Botefuri

For a generous serving of sashimi, start with the signature Meidai Botemori. The platter combines tuna, sea urchin and salmon roe, with a little extra on the side. It comes in a small size for 1,780 yen and a large for 2,480 yen, so you can choose according to your appetite and group. One visitor particularly remembered the thick, satisfying slices of tuna. With sea urchin and salmon roe alongside, it makes a good centrepiece for an evening of sampling seafood.

If you would rather pick a single dish, the menu includes cuts such as bluefin tuna cheek meat and chunks of tuna, as well as yellowtail, bonito and horse mackerel. There is also a small sashimi platter, an option for anyone dining alone who wants to order a little at a time.

Iwashi ume-ni—sardines simmered with plum—is another dish to try between sashimi plates. One reviewer described the fish as tender, with a subtle tartness from the plum, and said it made them want a bowl of white rice. It is listed on the menu at 600 yen; adding a simmered dish gives the meal a change of pace alongside the raw seafood and drinks.

The grilled options include oysters, simply grilled conger eel and yellowtail collar. Alongside tuna sashimi, adding a grilled or simmered dish lets you enjoy seafood prepared in a different way. Another visitor paired grilled tuna cheek with sake.

Drinks are self-service: visitors report choosing from the refrigerated case and telling a member of staff what they want. The fresh lemon sour set costs 2,400 yen and includes a bottle for 6 drinks, 4 bottles of carbonated water and lemon. If you only want one drink, you might choose a beer; for a group, the set is another option.

Botefuri is a standing bar in Kanda-Jimbocho. It does not accept reservations, and payment is cash only. It is a place to keep in mind when you want to build a meal at your own pace around a sashimi platter, with seafood dishes that are simmered or grilled and drinks to match.