Monja Kondo Honten

Kondo (もんじゃ近どう, officially "Kondou Honten") is one of Tsukishima's oldest monjayaki restaurants, tracing its roots to 1950, when the business began as a candy shop that grilled monja in one corner during the postwar years — a common origin story for the neighborhood's signature dish. It sits on Tsukishima's famous "Monja Street," a stretch of Chuo Ward now lined with more than 70 competing monjayaki shops, and Kondo is frequently cited among the street's founding names.

The menu runs to roughly 60 monjayaki varieties, plus okonomiyaki and teppanyaki sides, cooked tableside on a shared iron griddle. Staff typically help first-timers griddle the batter, useful since monja's loose, souffle-thin texture is unlike anything most visitors have cooked before. Signature orders include the Kondo Special Monjayaki (mixed seafood and beef with squid, shrimp, octopus, corn and noodles), a mochi-cheese-mentaiko monja, and a bacon-tomato-cheese version.

Based on aggregated review data, expect to pay roughly ¥2,000–¥4,500 per person for a full monja-and-drinks meal; treat this as a rough guide rather than a fixed, printed price. There is no published vegan, halal, or gluten-free certification for this restaurant. The standard monja batter contains wheat flour and typically a bonito- or seafood-based dashi, so it is not inherently vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free — diners with restrictions should ask staff directly before ordering, ideally in simple English or via a translation app. Two review platforms list an English-language menu, but this should not be assumed guaranteed on every visit.

The main store is roughly a 4–8 minute walk from Tsukishima Station (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line / Toei Oedo Line); most listings point to Exit 8, though a few cite Exits 5, 7, or 10 instead. It seats around 60 people at group-friendly tables — exclusive-use bookings are available for larger parties, but there are no individual private rooms. Online reservations are available, and walk-ins are common, though weekend evenings can fill up. Recent (2026) online reviews, plus a Tabelog "Hot Restaurant 2026" recognition, confirm it is still operating normally, with staff actively helping guests grill the dish.