Recently, I have been going there for lunch quite often. They open at 11:30, so I always enter right around opening time. It's very relaxed at that time, and there's never a crowd, which is nice. Also, from 11:30 to 17:00, they have a Happy Hour with discounted drinks (weekdays only). The regular Highball is 462 yen, but during Happy Hour, it's 253 yen, and the Mega size is 506 yen instead of 825 yen, which is a great deal. I usually go for the Silver Yakisoba for 682 yen, but this time I had the following combination: - Sakura Ebi Chijimi for 528 yen - Silver Motsu Nabe Mini for 330 yen The Motsu Nabe Mini has a good amount of motsu and is quite satisfying. The Chijimi is nothing special, but I enjoyed it with my Highball. Paid with PayPay, thank you for the meal!

Met up with a friend at JR Kashii Station and arrived 30 minutes early. Spotted a place called "Gindako Sakaba" in the rotary and couldn't resist going in because of the muggy weather. Ordered a draft beer and 4 pieces of takoyaki. Then, some appetizers were served. Didn't realize there were appetizers... Finished the draft beer quickly before the takoyaki arrived! So tasty! Ordered another one and enjoyed the piping hot takoyaki. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Added a highball to the mix. Takoyaki is usually for takeout, but having it fresh from the grill with draft beer and highball was amazing. A quick and satisfying meal. Perfect for passing time while waiting. It's great that it's right by the station. Thank you for the meal~

Last year's story. Gin-Dako Sakaba Kashii Ekimae Store... Located in front of JR Kashii Station, it is convenient and easy to enter because the door is open. The sauce takoyaki is 310 yen, and the 4 pieces of fried chicken are 440 yen, both freshly fried and hot, which is nice, but the insides are quite hollow with mayonnaise and grated radish packed separately, giving it a somewhat cheap feeling. It feels like drinking at home. Well, it's convenient for a quick drink and go home. No need to stay long, haha.

Today, I went on an expedition to Shiga Island. I stopped by Kaizuka for a quick meal. The takoyaki was delicious, but the service was slow because the part-time staff seemed overwhelmed. The takoyaki was tasty, but if they improve the training for the part-time employees, the business could thrive even more. It's a bit harsh, but it's a shame to miss out on such a casual dining experience.

I felt like eating takoyaki and found a menu with yakisoba set. When I saw the word "yakisoba," I thought it came with takoyaki and a drink. The yakisoba had plenty of vegetables and was crunchy. It would be even better with a little more sauce. Thank you for the meal.

I felt like eating takoyaki, and as expected, hot takoyaki is delicious! I also ordered the eggplant with black miso and sansho pepper, which looked delicious. However, the seasoning was a bit light compared to how it looked. Thank you for the meal.

Yesterday, I went to this restaurant for day drinking and ended up telling my wife about it. She suddenly wanted to eat takoyaki, so we visited the restaurant on Sunday night. It was before 7 pm, but the place was quite crowded with mostly college-aged people. We sat at a table for 4. The same waitress from yesterday took our order again. We ordered: - Highball x3 - Takoyaki with sauce x4 (341 yen) - Cheese and mentaiko takoyaki x4 (407 yen) - Grilled pork plate (682 yen) - Beef tripe stew for 2 people (858 yen) - Green pepper appetizer (330 yen) The grilled pork was decent, but nothing else stood out. The beef tripe stew felt a bit pricey. I wanted to order the "minced cutlet" which was not available yesterday, but when I asked about it, they confirmed it was still not available. It would be better if they removed it from the menu if it's no longer offered. At the checkout, there was an issue. When I asked for the bill, I was told to line up at the takeout counter outside. I waited behind one person waiting for takeout. After waiting for a while with no update, I asked if I could pay yet, and the man who seemed like the manager was surprised and asked, "Are you ready to pay?" I gave him a piece of my mind, but kept my anger in check as I might visit again someday. The total bill was 4,345 yen, including the cover charge. I paid with PayPay.

On a Saturday afternoon after 2pm, I felt like having a drink during my usual walk and decided to visit this place. Upon entering, they provided alcohol disinfection and took my temperature. There were 2 groups of 2 customers already there. They told me to sit wherever I liked, so I chose a seat at a table for 4 by myself. The staff, who seemed like inexperienced student part-timers, came to take my order. I ordered the following: - Highball (whiskey soda) x2 for 429 yen each - 6 pieces of sauce-flavored takoyaki for 509 yen - Beef harami steak for 286 yen It was nice that you could order takoyaki in sets of 4, 6, or 8, even though it wasn't listed on the menu. I also tried to order the "menchi katsu" which was on the signboard, but they said they didn't have it, which was disappointing! I was the only one drinking in the afternoon, and surprisingly, the non-drinkers left quite quickly. After the previous customers left, a group of 4 high school girls and 2 couples came in. It was a very pleasant time to drink in the afternoon and read a paperback book. I had 2 drinks and went to pay. The total was 1,873 yen (including tax), and I was surprised that there was a 220 yen table charge! They accepted PayPay as well.

When you don't feel like eating a heavy dinner, I tried eating takoyaki and yakitori with a highball. The yakitori was cooked with a sweet sauce and I thought it was pretty good. As I looked up, I saw many other menu options and decided to try something different next time.

Final outdoor drinking at Gindako Sakaba in Kashii. It's a shame that outdoor drinking is prohibited in Manbo, but they should be more flexible with their measures. The last outdoor drinking spot ended up being Gindako Sakaba near Kashii Station. While it's a common chain in Tokyo, it's a novelty for my companion. We started with a draft beer, which came with a small appetizer for 220 yen, followed by a namul side dish. Given that it used to be a takoyaki place, the charges for these small dishes seem a bit excessive. The octopus sashimi with olive oil cost 528 yen, and the fried chicken (4 pieces) cost 484 yen. Of course, we had to have some takoyaki as well, which cost 341 yen for 4 pieces. The concept is good, but overall, it's not a budget-friendly option. We added a highball to our order, bringing the total bill to 3300 yen. Just one last push!

There were many young customers.

The area in front of JR Kashii Station has seen the opening of several new buildings and many new shops. Among them, there is one shop that always has a long line. It is Tsukiji Gindako, which opened in May 2021. This popular shop serves takoyaki with a crispy exterior and a creamy interior in a izakaya style setting. Located right in front of the station, the shop is always crowded, with takeout customers waiting 20-30 minutes in line. I decided to try it out and got my takoyaki after waiting during off-peak hours. As expected, the takoyaki had a crispy exterior and a creamy interior, with a nice savory flavor. They also offer variations like teritama and cheese mentaiko, making it a convenient and delicious snack or souvenir. Eating hot takoyaki during the cold season is truly a special experience. Thank you, Tsukiji Gindako Kashii Station branch!

JR Kashii Station, in front of which "Tsukiji Gindako" opened this year, seemed crowded so I hesitated to go in for some takoyaki and a drink. Today, at my wife's request, we decided to get takeout. When we arrived, we found out that they only offer takeout and delivery during the state of emergency. We got the "Negi-dako 8 pieces" for 680 yen. The negi-dako is served with grated daikon radish and dipping sauce, not with sauce and mayonnaise. They asked if we wanted to add shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), but my wife doesn't like spicy food so we declined. I realized it had been years since I last had Gindako takoyaki. The outside was crispy while the inside was moist. Enjoying it with non-alcoholic beer, dipping it in the sauce and grated daikon radish, it was quite delicious. We also tried it with the traditional sauce and mayonnaise, and that was delicious too! Paid with PayPay, 680 yen. In terms of cost performance, it may not be the best!