I visited a bar where the rapper SAM often goes before his talk event, and I had the chance to meet him before the event! I left it to the bartender to choose the drinks and food, and they provided very delicious items. I will definitely be coming back here!

#Shimokitazawa Curry Festival 3rd stop 2018 Curry 425 stores 592 servings ■ Rich and flavorful Tomato Pork Curry ¥800 ▶︎ Vegetable topping ¥200 ★ Reversal Curry, pickled radish / rice substitution ● Cocktail Tiffin Cocktail Apricot Original Apricot-chan's tea cocktail It's delicious! ※ Iwamoto's new ginger and pickled radish are all-you-can-eat

The atmosphere of the shop was lovely with a unique interior typical of Shimokitazawa. I think they had made a reservation for a course, but at first, only popcorn, shrimp crackers, and other dry snacks were served, which was disappointing.

The owner is great.

This is my second time visiting this place. It has a hidden atmosphere, and when you climb the stairs to the third floor, you'll see three mysterious doors lined up. Only one of them is the entrance. It reminded me of an escape room (laughs). Inside, there are counter seats, table seats, and sofa seats. The table seats are spacious, probably designed for private standing parties. The counter has a typical bar feel, perfect for solo customers. We chose the sofa seats, which were comfortable with fluffy cushions and blankets. However, the sofa arrangement limits the table to four people. They offer a wide variety of cocktails, some of which are quite unique. Prices range from 800 to 900 yen per drink, which is a bit on the expensive side. We didn't have to wait long for our drinks. I also ordered a glass of red wine for 600 yen, but it was light and lacked tannins or bitterness, not my preference. We also ordered mixed nuts for 500 yen and a cheese assortment for 1300 yen. The cheese assortment was tasty, but it lacked a sense of luxury for the price. There was a dessert cheese with tofu cream cheese mixed with soy sauce and wasabi, topped with finely chopped seaweed. It was a great snack, but it didn't look very stylish. Lastly, we tried the Crispy Ice Cream for 600 yen, which was vanilla ice cream topped with Hershey's chocolate, giving a crispy texture. It was indeed crispy, but I wish there were more dessert options at a lower price. Overall, the food could be more delicious and stylish to attract female customers, especially with the surprise element at the entrance.

My girlfriend sometimes comes alone and says, "I found a super stylish restaurant," and comes to visit. The place is on the 3rd floor of a building to the left after turning at the south exit of Shimokitazawa, called Izakaya Tsumaduma. However, even when you get to the 3rd floor, there is only a heavy-looking black wall, which may make it difficult to enter. Many people may have reached the 3rd floor and then decided to give up. However, if you gather up the courage to enter the restaurant, you will find a completely un-Shimokitazawa-like, stylish space. The music is mostly jazz and old R&B, creating a very calming atmosphere! According to my friend, it is often used for movie and magazine shoots, so there are many customers from that industry as well. As expected, whether it's drinks or food, the "atmosphere" of where you drink is really important!! The atmosphere is really nice, but personally, I can't give a perfect score because the staff are young. If the food was a bit more substantial and the staff were around 35 years old, the "atmosphere" would be even better. The staff all looked to be around 25-26 years old at a glance. Unfortunately. But they were all good-looking and had a good vibe. When I went there the other day, I was recommended a hot pot dish, so I decided to order that with wine. By the way, tomorrow is the release of Beaujolais Nouveau, isn't it? Completely unrelated, though (laughs). The recommended dishes were Green Curry Hot Pot, around 1,680 yen, Tajine Hot Pot, around 1,480 yen, and Cheese Fondue, 1,880 yen. I really wanted to drink wine, so I played it safe and ordered the Cheese Fondue. Then the waiter said with a proud look, "This is highly recommended, it's a recipe passed down directly from the Swiss people." And true to that proud look, the Cheese Fondue was incredibly delicious, almost like a Cheese Fondue specialty store. We ended up opening two bottles of wine, totaling 8,880 yen!! The cost performance was also satisfying. I definitely want to try the Tajine Hot Pot and Green Curry Hot Pot next time.

I visited a cozy bar expecting a quiet atmosphere, but both the staff and customers were very noisy, giving off a student-like vibe. It was too loud, with staff bumping into me and taking a long time to come when called, forgetting orders that were placed, and so on. The place was quite bright, the music was loud and not to my taste. It's fine for young people who want to make noise, but it's not a bar in my opinion. I don't think I'll go back again. The food was typical bar food, nothing particularly special. I didn't find anything particularly delicious or terrible, just average food at a high price.

