OK, to be equally clear, things are generally not only below $200 but also in many cases below $75. And as far as the very misleading thread about foreigners not being welcome and the related nonsense showing up in that thread, you would be hard-pressed to find such a place unless you were a Japanese speaker. They exist, but in no great measure.

Last month I had a meal in Tokyo that cost 11,000yen ($100) per person, including tax & svc.
That may have been the most expensive meal I've ever had in my 70-80 trips to Jpn.

I always think Japan has a reputation for being expensive, and there are obviously some very expensive restaurants. However, my experience has always been that you can eat very well for significantly less than 75 dollars per meal. Japan has an abundance of cheap and delicious food, there is no need to spend extravagantly to eat well. Obviously, you may want to treat yourself to an extravagant meal and there is nowhere better in the world to do this than in Japan.

I find that casual eateries are some of the best places for solo diners as I often notice some people eating alone in them and the prices are quite reasonable. The ramen shops, tonkatsu, etc. in Tokyo serve some of the best Japanese food I've ever had at $5-$20 usd. Part of the charm of experiencing local life is eating where locals eat on a regular basis and those places are typically very affordable and < $20 usd for a meal. Me and my wife generally opt for a stopover in Tokyo every chance we get when traveling to Asia. I can't remember the last time we paid more than $20 per person for a meal. It's not common to find ramen priced over that in Tokyo. Nakiryu is very popular and ramen starts at 850 yen with their most expensive at 1400 yen. Add in an alcoholic beverage at 400-500 yen and you're still under 2000 yen.

I enjoy the nicer sushi places also from time to time but nothing beats a nice kaiten (conveyor belt sushi) as sometimes it's nice to try things that you wouldn't know to normally order.

You might as well post them because I too would love that dm! I love adding to my list of places to eat at in Japan.

relying on amex concierge to find places to eat? what?

No, to make reservations, as I don't speak Japanese, and do not want to stay up at night placing long-distance telephone calls before my trip. I thought the context was clear since Amex was referenced after "Can I just go off the street or...." and the title of the thread "Reservations needed?"

But thank you for your contribution to the discussion.

In Japan delicious food can be had for as little as around $10. The Japanese do not necessarily like to spend a lot on everyday meals. On the other hand, you may want to enjoy some special meals at over $100~ or more.

You’ll definitely be okay regardless of budget. There are always interesting foods to be found.

I think for many places, all you need to do is wait in line. As a non-Japanese speaker, I've walked into restaurants off the street with no issue. Many will have displays/pictures of their food right outside the entrance and it helps in case you need to communicate to the wait staff. Comparing to when I first traveled to Japan 10+ years ago, English menus/signage is more common now. While not 100% accurate, Google Translate and similar apps like Waygo can help translate the non-English menus. They certainly helped me finding out daily/seasonal specials in a few restaurants.

If there's anything Japan has plenty of, it's restaurants. I've never been anything but a budget traveler by Flyer Talk standards, and I have never had trouble finding a reasonable and delicious meal. Often my problem is deciding where NOT to eat.

Every department store has a floor or two devoted to different varieties of restaurants, ranging from USD5.00 plain noodles to USD50.00 wagyuu steak. Every main thoroughfare is lined with restaurants, and in business districts, every side street is full of restaurants in all price ranges. In a pinch--and this happened to me once when I landed in a budget hotel that was in a totally residential area with no restaurants--the convenience stores sell cheap and edible box lunches and will even heat them up for you.

My general rule is that if a restaurant doesn't have its prices posted outside in some form--the famous plastic models of the food in the window, a picture menu, or prices on a chalkboard--then it's probably the type of place that one can't afford if one has to ask about the price.

When I first went to Japan 40 years ago, the Japanese food was great, but other cuisines were pale imitations of the real thing, the most notorious example being "Neapolitan spaghetti" that was stir-fried in ketchup. In the past 30 years, though, despite Japan's less than generous attitudes toward immigration, it has become easier to find wonderful ethnic restaurants operated by immigrants from various countries and European-style restaurants operated by Japanese who have studied cooking in France or Italy.

The best thing I ate in Tokyo last week was a bowl of vegetable tempura soba at Kameya in Omoide Yokocho for $4 USD.

I concur. You're spoiled for choice in Japan, in terms of where to eat. One of the things I always look forward to are all the different places I can chose from.

Can you PM me with these, too? Going to be feeding hungry teen boys.

In all my trips to Japan, I have only ever had one meal in the $100 price range and that was a birthday celebration for some dear friends. Beyond that, I don't think I ever spent more than $50 per DAY on meals and more often than not it was much less. I never made a reservation other than the aforementioned birthday dinner at Azalea in Kyoto. Before my first visit I worried a bit about my limited Japanese and finding decent meals. It was unfounded and I never went hungry. Enjoyable food is one of the better reasons to visit Japan.

you are overthinking it if you a) cant find anything under $200, and b) think you need reservations for every meal.

just walk around!