Please note: Reservations are required; walk-ins cannot be accommodated.
Please note: Reservations are required.
“Is it okay to bring my child to an omakase sushi restaurant?”
This is one of the questions we hear most often at REONA.
We often hear concerns like:
“I’m worried my child won’t be able to sit quietly.” “My child is three years old. Do you think they’ll enjoy it?” “Should we bring toys or food for them?” “I’m worried about disturbing the other guests at the counter.” “We came all the way to Japan and would really like to enjoy authentic sushi, but is that difficult with children?”
We completely understand these concerns.
You’ve come all the way to Japan. You want to make the most of your time together as a family. And at the same time, you want parents to have a chance to sit down and enjoy a proper omakase meal.
But we also don’t want children to feel like they’re simply there because their parents brought them along.
That’s why at REONA, children can spend their time in our kids’ room while parents enjoy the omakase at the counter.
It isn’t simply about putting children in a separate space.
It’s about creating a time when everyone in the family can enjoy themselves in their own way.
When we talk with families visiting REONA, what parents are concerned about isn’t only what their children will eat or whether they’ll enjoy the food.
“Will we bother the other guests?” “What if my child gets bored halfway through?” “What if they start crying?” “What if we affect someone else’s experience?” “What if I spend the whole meal worrying about my child and don’t actually get to enjoy the sushi?”
Many parents come to us with concerns like these.
An omakase counter is also a little different from a typical restaurant.
It’s a space where guests sit right in front of the chef and enjoy each piece of sushi one by one.
It is generally a calm setting where people come to take their time and enjoy their meal.
So it’s completely understandable that parents may worry about how their children will behave in that environment.
That’s why we have a kids’ room at REONA.
Parents can sit at the counter and enjoy their sushi one piece at a time.
Children can spend their time in the kids’ room, where they can play and enjoy a meal prepared for them.
We want parents to be able to focus on the sushi in front of them and enjoy their conversation, rather than spending the entire meal wondering, “Is my child okay?”
At the same time, children aren’t simply sent somewhere far away from their parents.
The kids’ room is close enough for parents to check on them, while the children have their own space to enjoy.
That’s the sense of comfort we wanted to create at REONA.
There is one more thing that is important to us.
We want the experience to be enjoyable for the children, too.
At REONA, we welcome all kinds of families, from children who have just turned three to families visiting with cousins or friends.
While the adults are enjoying their omakase at the counter, we don’t want children to feel like they are simply waiting for the meal to be over.
In our kids’ room, we prepare meals specifically for children.
Rather than expecting children to eat the same sushi as the adults, we offer food that is easier for them to enjoy.
We don’t want them to feel like, “The adults are having sushi, but I’m not allowed to do anything.”
Children have their own way of enjoying the experience, just as parents have theirs.
Many of our staff are also comfortable around children. When they have a moment between serving guests, they may stop by the kids’ room and spend some time playing with them.
There is a whiteboard for drawing, as well as Plarail trains and LEGO. Some children build elaborate creations, while others use the stuffed animals for pretend play.
Origami is especially popular.
It’s a traditional pastime that many children in Japan have grown up with, but for children visiting from overseas, it may be something they have never tried before.
When we show them how to fold origami and make something together, even children who were a little shy at first sometimes become completely absorbed in it.
There was one five-year-old who didn’t want to leave their mother when they first arrived. Once they started making origami with one of our staff, they became so interested that by the end of the meal, they were saying they didn’t want to go home yet and wanted to keep playing.
Of course, some children are a little nervous at first when they arrive somewhere new.
But it’s always nice to see them gradually relax, start talking with our staff, try some origami, and enjoy their meal.
Seeing that is one of the moments that makes us feel that creating the kids’ room was the right decision.
As we’ve continued welcoming families in this way, one of the things that makes us especially happy is hearing from parents after their meal.
“We were able to have a proper conversation as a couple for the first time in a long time.”
“This was our first date night since having children.”
We sometimes hear comments like these.
For many parents, finding time to sit down and have a meal together as a couple becomes much harder after having children.
Even when they are traveling, the children’s schedules, meals, and getting from one place to another naturally tend to come first.
Of course, those are all important parts of a family trip.
But we also think that having a little time together as a couple can be just as meaningful.
Sitting at the counter, enjoying each piece of sushi, and talking about what happened that day.
Maybe saying, “This sushi is really good,” or talking about something you discovered while exploring Japan.
It may only be a short break from your usual routine, but having that time together while traveling can become a special part of the trip.
At REONA, we want to offer more than the sushi itself.
Time like this is part of what we hope to create, too.