Crony: Facts and Reservation Tips

About Crony, Home of Light-hearted Dishes with Serious Technique

Crony is a 2-starred and green-starred innovative French restaurant in the Azabu neighborhood. Its cuisine combines French gastronomy with nordic influence and a spirit of play. The team is led by sommelier Kazutaka Ozawa, a veteran with 9 years at 3-star Quintessence, and globe-trotting chef Michiro Haruta, who boasts experience across 3 continents in the world’s most well respected kitchens. In 2021, Crony was awarded 2 Michelin stars, followed by the addition of a green star in 2023. It also ranked 30th in the 2025 Asia’s 50 Best list.

As Crony’s sommelier, Ozawa has amassed an extensive wine collection – over 2000 bottles. About 70% of the wine cellar is sourced from Champagne and Burgundy. Domestic wines also have a strong presence, reinforcing the restaurant’s commitment to supporting local producers. He was named Asia’s Best Sommelier by The World’s 50 Best committee in 2025.

Chef Haruta made it a personal goal to strike out as an independent chef before 30. He spent his 20s bouncing between the kitchens that many chefs only dream of: Ledoyen、 Quintessence、 Kadeau、 Maaemo、 Saison、 and more. Rather than focusing his energy under a single chef, he travelled the world, picking up techniques and searching for his own personal style. His energy creates a perfect balance to Ozawa’s focus.

Friends Over for Dinner

The name “Crony” was chosen to evoke life-long friendship. It’s an appropriate name for a restaurant where the major staff members are all friends from the prestigious Quintessance lineage, a French restaurant that has been continuously awarded 3 stars in the Michelin Guide. Sommelier Ozawa established Crony in 2016, bringing with him fellow Quintessence staff and Chef Haruta, at the time a fresh returnee from his stint at California’s Saison.

Crony’s friendly philosophy expands beyond their own kitchen – its menu development personalises farm-to-table dining. The team presents their menu based on the origin of the ingredients, featuring places they’ve been to and individuals they've fostered close ties with . In Japan, being able to “see the face” (a literal translation) of a producer isn’t necessarily a grab at prestige, but rather a display of the strong connections a restaurant has to its trusted suppliers. At Crony, this form of sustainable dining is never forced, but weaves a story through each plate.

Quiet Sustainability

There are many, many restaurants that self-appload their sustainable efforts and hinge the meal around it. Despite its green star, Crony isn’t one of these; they even hide their sustainability initiatives on the about page of their home website. To notice the waste-minimizing care taken throughout each course menu or the quiet replacements of one ingredient for a more sustainable version, diners have to pay attention. For example, each meal begins with a cup of tea and ends with a recycled appearance of those tea leaves in the form of a delicate gelato. 

Broth made of bones and cuttings is served after the meat course, and the salt used is exquisite sun-dried sea salt from Kochi prefecture. Chef Haruta speaks at length about the amazing farmers, fishermen, brewers and so on that he meets in person and takes inspiration from. His dishes connect diners to the people who create Crony’s raw materials, building a kind of camaraderie between chef, diner, and producer who all support each other.

A Playful Heart

At Crony, Chef Haruta’s personality comes through in creative touches that feel youthful, but never gimmicky. A potato souffle tastes exactly like the guilty pleasure of a potato chip.An ebelskiver-like dish is reminiscent of funnel cake but recalls the chef’s time in Scandinavia. Little cut-outs of crabs and florals decorate courses like a fine damask. It’s all great fun – flawless execution presented with the kind of playful unseriousness that makes the experience at Crony truly feel like a meal shared between friends.

High ceilings, vast windows and textural interest created by scandi furniture and dried and fresh plants feel very international. The space is warm and welcoming, clean, yet rustic enough to feel like your friend’s mom might come over to serve you the warm bread that has become this restaurant’s calling card. A whole loaf of sour dough is baked for each table, and leftovers sent home to become an unforgettable breakfast the next day.

How to Make a Reservation at Crony

Reservation Method 1: Official Home Page

In principle, reservations are only accepted through the restaurant’s official Tablecheck account. The home page reservation link conveniently redirects to the Tablecheck service. Business days and non-business days vary, so it’s recommended to check the calendar regularly. Dinner reservations are available for parties of two to six guests. Accompanying children age 16 and older are accepted. Any changes must be made a week in advance by phone or email. 

Reservation Method 2: Phone

In general, reservations are not accepted by phone.

Reservation Method 3: Online

Crony accepts reservations through Tablecheck.