I attended a party on Beaujolais Nouveau Day. The location was easy to find, but the entrance was a bit hard to spot, so I ended up wandering around the front of the building. It was a hidden gem kind of Beaujolais party, where bringing your own bottle was allowed. We also added some bottles from the restaurant to have a tasting of 3-4 different kinds. The food was decided based on a set budget, and we left it to the chef to surprise us. There were cheese platters, pork in red wine stew, and other dishes that perfectly complemented the wine. It was nice that bringing our own wine was allowed, and they were flexible in creating a menu that fit our budget. It was actually a friend's favorite spot, so I'm grateful to them! The place had a real bar vibe, with friendly male staff and a collection of Western music records (they seem to have a music preference). It felt a bit like a Rock Bar. I heard they also have a terrace seat, which sounds great. If it's a warm season, I would love to have a drink here!

I visited this restaurant about a month ago when I was in Shimokitazawa. It's a hidden gem located on the third floor of a building near Shimokitazawa station, next to Domadoma. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with a counter seat, three table seats, and two box seats. There is a unique lighting fixture made of 900 shot glasses at the counter. There is also a DJ booth in the back, and they occasionally hold music events. I went with a friend and ended up chatting with some regular customers next to us and ended up drinking together until morning. The staff at Frank are friendly and it's easy to strike up conversations with other customers. I would love to visit this place again when I have the chance!

Visited this place in May after checking it out on Tabelog, and have been going there about twice a month since then! It's located at the end of the main street in Shimokitazawa, above a well-known izakaya, which can be easy to miss. The entrance is a bit hidden and the door is heavy, but that adds to its charm as a hidden gem. Once you open the door and enter, you'll see a mirror reflecting your image and three doors. Opening the white door at the back reveals a surprisingly spacious interior. The interior design, friendly bartender, and open terrace are impressive. The lighting made from 900 tequila shot glasses and the wall inspired by Marshall speakers create a cozy atmosphere. Last time I was there, the comedian Up Down Takemori was performing live, and the crowd was really lively. I usually sit at the counter alone, but the bartender and the customers are all friendly, and before I knew it, we were all drinking together. The bartender sometimes gets tipsy too, which adds to the fun. I've made drinking buddies in Shimokitazawa without even realizing it. On this particular day, there were three men at the counter, two pairs of women, and a group of four men and women on the sofa. The bartender provides a unique and engaging service, chatting with customers and making them laugh. Initially, I was wary of the friendly approach, but now it feels like chatting with a friend. The staff seem to love music, playing mainly Western songs like Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger" and Amy Winehouse's "Monkey Man," creating a great atmosphere. The prices are around 700 yen for drinks and 680 yen for food, which is not particularly cheap compared to other izakayas. They also offer BBQ on the balcony, and I saw some office workers having a party there. There are six branches of this place in Shimokitazawa, hosting various events like DJ nights, live performances, pole dancing, summer festivals, BBQs, diving schools, and more. I attended a BBQ event with around 60 people, ranging from their 20s to 40s, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I definitely want to visit this place again for more fun!

Visited the Shimokitazawa Curry Festival and ordered curry with fried vegetables topping. The combination of tomato umami, richness, and pork sweetness matched well, which is a flavor that Japanese people definitely enjoy. As a curry enthusiast, it may have lacked a bit of spice, but it was still very delicious! Thank you for the meal!

Shimokitazawa Curry Festival 2018. The third stop was here. Before arriving at this place, I actually visited two other restaurants but they had already finished their lunch service. It seems that many places take a break during the festival, so it's important to check in advance for next year (sweat). Despite this, this particular restaurant was not officially open yet, but they had a private event on the terrace that day. The staff kindly let us in while they were still preparing. The owner entertained us with lively conversation while making the curry, and even served us plenty of homemade pickles and pickled ginger (which were delicious!). Finally, a mini curry was served. The curry here had a strong tomato flavor but it wasn't too overpowering. It was rich and flavorful yet still easy to eat, and I finished it in no time. I would love to come back and try a full portion next time. When I asked the owner, I found out that this particular curry is not a regular menu item, but rather randomly selected from various recipes based on the owner's preference. I look forward to returning to Shimokitazawa and trying more dishes at this restaurant. Thank you for the meal. I'll definitely be back.

When you exit the south exit and walk a little, you will find an izakaya called Pia Pia. I didn't know there was a bar on top of that building. I noticed it during the Shimokitazawa Curry Fest and ordered the curry potato fries for takeout. It was quite average, like fast food fries, with a hint of curry spice and shredded red pepper. The curry flavor was weak, which was disappointing. Considering the price, I would have preferred it to be spicier.