"France's first Michelin-starred Japanese kitchen — Koji Aida's nine-seat teppanyaki counter, €280, Burgundy by hand. Book it to impress a client."
Nine seats at the counter, one tasting menu at €280, and a Burgundy list the chef pours himself. Aida sits behind a sliding door on rue Pierre-Leroux in the 7th, and when Koji Aida earned a Michelin star in 2008 it became the first Japanese restaurant in France to hold one — a distinction it still carries in the 2025 guide. There is no à la carte, no choice, and no rush. You eat what the griddle gives you, in the order the chef decides.
Koji Aida trained in Japan before settling in Paris, and his teppanyaki is closer to kappo (counter-style refined cooking) than to the showy griddle theatre the word usually conjures. The format is a single omakase that runs from sashimi to a grilled finale: halibut and mackerel sliced to order, croquettes of veal sweetbread, Brittany lobster, and the dish most regulars come back for — Kobe beef seared on the teppan and rested in front of you, served in a few unhurried bites. Chateaubriand appears on the griddle in the same register.
What separates Aida from the city's other Japanese tables is the wine. Aida keeps a deep Burgundy cellar and pours it himself, matching grand cru whites to the lighter courses and structured reds to the beef. The €280 menu buys the food; the pairing is its own conversation with the chef. Service is the chef and one assistant, no more, which is why the room holds nine and the booking is tight.
The room is small and sober: pale wood, a single counter facing the griddle, and a separate tatami washitsu for parties who want a door. Lighting is even and bright over the teppan so you can watch the knife work, not mood-dim. Sound stays low — nine diners and a chef means conversation runs at a murmur, and the pace is set by the griddle, not the table. Dress is smart; this is the 7th, not an izakaya. Count on three hours from the first slice of sashimi to the last pour of Burgundy.
Book Aida to impress a client because the format does the work for you: there is no menu to negotiate, the chef narrates each course, and the Burgundy pairing gives the table something to discuss that isn't the deal. Nine seats means privacy without a private room, and the €280 set removes the cheque-staring at the end. For a guest who has eaten everywhere, the line that lands is simple — this was the first Japanese kitchen in France to win a Michelin star, in 2008, and Koji Aida has held it ever since.
Skip Aida if you want choice or a quick bite — there is one €280 set menu, no à la carte, and the omakase runs close to three hours.
Yes, if you value precision over spectacle. Aida's €280 teppanyaki omakase is among the most exacting Japanese meals in Paris, and chef Koji Aida's Burgundy pairings are why regulars return. It is not cheap and there is no à la carte fallback, so come for the full counter experience or not at all. It was the first Japanese restaurant in France to earn a Michelin star, in 2008.
Aida is hard to book because the counter seats only nine and there is one seating a night. Reserve at least a week ahead by phone, and longer for Friday and Saturday. The tatami room takes small private parties. Walk-ins are not realistic, so if your dates are fixed, call as early as the booking window opens rather than chancing a late table.
The dress code at Aida is smart. There is no jacket requirement, but this is a refined counter in the 7th arrondissement, not a casual izakaya, so leave the shorts and trainers at home. Most diners wear smart-casual to business dress. The room is intimate and brightly lit over the griddle, so you will be seen clearly by the chef and the eight other guests.
Dinner at Aida is €280 per person for the tasting menu, before wine. There is no shorter or cheaper option in the evening — the omakase is the only format. Burgundy pairings, poured by the chef from his own cellar, are charged on top and can add substantially to the bill. Budget for a three-hour meal at the higher end of Paris pricing.
You do not order at Aida — the chef decides. The set omakase runs from halibut and mackerel sashimi through veal-sweetbread croquettes to the Kobe beef seared on the teppanyaki griddle, the course most regulars rate highest. If you drink, take the Burgundy pairing; the cellar is the chef's own passion and the match to the beef is the high point of the meal.
Nine counter seats and one seating a night; reserve a week or more ahead, especially for weekends.
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Aida is one of the counters in our ranked guide to the best Japanese restaurants in Paris.
See the Paris ranking →