Joel Robuchon Tokyo has 1 Michelin Star awarded to it at the time of this post. Normally the dinner course is 22,000 yen and higher. However, if you’re trying to find a cheap Tokyo Michelin Star restaurant, you should give L’ATELIER de Joel Robuchon a try! The location we went to was at Roppongi and we paid 6, 000 yen for our 3 course lunch. The price has recently gone up to 6,500 yen but we think it is still a wonderful deal.
By the way, attached to the restaurant is a place where you can buy cakes and pastries. We were too full from our meal to grab any but we recommend trying it! Everything looks absolutely delicious.
MENU AND RESERVATIONS
You need reservations to eat at L’ATELIER de Joel Robuchon Tokyo. The lunch spots do fill up quickly as it’s a wonderful deal. You can make reservations online. Note that this only guarantees you seating at the counter. If you want to sit at the tables, you will need to call the restaurant yourself.
When we had the opportunity to visit, there was actually a 3,500 yen course which was an absolute deal for a 1 Michelin restaurant. Alas, we both decided to splurge and choose the 6,000 yen (now 6,500 yen) menu. You can see above the sample menu from the restaurant website. We were very full after eating our course. We recommend it if you have an average sized appetite. There are some items that cost extra and the menu will note any additional charges.
THE FOOD
We were given some free bread to start off and a small free amuse bouche. Tasty and welcomed!
Then we dove right into the starters. We had smoked salmon and scallops. These were extremely fresh! You can also see that the plating is very nicely done. The scallops were an additional 900 yen add on. It was worth the additional charge.
We both opted for seafood mains. If you’re a meat lover, there are also choices for you as well. Vegetarians, fear not! The restaurant does have vegetarian options and they will mark it for you as well.
Again, the seafood was very fresh. It feels weird to eat French fine dining in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo but somehow also it’s so well done here. We’ve been to Paris and you just won’t find the same quality at that price in Paris. Plus, the service is outstanding here! It’s discreet and prompt. The staff all speak great English and care alot about your experience.
Howard opted for an additional 900 yen add on for his creme brulee. Apparently, it has Tahitian vanilla? Well we actually thought my dessert was much more impressive. Look how intricate it is! These desserts were not only tasty but mine was very Instagram worthy. The skill level to make something like that must be very high.
L’ATELIER de Joel Robuchon Tokyo (Roppongi)
The end of the meal comes with your choice of coffee or tea. The restaurant also brought some petit fours along with our bill which was a nice touch!
If you’re on a budget but want to try a Michelin Star French restaurant in Tokyo, do not miss L’ATELIER de Joel Robuchon Tokyo (Roppongi). We had a great time here and despite the small increase in price (thanks, inflation!) we would happily come back next time.
By the way, if you’re interested in dining at Michelin restaurants on a budget – be sure to check out our tag to see all the other Michelin places we’ve reviewed.
