Fun in Alleys and Under the Tracks
The city’s soft underbelly—narrow alleys, dim lights, you don’t mind the grunginess because it feels real. Most spots seat ten, maybe less, and you’ll brush shoulders whether you want to or not. The food’s cheap, the beer is good. Yokocho (alleyways), Gado-Shita (under the tracks).
Ebisu Yokocho (Ebisu) Built on the remains of the old Yamashita shopping centre, Ebisu Yokocho is now a lively food alley with plenty to offer for courageous gourmands: bistros, bars and sushi shops.
Shinbashi Yurakucho Gado-shita, beneath the elevated train tracks, a nostalgic slice of Tokyo's post-war era, izakayas, yakitori joints, and standing bars, favored by salarymen seeking respite after a long day. Just next to this strip is the Hibiya Okuroji, an upgraded, cleaned up version of the old gadoshita, this enclave houses 50 establishments, including mixology bars, restaurants. Last I checked it wasn’t very popular, but that’s the reason I like to go, usually able to get a table somewhere. Highlight: a good oden place (I forget the name)
Sankaku Chitai (Sangenjaya) Sangenjaya's 'triangle' features pubs in a maze-like alley. Patrons of all ages gather here and hang out at the selection of both new and old-fashioned shops, yakitori joints, 'ethnic' stores and curry eateries.
Golden Gai (Shinjuku) More than 270 tiny drinking dens crammed into seven streets in Kabukicho. Head away from the larger bars and start peeking up staircases and through doorways. Some only serve regulars. Almost all also have table charges; they’re normally posted outside the bars but if not you should always ask before being seated.
Nakameguro Kokashita a 700-meter stretch in our old neighborhood, shops, cafés, and restaurants tucked under the train tracks by Nakameguro Station, all a short stroll from the Meguro River.
Toranomon Yokocho a “neo-yokocho” in Toranomon Hills Business Tower, boasts 26 distinguished eateries, many are branches of popular restaurants in other parts of Tokyo. It is a good place to go if you didn’t think to make reservations. We like Bird Land (yakitori), Tama (Okinawan), and Shushokudo Toranomon Distillery.
Eat Play Works not really the tourist destination, if you are in Hiroo, the first two floors, known as The Restaurant, house 17 diverse eateries, cuisines span from sushi, tonkatsu and yakitori, to Mexican, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern. Generally pretty good, but pricier than your typical yokocho.
Meguro Shinbashi also not a tourist destination, and in our old neighborhood, ground floor that’s home to little bars, including Aki, La Oficina (tequila). There is a place that serves sushi, and other places will put together small bites for you.
The Art of Dining Alone
“Low-interaction dining” lets you order food with as little human connection as possible.
‘Bullet Train’ Kaiten Sushi. Uobei delivers sushi on automated trays like bullet trains. Every dish is ¥108 but the quality is just good enough.
Ichiran. Some claim Ichiran serves the best ramen in the world. Specializes in tonkotsu ramen, which is a pork-based broth. They make their own flour-based noodles and their own special red spicy powder.
Kikanbo. Most ramen places are good for solo diners, it works to your advantage to slip into places that perpetually have lines like Kikanbo ramen shop, celebrated for its intensely flavorful and numbing-spicy miso ramen.
Shabu Shabu Let Us, all you can eat, all you can drink, individual shabu pot for you to simmer to your heart’s content.
BBQ for One. Yakiniku is usually a social eating experience, and most restaurants cater to groups of two or more customers. But Hitori Yakiniku or Yakinku Like aim to give the solo diner a place to grill meat in solitude without judgment.
Solo Yama, café lounge tailored exclusively for solo patrons seeking a tranquil retreat, minimalist charm, seating options are diverse, including semi-private booths, comfortable sofas, terrace tables adorned with plants, and a rooftop w panoramic views.
Moomin Cafe offers solo diners a unique experience by seating them with large stuffed Moomin characters, aiming to alleviate the discomfort of eating alone. It is now closed, but there are rumors of reopening somewhere sometime.
Animal Cafes, Character Cafes
The idea is that in a city where many live in small apartments with no-pet rules, pet cafés offer a way to spend time with animals—for the cost of a drink, and if you’re willing to overlook animal exploitation. Among animal cafés, the ones most often criticized for poor conditions or potential harm to animals include nocturnal animals such as owls or hedgehogs, exotics featuring reptiles, meerkats, otters, or capybaras, as they are kept in unnatural environments, lacking proper space, diet, or climate control. Personally, I would include rabbit cafes on the no-go list, I’ve seen how they’re run. Animal cafés centered around domesticated animals (cats, dogs) tend to be less harmful if the animals are well-treated, rotated, and given private rest areas. If you do want to visit, here are some that are well reviewed:
Hogoneko Rafu Space: A space founded by the "Animal Protection Information Center" that rescues neglected cats, with strict guidelines and sanitation protocols.
Asakusa Nekoen: A cat cafe that focuses on rescuing cats, including those from the Fukushima area, with many cats available for adoption.
Rescue Dog Cafe Tachikawa: A cafe that focuses on rescuing dogs.
Kichijoji Petit Mura: A cat cafe that seems well-run and ethical, with strict rules to keep the cats safe and comfortable.
Yoyogi Park Dog Run: off-leash, roomy, and split into zones by dog size so everyone gets their space. Locals hang out, dogs do their thing, and the whole vibe is relaxed
Dog Heart: This is a place where, for a fee, you can take a dog for a walk in Yoyogi Park. Never been here myself, not sure how the animals are cared for. In the pictures, some of the dogs look happy for attention, others looked depressed.
Bondi Cafe: It’s a regular cafe that is very pet-friendly, welcoming dogs both inside and on the terrace, making it a popular spot for pet owners. You have a good chance of seeing cute dogs here.
Cafes focusing on characters are pretty much everywhere, and include Peanuts gang, Snoopy, Doraemon, Shirokuma, Hello Kitty, Moomin, Gundam, Peter Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland. It’s hard to keep up, many of them come and go with trends because the food is usually not great and the novelty wears off. Notable exception:
Shirohige’s Cream Puff Shop (in Setagaya). Located in a small cottage-like building, guests are greeted by an array of cream puffs, each shaped like Totoro.