2 nights in Tokyo

I will have 2 free nights on Tokyo on 12/11 and 12/12. Any suggestions for where to stay, eat and drink. I know this is like asking where to stay and eat in NYC but any personal experiences that stand out would be really appreciated.

Well, we decided that on our next trip our first meal and possibly the second will be on Ramen Street in Tokyo Station. Just pick a ramen shop that has a long line.

We also really liked the breakfast at the Conrad Hotel which we happened onto by accident.

The fish market has moved so I don’t know if that’s still a place to go.

On our last trip, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency on points. Since everything is a train ride away, this property was in a good location.
On our first visit, we stayed at the Westin Ebisu. That was about a 10 minute walk to the subway, where the Hyatt is much closer.

Eat at any conveyor belt sushi place. Cheap and delicious. We were stuffed for $20 US per person. Tokyo can be very cheap, or very expensive.

Jay, I am staying at the Conrad. Great to hear about the breakfast.

You can either get just the buffet or add on a traditional Japanese breakfast. Both are very good so it depends on how hungry you are as the buffet food is delicious but the add on is really a full meal.

Just came back from Tokyo. There are plenty of ramen shops in Tokyo that vary depending on style of specialty (e.g. shoyu, shio, tonkotsu, tsukemmen, tori paitan) as well as how “cramped” they might be. Visiting some of the most popular ones during lunch (i.e. 12-1pm) means there’ll be a line and be far less likely of a “dining experience” so much as order-eat-leave (which I actually enjoyed). We ate at seven during our visit, of which five were in Tokyo:

• Rokurinsha: on “ramen street” in Tokyo station, this is the most popular joint on the street (Triumphant Return to Tokyo | after dinner sneeze). They specialize in tsukemmen dipping ramen (but offer other types). This one is very orderly, is indoors (in case it’s raining/snowing/cold), and is used to seeing tourists. If you’re traveling with bags, ditch them in a coin locker so you don’t have to trudge them into the shop.
• Soranoiro: Also on “ramen street” - has lighter styles of ramen and a smaller queue than Rokurinsha. I think the veggie ramen doesn’t taste like actual ramen, but not everyone likes the taste of ramen, so in that sense there’s something for everyone. Once again - it’s tourist friendly.
• Fuunji: Located in shinjuku only a few minutes from shinjuku station, specializes in tsukemmen. This one has more locals if you want more of a Japanese experience. All seats are at the counter.
• Golden Gai Ramen Nagi: Also located in shinjuku, this is in all the guidebooks, and the shoyu (“special”) ramen is delicious, so I can see why (just so long as you like briny flavors). However, it is very tiny and has an atmosphere more of a dive bar - so don’t go in expecting white tablecloths or anything, but has the benefit of being open 24 hours a day so visiting at off times is easy.
  see Beating Typhoon Lan to the Punch | after dinner sneeze for those three.
• Ginza Kigari: Located in ginza, has a chicken-based ramen that is more akin to chicken noodle soup than traditional ramen. Some people love it (tourists and locals, alike), but in hindsight it was only ‘good’ (adsz brunch rules apply … even in Tokyo | after dinner sneeze).

My “must-eats” for a short trip would include a morning at the fish market (with sushi), at least one pork-centered ramen place, and at least one tonkatsu (fried pork) place. Oh, and of course, there is no shortage of michelin starred fancy places … but those exist everywhere so we didn’t bother on our last trip.

Tetsuan in Azabu Juban. Awesome, unpretentious, easy-to-book kappo cuisine. Afterwards, a short stroll to Elevage for a nightcap.

I like that the Westin is a bit of a walk from the train station. It is a peaceful place to stay. My personal feeling is that you can get very good sushi around the world, so you should do other aspects of Japanese cuisine while there. The chicken ramen with spring veggies at Kagari is unreal. Try a great yakitori place too!

Wow. Thanks for all the suggestions. Sounds a bit overwhelming but I can see myself stumbling from one ramen house to the next.