Yesterday, I played golf and then had a stretch at 1:00 and a massage at 3:30, finally feeling relaxed. We went to a restaurant and had a toast with a Suntory Hakushu double highball (for me) and a draft beer (for my wife). We enjoyed Kobe miso sauce gyoza, a mix of medium fatty tuna and negitoro, homemade thick fried tofu oden with grated yam and kelp, crispy fried garlic, Hiroshima oyster fry with purple shiso tartar sauce, New Masu Colors Junmai Ginjo, Imada Tokubetsu Junmai, miso-marinated cream cheese, and simmered chicken skin. The place is affordable and popular, but surprisingly not crowded today. We were almost the only customers for a while, but more people started coming in around 6:00, and by the time we left at 6:30, it was about half full. We first visited in August this year, and today marks our sixth visit, almost monthly. Thank you for the past six months, and we look forward to coming back next year.

This day, I went drinking in Takadanobaba. I heard that there are cheap izakayas near the station, so I decided to visit one. The interior of the restaurant had a lot of seats and bright lighting, giving off a chain store vibe. Orders were made through a touch panel system, but only the recommended menu items were ordered directly from the staff. I didn't hesitate to order a draft beer for 250 yen as it was a good deal. I ordered the recommended dishes of "Toro Taku Bomb" and Tororo Tofu. The food was decently delicious. There was also a menu called "Rock-Paper-Scissors Highball & Sour," so I decided to try it for my second drink. If you win at rock-paper-scissors, you can drink for 110 yen, and if you lose, you get a mega-sized drink for 704 yen. Either way, it seemed like a good deal. I managed to win this time and enjoyed a highball for 110 yen. The food was a bit pricey than expected, so if you're looking for affordability, other restaurants might be better. Overall, considering the food and atmosphere, I wouldn't go out of my way to choose this restaurant, but it's a decent place with no disappointments - a stable option.

During my visit in June, the Japanese sake was as delicious as always! New seasonal food items such as grilled eggplant and myoga in dashi soy sauce, and Tanaka ginger miso with mayonnaise were added to the menu. The tempura of Sakiika (cuttlefish) and red ginger was also quite good. The menu for this visit included edamame, grilled eggplant with myoga in dashi soy sauce, crispy spicy oil dumplings, butter soy sauce oysters, tempura of Sakiika and red ginger, Tanaka ginger miso with mayonnaise, delicious fried chicken, Akashi-style rolled omelette, addictive cucumber, spring rolls with pork kimchi cheese, whitebait and okra okonomiyaki, salted cabbage Neapolitan, and 6 glasses of sake (night) for 8000 yen per person. This is a casual pub from Kobe with a great selection of sake. Orders are placed individually using a tablet. The atmosphere is that of a casual pub.

Having lunch in Takadanobaba. This place is close to Toyamaguchi, along the railway tracks. I arrived around 12:30 pm and there were about 20 customers already seated, with another 20 or so coming in after me. From the outside, the restaurant doesn't look that big, but it can easily accommodate around 50 people. There were groups of about 10 students dining together, and some groups were even having lunch drinks. The atmosphere inside is like a casual izakaya. The lunch menu has around 10 options, with about 5 dishes featuring fried chicken. There is also a daily special lunch menu available after 1 pm. I ordered the fried chicken. You place your order using a touch panel, and then bring the panel to the register for payment. It took about 15 minutes for the food to be served. Only the main dishes are brought to your table, while rice and miso soup are self-serve. The fried chicken was served in large portions, with 4 or 5 pieces. The coating was thick, but there was plenty of meat. There was also some spaghetti hidden under a fried egg, so the portion size was quite generous. It's affordable and filling. It's no wonder why groups of students come here. (June 2023)

