Hakatamon hunkers darkly inside (and sort of next to) the Uwajimaya supermarket, where its sprightly lime-green walls only sort of distract you from the grungy surroundings. This tiny space gets packed and noisy with a mixed crowd of Anglos and Japanese-speaking diners, which livens up the atmosphere. Still it’s a bit too mall-like for a nice, relaxing dinner. For an authentic Japanese lunch, though, it can’t be beat.

Despite the bustle, service is good and the staff accommodating, although you might have to wait a bit at peak times. Gluten-free folks are offered wheat-free tamari, which they can put on very fresh sushi to their hearts’ content. The cuts are beautiful, the right balance between satisfyingly thick and delicately thin, with silky yellowtail belly and a sweet, buttermilky uni that rivals the very best. Rice is seasoned just right to set off the flavors and textures of the fish—just a dab of soy sauce is all you’ll need.

Don’t miss out on other terrific, authentic dishes like hiya yako, where wonderful homemade tofu cubes are topped with bonito shavings and scallions with fresh ginger; fresh, chewy udon noodles; or magically deep tonkotsu ramen, Kyushu-style, the broth cloudy and unusually complex from cooking a pork bone for 12 hours. Here, as with other ramen preps, the noodles are wonderfully bouncy and not a second overcooked.

There is a pretty good selection of hard-to-find sakes and the usual beers in bottle, but again, you might find yourself more impressed at lunch than at dinner. Not that we’re suggesting you should only drink sake and beer at dinner. Not by a long shot.