Iso Sushi (Tokyo) – Authentic Sushiya at Toyosu Fish Market Serving Super Fresh Sushi

I visited Toyosu Market in Tokyo recently, and instead of eating at one of the more famous sushi places, I went to Iso Sushi. This was because I reached the indoor market quite “late” at around 8am. By that time, the super popular Sushi Dai already had a winding queue of over 30 people (yes crazy I know) outside. So instead of joining the queue, I went to check out Iso Sushi instead.

Iso Sushi

Iso Sushi is a traditional sushi joint located in the new Toyosu Fish Market. This homely sushiya can seat around 15 customers. It is located on the third floor of Block 6, directly opposite Sushi Dai.

Prior to visiting Toyosu Market, I had done some research and found that Iso Sushi is quite positively rated on Tabelog.

Iso Sushi Menu (Click to enlarge)

Before going in, I looked through the simple menu placed outside the sushiya. Iso Sushi offers a variety of sushi sets, with the price ranging from JPY 3000 to JPY 5500.

I also saw a few sashimi rice bowls.

Drinks wise, there is a small selection of beer, including one killjoy “Non-Alcoholic Beer”.

The small restaurant accepts payment in cash only.

Homely Authentic Sushiya With Friendly Staff

After seeing the horrendous queue at Sushi Dai, the wife and I decided to eat at Iso Sushi instead.

We went at around 8am and there was no queue at all. We were led by a friendly female staff to sit at the counter. Besides us, there were only four other customers.

Iso Sushi has all the characteristics of an authentic Japanese sushi joint. The space is decorated with traditional wooden furnishings, with a chef and his apprentice preparing sushi in the open kitchen.

Our counter seats gave us a great view of the sushi chef preparing our sushi with his deft hands, which was really cool.

Interestingly, the apprentice seemed more outgoing, and even teased me a little when I initially tried to ask (through using broken English and gesturing) whether we could order one sushi set to share.

“Yes, yes! Come in first! Come in first!” he jovially replied and muttered some Japanese words to the female staff before giggling.

The senior chef, on the other hand, was the epitome of focus. Throughout my meal, he was constantly working on preparing sushi. It almost seemed like he never once took his eyes off the kitchen counter.

Which is why I was really surprised that, when I was taking a photo of him just before leaving, he actually looked up and gave a victory sign (you can check out the picture above).

He was initially unaware, until the female staff called for his attention, probably to tell him that this annoying tourist was taking a photo of him. However, he was a great sport and even posed for the photo. This was definitely a memorable experience!

Orijinal ISO Sushi Set

Orijinal ISO Sushi Set

I loved the tuna belly sushi!

We ordered the Orijinal ISO Sushi Set (JPY 3000), which consists of a nice variety of assorted sushis.

The sushis were served a few pieces at a time, but in relatively quick succession, so I was soon looking at 11 pieces of tantalising sushis in front of me.

After taking some photos, I aimed first for the tuna belly (toro) sushi. This chunky piece of tuna had an alluring rosy red colour and I couldn’t wait to put it in my mouth.

And not surprisingly, it was really fresh and delicious! It had a sweet elegant taste, along with a firm fattiness that was not overly heavy. And I simply loved the feel of the chewy texture in my mouth.

I am a salmon sushi fan and ISO Sushi definitely did not disappoint. The salmon was really fresh and had no fishy smell at all. However, if I had to choose, I would still pick the tuna belly over the salmon.

My other highlights were the egg roe sushi and eel sushi, both of which were really scrumptious and satisfying.

As for the wife, she liked the tamago. She felt it tasted very sweet and juicy.

If you are planning on eating here, do note that wasabi is embedded inside the rice of the sushi. I was a little taken by surprise when I was eating the sushi and tasted the spicy condiment. However, the wife and I are both fans of spicy food, so this wasn’t an issue for us.

I ate most of the sushis without soy sauce because I wanted to enjoy their original taste.

On the whole, I enjoyed this sushi set very much! Though I highly suspect that Iso Sushi meant to name it as “Original” instead of “Orijinal”. But hey, potato potahto.

Sides

For sides, we were served with a steaming bowl of miso soup and a cup of hot green tea. These were perfect for washing down the savoury sushi. The soup was quite savoury and flavourful. I even found several pieces of tasty clams inside.

Conclusion

I had a wonderful dining experience at Iso Sushi in Toyosu Fish Market. The sushis were all really fresh and delicious. The atmosphere at this cozy traditional sushiya was great too. It felt like the kind of place where you eat fresh and homely sushi prepared by your Japanese Grandfather. And unlike the famous Sushi Dai and Daiwa Sushi, I didn’t have to queue for a few hours to eat the sushi; I got a seat immediately!

Iso Sushi (Toyosu Market)
What to Order: Orijinal ISO Sushi Set (JPY 3000)
Opening Hours: | Mon to Sat: 4am to 4pm | Sun & PH: CLOSED |
Address: 3rd floor of Block 6 in Toyosu Fish Market (〒135-0061 Tōkyō-to, Kōtō-ku, Toyosu, 6 Chome−5, 市場６街区３F)
Directions: How to Go Toyosu Fish Market
Phone: +813 6633 0006

This article is part of our super awesome Ultimate Tokyo Travel Guide For First Timers. Everything you need to know about Tokyo is just a click away!