Discovered an izakaya that serves lunch menu all day long. I entered around 2:30 PM and managed to avoid the lunch rush, so relieved. It's about a 2-minute walk from "Takadanobaba Station" towards Shin-Okubo. The place is called "Tsurukame Hachiban Tokyo Main Store" and has quite a few seats, with groups of people drinking during the day. There is no background music, so you can hear the conversations of the customers. I was directed to a counter seat with high boards for privacy. They have various condiments on the table, such as Oliver sauce, chili oil, salt, and salt for fried chicken. Orders are taken through a tablet, and you bring it to the register when paying. The daily and weekly set meals are available from 1 PM to 6 PM. The portion size was impressive. - Chicken Karaage Set Meal 700 yen The miso soup and rice are self-service, but there was no explanation from the unusual older lady serving us. The miso soup was salty with daikon and green onions added later. The rice was heavy and low quality. I had a bad feeling when serving myself, so I took a small amount. The side dish was cucumber and bean sprout vinegar salad, which was huge. The chicken karaage was crispy and easy to eat as it was pre-cut in half. It was juicy and seasoned with salt and pepper. It came with a half-cooked sunny-side-up egg, cabbage, and spaghetti. I wish they had provided mayonnaise for the chicken karaage. Despite the disappointing rice quality, the portion size for 700 yen was worth it. This place surprisingly had a great selection of sake items, including good ones like Shinsei. It might be better for a hearty meal in the evening.

The restaurant was visited before 7pm on a weekday evening. The seating was about 30% full. The drinks were still cheap, with draft beer priced at 250 yen before tax, and soft drinks at 280 yen. The menu had previously been limited, but now there are more options available. However, the prices have increased from around 300-500 yen to 500-700 yen. Some menu items include flavored egg and tuna for 650 yen, octopus and spring onion salad for 432 yen, potato fries for 420 yen, charcoal-grilled chicken for 580 yen, fried chicken for 630 yen, and sauce yakisoba for 680 yen. The taste is okay, but the portion sizes seem smaller and the presentation looks a bit sad. The staff's response and service are still good, but the restaurant's competitive advantage in terms of cost-effectiveness has diminished significantly.

I was actually looking for a soba shop, but ended up finding this place without really knowing what it was. They had a lot of unfamiliar dishes that seemed to be unique to Hyogo. (laughs) I ordered the oil-drizzled chicken set meal, and my daughter got the tuna sashimi with green onion and tororo (grated yam) set meal. The portions were quite generous, and it might be a challenge for women. It truly felt like a student town. Thank you for the meal.

Next to the guard at Takadanobaba Station, in the middle of the Waseda and Toyama exits. I wanted to sit down because I was tired from walking and also needed to take a restroom break. Even during the state of emergency, when I passed by while they were open, it was very crowded outside. When I went in the evening, there were only 3 groups of 6 people total as the first customers, and the place was empty. They seated us in the area where there were no other customers. We ordered using a tablet. The appetizers were almost the same as last time and didn't make much of an impact. I ordered a draft beer (including tax 250 yen) but it had a slight metallic taste, so I switched to bottled beer (including tax 500 yen). I also ordered the charcoal-grilled chicken, which I have been enjoying recently. I enjoyed nibbling on the food and sipping my drink. The restroom is separate for men and women and the restaurant is non-smoking.

A festive izakaya with a celebratory name. Located near Takadanobaba and Waseda Station, just walk towards Shin-Okubo and you'll see a large lantern hanging outside, making it easy to spot. I visited for lunch for the first time. I decided on the oil-drizzled chicken outside the store, but when I told the staff, they said, "Wait!" and brought out a large tablet for ordering. They asked me to bring it back for payment later. It would be nice if it could be a bit more compact. I added a raw egg to the oil-drizzled chicken, but later regretted it because I didn't realize it came with a sunny-side-up egg. The dish was quite generous with oil-drizzled chicken, cabbage, red spaghetti, and a sunny-side-up egg. It also came with pickles and a raw egg on the side. I had to serve myself rice and miso soup. I scooped a little rice and started eating! The oil-drizzled chicken had a lot of batter and a bit of bitterness. It was okay, but I liked the style. No wonder it's always crowded even in the late afternoon. I finished with egg over rice and it was a satisfying meal! I'll try a different menu next time, without the raw egg. This izakaya chain from Hyogo Prefecture, known for serving plenty of Harima sake, only has a branch in Takadanobaba in Tokyo. It's also bustling at night! I'd like to visit in the evening too!

