The nearest station is Minami-Shinjuku Station in terms of train stations. From the perspective of a ramen shop, would it be fair to say that "Gankotsu Oyaji" is nearby? There is an izakaya with a rather intimidating name called "Gankotsu Oyaji." My own father doesn't give off a stubborn old man vibe, so I wonder what kind of place it is. Gankotsu Oyaji is apparently located underground. As soon as you enter, there is a counter seat. It feels more like a chic bar than an izakaya. There is an older gentleman at the counter who you might think is the "stubborn old man," but he is actually very friendly and doesn't give off that stubborn vibe. However, he seemed like he could be quite scary when angry, so he might turn into a stubborn old man when triggered. There were also three staff members, an elderly woman and a young woman. The counter was filled with what seemed like regular customers, so we were seated at a table in the back. The customers were all adults. The view from the back table towards the counter area was quite unique, but it didn't feel like a typical izakaya. The restroom was extremely spacious and very clean. It was truly impressive. It seems that Gankotsu Oyaji pays a lot of attention to the restroom as well. The menu has some unique features. There are three courses priced at 5,000 yen (meal only), 7,000 yen (meal + all-you-can-drink of 10 types), and 9,000 yen (meal + all-you-can-drink of 40 types). All courses have the same meal, but the quality of the drinks varies. Also, all courses are for two people. For solo diners, there are a la carte options listed at the bottom. This time, we decided to go with the 9,000 yen course. Here is the list of sake available in the 9,000 yen course. There are even more options here. The left side is non-sake drinks, and the right side is sake. It must be a world that sake lovers would adore. Amazing. Sharp. I've never seen so many types of sake available for all-you-can-drink before. Note that the sake here is not included in the all-you-can-drink. Let me introduce the world of the 9,000 yen course. Appetizer: Edamame and scallops. The scallops are smoked, and the edamame was prepared in some way, but I couldn't figure out what was done to it. There is no draft beer, only bottled beer (which is still draft beer). We had eight types of sake. With each serving being 120ml, we must have consumed about a liter. It was my first time trying eight different types of sake in one day. They all had different flavors, but I started to lose track around the fifth type. Second dish: Octopus carpaccio with capers. Third dish: Smoked shishamo (smelt). It's served cold. The smoky flavor is intense. Fourth dish: The ultimate sashimi platter. The stubborn old man shows off. This is for two people. The sashimi includes red sea bream, bluefin tuna, and red shrimp. The seafood is in perfect condition. The succulent shrimp and the bluefin tuna, which appears to be lean but is actually medium fatty tuna, stand out. The uni (sea urchin) served in its shell steals the show. It's likely from the Tsugaru Strait, known as "Marusou." This uni is probably sold for around 10,000 yen at a department store fish section. It was the most sea urchin I've ever consumed in a day. We ordered the grilled seaweed for 200 yen as well, and it was recommended. It was truly amazing. Thanks to the sea urchin, the sake went down too easily, and I started to feel a bit strange from this point on. Fifth dish: Menchi katsu. It was unusually tender for a menchi katsu. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was delicious. However, I don't remember much from this point on. Sixth dish: Grilled mackerel stick sushi. This was the finishing touch. It didn't leave me feeling overly full, but I was incredibly satisfied. Also, I was incredibly drunk. If you were to bring a sake lover here, they would surely be delighted. Getting them drunk on sake could help bring all their scattered thoughts together. ===【Order】Premium Course 9,000 yen Grilled seaweed 200 yen■A la carte menu ===========

In the Shinjuku to Yoyogi area, there is a fantastic izakaya called "Stubborn Old Man" where you can enjoy carefully selected Japanese sake. As the name suggests, they have a wide selection of premium sake that is hard to come by. It was truly a stroke of luck to be able to taste such rare sake. The lineup includes famous sake from Aomori, Niigata, and Yamagata, such as "Zuicho" from Aomori, "Kamonishiki" from Niigata, and various types of "Juyondai" from Yamagata. We enjoyed these top-notch sakes, accompanied by seafood dishes that complemented the sake perfectly. The atmosphere was so welcoming that we stayed even after closing time. To our surprise, we were even given a prototype sake as a souvenir that is not available in the market. The service was exceptional. Overall, it was a delightful experience that allowed us to escape from the concrete jungle of Shinjuku. Cheers to a wonderful meal!

