For an authentic tempura experience in Tokyo, Tempura Tsunahachi in Shinjuku is the place to head to. You'll get served exquisite tempura there without breaking the bank. The prices for lunch (around ¥2,000) or dinner (around ¥4,000) are surprisingly affordable for a meal of this quality, which explains why this restaurant is extremely popular! It's not uncommon to see many people waiting in long lines to get in.

The restaurant is in one of the busiest districts of Tokyo, located just a 3-minute walk from the east exit of Shinjuku station. Although the area is populated by mostly high-rise buildings, Tsunahachi resembles a traditional Japanese house. Walk through the noren curtains and you're in for something special!

There are some counter and table seats. It might be a nice experience to sit at the counter, that way you see the chefs at work. They serve the tempura just like they would serve sushi at a high-end restaurant, directly from the kitchen to your plate.

The menu is pretty extensive and parts of it change with the season. You can get all kinds of fresh seafood and vegetables tempura. It comes served with a tsuyu dipping sauce, a kind of soy-based sauce ideal for tempura.

For something quite filling and on the cheap side of the menu, you can't go wrong with the tendon set! You get all kinds of tempura pieces topped on a bowl of rice. It comes with miso soup and pickled vegetables.

If you want something more luxurious and rare, try these sea urchins (called uni in Japanese) rolled-up in nori seaweed. The creamy saline taste of the uni coupled with the crispy tempura coating is heavenly!