Reel in the Fun: Dining and Fishing Blend at ZAUO Fishing Restaurant

At “Fishing Restaurant ZAUO Shibuya Branch” (hereinafter refered to as “ZAUO”), you can do more than savor delicious seafood—you can enjoy a hands-on fishing experience. Inside the restaurant, you’ll find tanks full of fish like sea bream and flounder. Rent a fishing rod free of charge and catch your own meal. It doesn’t get fresher than this!

Interior of Fishing Restaurant ZAUO Shibuya Branch

Rods with bait can be rented for 110 JPY (tax included)

At ZAUO, you’ll pay a small cooking fee in addition to the cost of the fish you catch—usually just a couple hundred yen. This fee covers everything from frying your fish to turning it into sashimi. Since the price of each fish depends on its type and size, it’s a smart move to check the rates in-store before you start fishing. That way, you know exactly what you’re reeling in.

Be aware that once you’ve caught a fish, you can’t release it back into the tank. So aim to catch only what you’re sure you’d like to eat.

Photo of Fishing Restaurant ZAUO Shibuya Branch

While you’re free to dine at ZAUO without taking part in the fishing, doing so could make your meal up to 1,000 JPY more expensive than if you catch your own meal. So why not give fishing a try and make some memories?

Photo of Fishing Restaurant ZAUO Shibuya Branch

There are also tanks with Japanese spiny lobsters

Hook into both flavor and fun at ZAUO

Umami bites writer Bensky took on the challenge of fishing for sea bream, often referred to as the “King of Fish,” and gave it a go!

Photo of Fishing Restaurant ZAUO Shibuya Branch

Although Bensky was a fishing newbie and a bit nervous about landing a sea bream, those concerns quickly vanished. Even as a beginner, Bensky easily hooked a big one!

タイ(大きいサイズ), Sea bream (large) 5,478 JPY (tax included)

“タイ(大きいサイズ),” Sea bream (large) 5,478 JPY (tax included)

The large sea bream cost 5,478 JPY (tax included), which was the going rate for the fish.

One of the standout dishes here is ikezukuri, a traditional Japanese preparation where the fish is sliced into sashimi almost immediately after being caught, ensuring maximum freshness. Best of all, there are no additional cooking fees for this dish. It’s a treat for the taste buds, offering a succulent and firm texture.

タイの活き造り, Sea bream ikezukuri

“タイの活き造り,” Sea bream ikezukuri—available at just the cost of fish 5,478 JPY (tax included)

At ZAUO, you’re free to use either the whole fish or just half for your selected dish. This means you can get a taste of different dishes with just one catch, which is part of what makes dining at ZAUO so special.

Making the most of this, Bensky paid an extra cooking fee of 418 JPY (tax included) to turn the other half of his sea bream into another popular dish, kamameshi (rice cooked in an iron pot). In ZAUO’s version, rice soaked in sea bream broth packs a wallop of flavor with each bite. It has a moist, flaky texture that contrasts nicely with the sashimi, making it a great idea to order both.

タイの釜飯, Sea bream kamameshi

“タイの釜飯,” Sea bream kamameshi—available with an additional cooking fee of 418 JPY (tax included)

More than just a hook: ZAUO’s popular sushi experience

ZAUO rolls out a special package aimed at international visitors, dubbed the “Sushi Experience Fishing Set Meal.” This unique plan blends the joy of fishing with the art of sushi-making. With guidance from English-speaking staff, the experience is tailored to be beginner-friendly.

Even Bensky, who had never made sushi before, ended up creating some impressive pieces.

Sushi Experience Fishing Set Meal, 4,950 JPY (tax included)

Sushi Experience Fishing Set Meal, 4,950 JPY (tax included)

Making sushi isn’t an everyday event, even for locals in Japan. Why not seize the opportunity to try this one-of-a-kind experience at ZAUO?

Photo of sushi

Sushi types vary based on current fish stock

Information

Store name 釣船茶屋ざうお 渋谷店
Fishing Restaurant ZAUO Shibuya Branch
Address High Manten Jinnan Building B1F, 1-19-3, Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Access Shibuya Station(SBY)5-minute walk from Shibuya Station Exit B1
  • JR Yamanote Line(JY20)
  • JR Saikyō Line(JA10)
  • JR Shōnan Shinjuku Line(JS19)
  • Tōkyū Tōyoko Line(TY01)
  • Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line(DT01)
  • Keiō Inokashira Line(IN01)
  • Tokyo Metro Ginza Line(G01)
  • Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line(Z01)
  • Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line(F16)
Phone number 03-6427-0207
Reservations Accepted
Official website, Hot Pepper Gourmet, Reserve with Google
Phone for parties of 25 or more
Payment
  • Cash
  • Credit cards(American Express・Diners・JCB・Master・VISA)
  • Transportation-related electronic money not accepted
  • Electronic money not accepted
  • QR code payment(PayPay)
Service charge/Table charge Service charge (including otōshi) 418 JPY (tax included)
Required only for adults at dinner time
Hours Mon-Fri. 17:00-23:00 (last order: food 22:00 drinks 22:30)
Sat-Sun. & nat’l holidays 11:30-15:00 (last order 14:30), 16:00-23:00 (last order: food 22:00 drinks 22:30)
Closed New Year’s holidays (12/29-1/3)
Unscheduled holidays
Seating 94 seats
9 counter seats, 67 table seats, 18 tatami room seats
Smoking All seats are non-smoking
Official website https://www.zauo.com/en
Other information
  • Menus are available with English, Chinese and Korean language
  • Please ask staff about allergy-friendly, vegan, vegetarian and halal menus
  • Not wheelchair-accessible
  • Take-out and delivery service are available
  • Luggage storage is available
  • Wi-Fi is available
  • Posting of food photos and videos on SNS is allowed
  • Separate billing is allowed
    Ask staff at time of order

※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of October 2023.