Visited again in December (22nd) The food is decent without any pretense, but the sake is outstanding. This time, we enjoyed six cups of excellent sake, starting with the forbidden move polishing 10% Daiginjo, and it was a delightful experience! Menu highlights included edamame hanpen and cheese sandwiched fried, fried potatoes with mentaiko mayo, signature chicken karaage, Kobe miso sauce gyoza, Akashi-style rolled omelette, black grilled chicken with yuzu pepper, addictive cucumber with bonito flakes and kelp, crispy cabbage sauce yakisoba with fried egg on top (shared by 3 people), and 6 cups of sake in the evening. The total cost was 7000 yen per person. This Kobe-based unpretentious izakaya has an exceptional selection of sake. Ordering is done individually using a tablet. The atmosphere is that of a typical casual izakaya.

Visited again in late September. Ordered a variety of dishes including Akashi-style rolled omelette, hanpen and cheese stuffed deep-fried, and sauce yakisoba with fried egg on top. The selection of Japanese sake has improved since the last visit, making it a delightful evening filled with delicious sake. The menu for this visit included edamame, long spring rolls, potato salad with crane and turtle, curry-flavored negi mayo dumplings, and more. The atmosphere of the restaurant is casual and welcoming, with a great selection of Japanese sake. The ordering system is done through tablets for individual dishes. The overall vibe is that of a casual izakaya with exceptional sake offerings.

I became a lunch refugee and visited Tsurukame Hachiban Tokyo Main Store for the first time in a while. I hadn't been there for a while not because the food was bad, but because the portions were too big and I tended to overeat. I ordered the chicken tempura set meal for 700 yen. It was served in about 1 minute. It was too fast, right? I tried the tempura and it was lukewarm. It used to be freshly fried and crispy, but now it seems they may be pre-making them or maybe they just happened to have some leftovers at that time. It was very disappointing. I don't think I'll be going there again for a while.

I went to this place with a friend for drinks. It's a shop where you can enjoy a wide variety of Japanese sake. The most delicious appetizer we tried was definitely the Akashiyaki-style dashimaki. The fluffy dashimaki with plenty of broth poured over it was amazing. It even had octopus inside! And you can get refills of the broth. It felt like eating a giant Akashiyaki, with the broth soaked into the fluffy dashimaki being so tasty. Of course, we had to get a refill of the broth. We also tried other dishes. The shirataki with shiso and mentaiko was refreshing with a punch of shiso and mentaiko flavors. The curry-flavored gyoza with curry mayo and negi mayo was great with not just sake but also with beer or highball for the first drink. The combination of chu-toro tuna and negitoro was deliciously creamy, and the squid shiokara without being too salty was also good. The addictive cucumber with plenty of sesame oil is a must-order for summer. The sake was served in half-glass portions. The Sogapearl had a solid richness, maybe due to aging, with a distinctive sharpness. The Gikyou Tai was slightly on the dry side, and the Lai Rakku had a sweet taste making it easy to drink. The Koeikiku had a unique acidity that I enjoyed. Since the dishes and drinks were small, we could enjoy a variety and left satisfied. The lineup of Japanese sake had many unique options which was great.

This place is a casual izakaya in Kobe with a great selection of sake. You order dishes individually using a tablet. The atmosphere is that of a typical casual izakaya. The menu includes dishes like Tsukune potato salad, grilled chicken skin with avocado and sake lees, cheese and fish cake tempura, curry-flavored gyoza with mayonnaise, Akashi-style rolled omelette, fried chicken, assorted tuna and negitoro, anchovy-style cabbage, grilled chicken with yuzu pepper, horse mackerel fry, yakisoba with fried egg on top, and 7 glasses of sake for 7000 yen per person in the evening.

Revisited (April 22nd) after a long time. The highlight this time was the chikuwa cheese isobe-age, which was a hit on my first try. The highlight among the sake selection was the fruity limited edition version of Niigata's Shinsei! The menu this time included simmered chicken skin with salted kelp, green peppers with Kobe miso sauce, gyoza with bonito rare cutlet, chikuwa cheese isobe-age, Akashi-style rolled omelette, adult's potato fries, cucumber sauce, yakisoba with fried egg on top, and 7 types of sake (evening) for 7000 yen per person. This restaurant is a casual izakaya from Kobe with a great selection of sake. Orders are placed individually using a tablet. The atmosphere is that of a casual izakaya.

