Shimokitazawa is a place where you can drink until late, so I decided to check it out after 8 pm. I was guided to a table and alcohol was served without any issues. The chicken skin was delicious but the portion was small. The toriwasa was a bit too cold, probably because it was thawed. The edamame portion was also very small. This restaurant is located in the basement of a love hotel called Andre, and despite the affordable signage outside, I found it to be quite pricey for what you get. Overall, it was an okay experience.

While wandering around Shimokitazawa, I stumbled upon a shop with surprisingly low prices called "Oren-ya"...I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before. I decided to go in thinking, well, if it's cheap, it's worth a try. The inside of the shop was a typical izakaya, but it felt slightly dim. When I tried to order, I was told that each person had to order 2 dishes. I hadn't heard about this rule, and besides, it wasn't even all-you-can-drink. After negotiating, they agreed that I didn't have to order 2 dishes. The food was all quite expensive, and the taste was so-so. In the end, the bill was quite high. I realized that I should have done more research before going. As a side note, this "Oren-ya" was apparently not related to the one I knew, "Orenchi Koi". It's confusing...

I found this restaurant on the way from Shimokitazawa South Exit towards Osho, so I decided to give it a try. The restaurant is located underground and they only accept cash payments. It would have been better if they had mentioned it when entering. They offer a variety of items on the menu, but the yakitori was just okay. The best dish was the chicken skin with ponzu sauce. It's a 2-food minimum per person, so I recommend choosing carefully. It's a casual izakaya, but the cost performance is not great. Personally, I would have liked a bit more cleanliness. Well then, I'll go check out the next restaurant.

Well, please take a look at the first photo. I had about an hour to spare before meeting up, so I casually walked into this place that caught my eye. I should have noticed that the drinks were only 199 yen, so I have no one to blame but myself for missing that. Anyway, when I entered, they first asked, "Are you okay with ordering 2 items per person at our store?" I confirmed that was fine. While it's not a bad thing to balance the cheap drinks with the food prices, I only intended to have a quick drink, so I ordered salted cabbage and 3 skewers. I felt a bit cheap for ordering so little, but oh well. The food that came out was honestly not something I would come back for. The cabbage had a lot (given the price), but it had a thick, commercial salt sauce that wasn't great. The cabbage itself wasn't bad, but it didn't seem like a high-quality item. The skewers, while taking a long time to cook, had a sweet flavor and weren't bad, but the thigh skewer I ordered with sauce tasted like a cheap, commercial chicken skewer sauce. The sign said it was a place for delicious food, but it seemed like they could claim whatever they wanted. They insisted that you must order 2 high-quality items, which was a bit off-putting. I tried to convince myself to accept it, but I had a feeling when I looked at the full menu. The prices were completely different from what was displayed outside. The drinks were in the 500 yen range. I ordered 3 lemon sours, which came in a small 350cc glass filled to the brim with ice. The taste was decent, but it was a proper lemon sour, so if it was priced at 199 yen, that would be understandable. However, I couldn't help but notice the server's reaction when I ordered it. I probably misunderstood something. I ended up mistakenly ordering two refills. Maybe there was some misunderstanding. It's common for places to have weekday-only happy hours and not offer them on weekends. In some cases, I could have ordered more food and drinks, but a lively group of young people started a party next to me, so I decided to clarify things early. As shown in the last photo, I asked, "Are lemon sours 500 yen?" and got a hesitant "Yes, that's right" in response, so I didn't press further. Once I checked the sign outside again, it was clear that the fault lay with me for not reading it properly. However, I must say that I simply cannot understand the sensibility that would consider this place "the best" from the start.

The only good thing is that you can smoke, I do not recommend it.

There is a 500 yen cover charge, a 10% service charge, and each person must order at least two items. The restaurant is small and allows smoking indoors (I wonder if this is currently allowed by law?). I don't think I will ever go back.

All-you-can-drink for 1 hour for 1000 yen.

The accounting is cash only.

It seems that the restaurant offers beer for 199 yen, but the overall cost ends up being quite high. Personally, I recommend the nearby 135 Sakaba because they offer generous portions and a wide variety of dishes. Each skewer counts as one item. I ordered umesuisho and nagaimo wasabi pickles, but they seemed slightly more expensive compared to other nearby restaurants. Umesuisho should be cheaper at Sumire. The level of service from the staff varies. It didn't quite impress me.

I wandered into a restaurant in Shimokitazawa and found the atmosphere to be a bit indescribable. The interior was clean, but the seating area I was led to was a bit cramped... It was an open floor with no private booths, just screens separating the tables. There weren't many other customers, so I wish I had a more spacious seat. The staff informed me it was a two-dish minimum order per person, but I wasn't very hungry and had come for drinks, so I was a bit unsure. I decided to order some dishes from the menu. The staff were friendly and the prices were not too high or too cheap. It could be a good choice for a first stop, but the ordering conditions for a second stop might be a bit challenging. The food and drinks were delicious, but I probably won't be returning. Thank you for the meal.

Shimokitazawa used to be known for its many bars, but nowadays there are only a few medium-sized izakayas left, making it difficult to find a place for a group of four. I visited "Orenchi" after a band studio rehearsal. The staff were busy and the place seemed to be thriving. Since I'm avoiding alcohol, I had oolong tea. The food is a bit pricey, and the system requires ordering at least two dishes per person. I wonder if this method is really necessary? The taste is not bad, and I particularly liked the wasabi dressing on the salad. It would be nice if they had some 300 yen menu options.

We used this restaurant for a group farewell party in March. We chose the 8-item, 3000 yen all-you-can-drink course, but the amount of food was too small. We were served edamame, macaroni salad, pork kimchi, fried pasta sticks, yakisoba, small rolled omelette, small fried chicken, and daikon salad, with each dish being served only one per table (for 4-5 people). The course did not include yakitori or sashimi as shown in the photos. The amount of food shown in the pictures was for 5 people. It felt like we were sharing food meant for 2 people at a regular izakaya among 5 people, constantly dividing one serving into five. Everyone awkwardly smiled when the food was served, and there was a storm of complaints to the organizer after the event.

I was lured into a restaurant by a street tout in front of the station who boasted about their low prices. Once inside, I was told I had to order a certain number of items per person. Reluctantly, I ordered and what came out was small yakitori and a tiny dashimaki tamago that was claimed to be their bestseller, but I had never seen anything like it at other restaurants. I can make better food at home than this place... I never thought there would be a restaurant like this in Shimokitazawa, not just in busy areas like Shinjuku or Ikebukuro. It's sad to think that a place like this can survive.