservation two months in advance to secure the eel. Since this coincided with Doyo no Ushi no Hi (July 26), there were very few seats left at that time. This restaurant has a unique system where the advance reservation only secures the eel. The entry time is based on a sign-in system on the day of the visit. *Only for high-priced courses, time-specific reservations can be made through "OMAKASE." We stayed nearby the night before to confirm the process. At around 7 AM on the day, a sign-in table is set up at the restaurant, where you write your name and phone number. Around 9 AM, they call to inform you of your entry time, but on this day, they contacted us earlier than expected at around 8:30 AM, saying, "Please come at 9:55 AM." As a result, we secured a spot for the first round. Arriving at 7 AM, we were already third in line. By the opening time of 10 AM, both the first and second parking lots were nearly full. Although it was the busiest day of the year, Doyo no Ushi no Hi, I felt that arriving early was essential. On regular days, it’s not usually this crowded. We were guided to a tatami seating area, and we started with grilled liver. We shared two types, one with sauce and the other with wasabi soy sauce. The sauce version was a luxurious dish where the fragrant grilled liver is coated in egg yolk. The rich umami and sweetness are mellowed by the egg yolk. On the other hand, the wasabi soy sauce version was simply prepared to enjoy the original flavor of the liver. The bitterness was not as strong as expected, making it surprisingly easy to eat despite its striking appearance. Both were truly adult snacks. After about 15 minutes, the long-awaited unaju arrived. No matter how many times I eat it, the excitement of opening the lid and the aroma of the sauce is exceptional. I took a bite of the eel first. It was incredibly fluffy. Despite being rich in fat, it wasn’t heavy at all, and the pairing with the exquisite sauce was perfect. Before I knew it, I was devouring the white rice. Indeed, the combination of eel and rice is unbeatable. I added some extra sauce midway and sprinkled on some premium sansho pepper, enhancing the flavor even more, and I continued to eat with enthusiasm until the end. The rice can be upgraded to a large size for free. With the eel weighing about 330g, it’s quite substantial, so I recommend the large size for those who want to enjoy a full meal. It’s also nice that they accommodate takeout if you can’t finish it. It’s no surprise that they received the Tabelog Silver Award. I believe it’s worth visiting Odawara just for this restaurant. However, Doyo no Ushi no Hi is more competitive than expected. For first-time visitors, I recommend adjusting your schedule a bit.