mar-chin
Early September 2023. I was drawn in by the sign of Happy Bubbles right after getting off at the south exit due to the intense heat. They open at 5 pm on weekdays and 3 pm on holidays, so I was able to enjoy it for almost an hour and a half! As soon as I sat down, I ordered two premium malts for 290 yen each (excluding tax) and we cheers! We also received popcorn for 380 yen as a complimentary snack, which was not soggy and helped to replenish saltiness. From the food menu, we ordered Mexican nachos for 490 yen and customized stone oven pizzas, which are known for their toppings (all cheese is included, and one topping worth 100-200 yen is free). We chose tomato base with jalapeño and basil with seafood. At this time, a young female staff member was serving us, and she even stretched out the pizza dough for us. The nachos arrived and were quite voluminous and deliciously crispy. We also had two more highball drinks for 290 yen each, and the jalapeño pizza was served on a thin-legged stand. The round table was small, which was a smart idea. The taste was great and the store manager came by (everyone had name tags). The first female staff member left, so I wondered if they were understaffed on weekdays. Cocktails can be customized with base and mixer, so I ordered tequila with orange, and the seafood pizza arrived just as we finished the first pizza. The basil sauce had a bit too much olive oil, but the taste was good. A few minutes before happy hour ended, the manager informed us, and we ordered two Jim Beam highballs for 190 yen each, as well as a tomato-based mixed vegetable and mixed mushroom pizza to finish. The colorful vegetables had a seasonal autumn feel, and the taste was refreshing. I was quite full by then, but managed to finish everything. There are other Rats in Shinjuku, but this one is an independent franchise store, so they also have limited edition menus. We had 8 drinks, nachos, and 3 pizzas for just over 3,000 yen, which was quite a miracle (only 90 yen was charged for service and as written on Tabelog). I will definitely visit Happy Bubbles again. Thank you for the meal!