Today, I visited a nostalgic restaurant in Shinjuku with old friends. We decided on the premium all-you-can-drink course as soon as we arrived. After quenching my thirst with a beer, I entered the wonderful world of Japanese sake. Today, I started with a delicious summer sake from Nabeshima right at the beginning. It was truly enjoyable. We also indulged in the restaurant's specialty, boxed sea urchin, and other delicious snacks that paired perfectly with the drinks. I am so happy!

Named after the famous sake brewery, Meishu Izakaya offers a wide variety of Japanese sake. The food menu consists of dishes that pair well with sake, making it the perfect place to enjoy while sipping on sake. They have an impressive selection of Juyondai sake! Besides that, they have many other great sake options! Therefore, the all-you-can-drink option seems like a good deal. It is quite popular, so making a reservation is a must. For sake lovers, it is definitely worth a visit!

I was taken to a restaurant by a friend who loves sake. The tuna sashimi was so delicious, with a strong sweetness that seemed to melt in my mouth! I indulged in luxurious uni wrapped in seaweed, it was so delicious that I could eat it with ikura. I'm not familiar with sake, so I tasted a rare sake recommended by my friend! It had a fruity aroma, sweetness, and was easy to drink, it was perfect! ✨

We used the premium course for 9,000 yen at a company social gathering, which included all-you-can-drink high-priced sake. We were very satisfied. I forgot to take a picture of the food, but the delicious sashimi and uni served in a box were really great value for money. ☺️

I visited on a regular night. It was early but the restaurant was almost full. It's a popular place. I ordered the "Stubborn Sashimi Platter" that I was curious about from the reviews. The box full of sea urchin was so impressive! I thought it might be too much for two people, but when I rolled the sea urchin with seaweed and took a bite, it melted in my mouth... The sea urchin and sake disappeared in no time. There were also sake brands that I don't often see in other restaurants, which was fun to choose from. The collaboration between Yamawa and Hakurakusei sake breweries, "Yamawaboshi," was a first for me. Looking forward to visiting again!

Usage situation and notes: - Around 19:30 on weekdays - 2 people - The restaurant does not close late, so entering around this time means you can opt for the 9000 yen sake all-you-can-drink course - Recommended dishes: clams and edamame, burdock tempura (delicious), foie gras with ponzu, sea urchin and sashimi, beef croquette, shime saba sushi - The 9000 yen sake all-you-can-drink course is definitely worth it as it offers a wider variety of sake - Even if the price is a bit high, if you drink at least 4-5 glasses of sake priced around 1500 yen each, along with the sea urchin, it is more than enough - Despite only being able to stay for 1.5 hours, we drank 7 glasses and were very satisfied - Overall, it is a great sake restaurant for those who enjoy drinking. The sea urchin was delicious, and the sashimi was well-prepared - If there is room in the budget, we would like to visit again, but if the course menu remains the same each time, we may need to reconsider. It would be great if they could keep the sea urchin and sashimi as staples and change up the other dishes.

I had a course with all-you-can-drink for 7000 yen. There were many types of sake, which was great for those who enjoy drinking. It was disappointing that the only soft drink options were oolong tea and orange juice. The food was all delicious. There was a box of sea urchin, so sea urchin lovers would be happy. I also ordered eel, duck soba, cream cheese, and ice cream as extras.

Visited this place with friends for a drinking session. Recommended by a friend who loves Japanese sake, I was intrigued to finally visit. The amazing thing about this place is not only the collection of premium sake, but also the array of top-class selections. We started with the rarely seen Juyondai Ryusen for a toast. It had a refreshing taste yet was soft and delicate with a hint of sweetness and a spreading aura that was truly impressive. A must-try dish here is the famous assorted sashimi platter. The sashimi included flounder, fatty tuna, and octopus. Scoop up plenty of sea urchin with a wooden spatula, wrap it in seaweed, and enjoy. The mouthful of sea urchin was so heavenly, it felt like reaching nirvana. The seaweed was also of the highest quality from Yamamotoyama and was delicious. The minced grilled eel with sansho pepper was a favorite, with the fatty eel complemented by the subtle spiciness of the sansho pepper. The stubborn menchi-katsu was another popular dish and it was juicy, meaty, and piping hot - simply delicious. The finale of grilled mackerel stick sushi took us by surprise. The vinegared rice with pickled ginger topped with fatty mackerel was served warm, making us crave for ochazuke. Among the other sakes we tried were the Gikyou, a top-tier aged sake blend with an exquisite taste, the Shinigami with a sweetness that one wouldn't expect from its name, and the Juyondai with a perfect sweetness using Aiyama rice. Delicious sake and plenty of sea urchin - this place feels like heaven. The owner seemed strict but provided crisp and pleasant service. Whenever I feel like ascending to heaven with sake and sea urchin, I will definitely come back here.

