"Keisuke Uno's three live counters and modern kaiseki on Fairmont's third floor; book the teppanyaki seats to impress a client."
Three live counters, one room, and a single executive chef over all of it. Mikuni sits on the third floor of Fairmont Singapore at 80 Bras Basah Road, where Keisuke Uno runs teppanyaki, sushi and robatayaki stations side by side and writes the kaiseki menu that ties them together. The signature opener is Hokkaido sea urchin with snow crab and scallop at S$54. It is a hotel restaurant carrying none of the apology that phrase usually implies.
The Kitchen
Keisuke Uno took over Mikuni after Moon Kyung Soo left for Melbourne, and he now designs the kaiseki menu as well as supervising the three open stations. The format is the draw: a teppanyaki counter, a sushi counter and a robatayaki grill, each with its own master, so one table can move through seared wagyu, nigiri cut to order and charcoal-fired seafood in a single sitting. Uno's modern kaiseki threads contemporary plating through older technique without losing the season. The signature Hokkaido sea urchin with snow crab and scallop runs S$54, the wagyu shabu-shabu hot pot S$128, and most a la carte mains land between S$60 and S$150, with counter omakase and set menus climbing higher. The Michelin Guide ran a chef spotlight on Uno's cooking here, and the restaurant has held its place among the city's senior Japanese rooms since it opened at Fairmont in 2010. The address is fixed: Level 3, Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road, by City Hall.
The Room
Mikuni is built around its counters rather than a dining-room view. The three stations anchor the space, and the seats to ask for face the chefs at the teppanyaki and sushi bars, where the cooking is the entertainment. Sound sits at an easy hum, loud enough to talk freely at a business dinner, quiet enough to hear the grill. Lighting is low and warm over dark wood and stone. Tables are generously spaced, with private rooms for larger or more discreet parties. Dress is smart: no jacket required, though resort wear looks out of place.
Best for Impressing a Client in Singapore
Book a counter at Mikuni to impress a client because the room hands you three reasons to be there. The live stations give a guest something to watch and react to, so the talk never stalls between courses. The private rooms let you discuss numbers without the next table hearing. And the spread of teppanyaki, sushi and robatayaki means you can read a guest's taste and order to it rather than committing everyone to one set menu. Reserve the teppanyaki counter, let the chef pace the wagyu, and keep the sake pairing moving. See more options in our Singapore dining guide.
Not for
Skip Mikuni if you want a quiet, low-key dinner: it is a hotel restaurant built around live cooking stations, and the teppanyaki counter in particular is theatre, not a hideaway.
Frequently Asked
Is Mikuni worth it?
Yes, if you go for the counters rather than treating it as a hotel buffet. Mikuni splits its kitchen into teppanyaki, sushi and robatayaki stations under executive chef Keisuke Uno, so a meal here is several specialist experiences in one room. Prices are high, with most mains S$60 to S$150, but the wagyu, the sushi and the modern kaiseki hold up. For a business dinner in our Singapore dining guide, it earns its place.
How hard is it to book Mikuni?
Moderately hard for the counters, easier for the dining room. Mikuni takes reservations on OpenTable and by phone through Fairmont Singapore, and the teppanyaki and sushi counter seats are limited, so weekend bookings should go in a week or two ahead. Lunch is far easier than dinner. Private rooms need advance notice and a minimum spend. Teppanyaki set menus require prepayment and a 24-hour pre-order.
What is the dress code at Mikuni?
Smart, with no jacket required. Mikuni is an upscale hotel restaurant, so collared shirts, dresses and smart-casual clothing all fit, and most diners dress up a little for dinner. Beachwear, flip-flops and gym clothes are out of place given the setting and the prices. There is no formal black-tie requirement, but the room reads as a special-occasion or business venue rather than a casual drop-in.
What is the average meal price at Mikuni?
Expect roughly S$120 to S$250 a head for dinner before drinks. A la carte mains run between S$60 and S$150, with signatures like the Hokkaido sea urchin with snow crab and scallop at S$54 and the wagyu shabu-shabu hot pot at S$128. Counter omakase and teppanyaki set menus sit higher, and sake or wine pairings add to the bill. Lunch sets are the cheaper way in.
What should I order at Mikuni?
Start with the signature Hokkaido sea urchin with snow crab and scallop, then split your meal across the counters. Take wagyu from the teppanyaki grill, a few pieces of nigiri from the sushi bar, and something charcoal-fired from the robatayaki, which is the point of a three-station kitchen. If you want the chef to lead, ask for the omakase and a matched sake pairing. The kaiseki sets are the most complete way to see Uno's cooking.