Located along the railway tracks, about halfway between Waseda Exit and Baba Exit of Takadanobaba Station, is an izakaya where you can enjoy a hearty lunch. It had been about a year since my last visit, so I decided to drop by during lunchtime on a weekday. The spacious interior is lined with tables, and the capacity is quite large. There were about 5 or 6 groups of customers inside. The lunch menu offers 8 choices, with some changes from a year ago, such as the disappearance of the Chicken Nanban dish. This time, I opted for the Teriyaki Chicken set. The Teriyaki Chicken set cost 600 yen and was served promptly within 10 minutes. You can help yourself to rice and miso soup, which is a convenient service for students. The large plate came with a generous portion of salad and large pieces of Teriyaki Chicken. The meat was tender, although lacking in a strong grilled flavor. The Teriyaki sauce was mildly sweet and pooled at the bottom of the plate. The rice was delicious when eaten with the sauce. The set also included pickles and tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). Overall, the meal was satisfying and left me feeling full. Payment can be made using PayPay, and smoking is allowed outside next to the entrance. With its good value for money, I will definitely visit again.

Visited Tsurukame Hachiban for hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) in January. The highlight this time was the "Dassai New Year's delivery" sake. Menu highlights included grilled chicken with yuzu pepper, simmered chicken skin, stir-fried konjac, curry-flavored negimayo dumplings, Akashi-style rolled omelette, homemade spicy oil chicken, Tsuru and Kame's potato salad, edamame, rare katsu with bonito, mentaiko cheese yamaimo yaki, seared chashu, Hiroshima oyster fry with pickled shiba, tartar sauce, yakisoba with fried egg on top, plus one beer and five glasses of sake for 6000 yen per person. This Kobe-based, unpretentious izakaya has an exceptional selection of sake. Order a la carte and enjoy the casual atmosphere of a typical izakaya.

Now that the situation with COVID has calmed down a bit, I went to a izakaya for a change. I've been curious about this place near Takadanobaba for a while. They mainly serve half servings of sake. They have about 40 different kinds including Niigata's Shinsen, Wakayama's Imada, and KID. The prices are reasonable too. It's great for comparing different types of sake. They also serve lunch until 6 o'clock, so set meals are available as well.

Tonight, my adorable younger daughter (a girl I adore like my own daughter) came to my house after a long time, so we decided to go out for dinner while chatting. The beautiful girl we were hoping to see was off today? The staff were dressed up for Halloween, and I lost in rock-paper-scissors to the cutest one, which meant I had to buy a Highball or Chuhai for 100 yen. The first time visitor, my younger daughter, was amazed by the lineup of drinks and happily enjoyed the egg omelette in the style of Akashiyaki. Seeing my favorite girl smile makes me happy♡ And I've started to worry when I don't hear from Myレビ様. I feel so grateful when people BM a restaurant based on my simple writing or food pictures, visit the restaurant, or leave comments. It seems like I'm drunk again←! Thank you to all the noble people who read this✨ Ah, it was another great day today (*´꒳`*)♪

I visited this izakaya for lunch on a regular day. There are many cheap and delicious restaurants in Takadanobaba, but this place offers lunch starting from 600 yen, which is very reasonable. I had the Teriyaki Chicken Set (600 yen), which was a generous portion. The chicken had a slight smell, but considering the price, I thought they were doing their best. The rice in the photo is self-service, so I took a small portion, but men can definitely go for a bigger serving! I would like to come back when I'm really hungry next time! Maybe I'll try the Chicken Karaage next? Thank you for the meal!

After the lifting of the declaration, I visited the restaurant for the first time. It was a Saturday afternoon, just after opening, so there were only a few customers. The price of draft beer had gone up since my last visit, and the menu had changed quite a bit. I started with a draft beer for 250 yen and checked the menu again. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the fried bean sardines (I miss them!). Come back, fried bean sardines! The yellowtail with sesame and green onions for 480 yen was buried under the onions, but the yellowtail was still there. It was fresh, but the flavor of sesame and green onions made it refreshing. The spicy vinegar-marinated Pacific saury for 380 yen was served warm, not cold as I expected. It wasn't very spicy, more like a savory dish. The fried chicken for 530 yen was the highlight, as always. The chicken dishes are consistently well-made, and the portion size was satisfying for the price. It seems like the options in the lower price range have decreased, but overall, it's still affordable. This is a must-visit restaurant for drinking in Baba, with good service from the staff and a serious attitude towards business. I'll definitely come back.