Used for the all-you-can-drink sake course. This place is perfect for those who love sake and drink a lot. There are mixed opinions about the service, but it's great for drinking with a large group without high expectations. The cost performance is average, I would say.

I was looking for a place to drink sake nearby and ended up here. [Atmosphere] When you go down the stairs, you'll find a chic space that doesn't quite match the name of the restaurant. It seems like there are few female customers no matter when you peek in, maybe because they think there's a stubborn old man inside. [Food] The main dishes are menchi katsu and uni sashimi. While it's nice to have a generous portion of uni, I can't help but think that a smaller portion of higher quality uni would be better suited for premium sake. [Sake] Of course, they have a variety of premium sake, but with so many similar restaurants popping up everywhere, I believe they need something to stand out. It's not enough to just have good sake to attract customers these days.

This is a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious food and sake in a fun atmosphere. Reservations are a must as it fills up quickly. The ambiance is calm and it feels like a hidden gem. I am impressed by the master's knowledge of sake.

It was great that the platter included fatty tuna sashimi.

Visited alone for the first time. Ordered a la carte dishes and enjoyed the alcohol without the all-you-can-drink option. I didn't notice it during the all-you-can-drink, but the dishes were a bit salty. Maybe I didn't notice it when drinking a lot, but for alcohol pairing, it's normal, but was it a bit too salty? When I checked the coating and ingredients of the fried food separately, both seemed to be salty. As I mentioned in the title, with 3 drinks and 3 dishes, it was over 7,000 yen, so it's more cost-effective to go with 2 or more people and order the all-you-can-drink course. I'm not trying to criticize, so please don't misunderstand. I just want to say that it's better to go with 2 or more people than alone. If you drink a lot, you won't mind the saltiness.

I was able to enjoy tasting various prestigious sake at this restaurant and had a great time. I got a good buzz. I would definitely like to visit again.

I visited this restaurant once with friends and twice for work. I have some knowledge about different types of sake, but I can't really distinguish between junmai, junmai ginjo, and honjozo, and sometimes I mistake a sweet sake for a dry one. I usually opt for the all-you-can-drink premium course at this place. The menu offers a variety of prestigious sake brands, making it tempting to try them all. When people who usually drink beer or highballs ask for recommendations, I suggest starting with the more expensive options first. This place makes it easy to enjoy sake without getting confused. If you can find a sake you like, you'll become a true sake enthusiast. I wish they would add one more dish to the course menu, as I enjoy pairing delicious snacks with my sake. On Saturdays, the clientele is younger, so they may not order the premium course as much. The staff mentioned that the age group on weekdays tends to be older. The all-you-can-drink option is time-limited, but the atmosphere of the restaurant allows for a relaxed experience. I might try sitting at the counter alone next time and savor the drinks slowly, as I don't think I could have ordered the all-you-can-drink course by myself before.

I wanted to eat a lot of sea urchin with my friend! (It was a bit too much for two people, but we were happy). The fried octopus and mackerel sushi that my friend wanted were also delicious. Thank you for the meal!

The abundant selection of sake paired with delicious dishes made for an amazing experience! The menchi katsu, smoked herring with camembert cheese, sea urchin, and mackerel sushi roll were all recommended and absolutely delicious!

It's been a while since my last visit. The food and drinks were delicious and satisfying as always! Had a great time chatting with my friend. However, we were urged to leave at 10 pm as the store was closing. It was a Wednesday, a weekday. Other customers also left at the same time. I wonder if something happened... 10,000 yen per person.

The sea urchin, sashimi, and sake were all delicious! The prices were a bit high overall, but it was a restaurant where I felt satisfied overall. (*´∀｀)