Hitting 300yen Bar On The Way Home in Shirogane

Since 3Coin Tachinomiya in Takanawa was the starting point of my pilgrimage to Tokyo cheap eateries, I cannot talk about my passion for Tachinomi (Standing bar) without introducing this bar. 3Coin Tachinomiya is a neighborhood bar that attracts young and old professionals on the way home from work. We all know of the harsh and cruel Japanese businessone world and one way to relax at the end of the day is a friendly post-work drink at a bar. 3 Coin Tachinomiya is truly a perfect place for such drink. You open a door, and friendly energetic bartenders welcome you in with echoing "irasshaimase,"and you know you can relax. 3 Coin Tachinomiya is an unpretentious spot to spend a low-key night or meet up with friends for a post-work drink.

A stylish neighborhood pub which is directly managed by sake brewery in Nagano, Ito Shuzo. In Ito Shuzo, everything is handcrafted. 3 Coin Tachinomi Bar is the only place that you can taste Ito shuzo's self praised- Yokobue sake. Along with its ebisu beer, variety of shochu, chuhai (shochu cocktail), and numerous choice of traditional Japanese drinking snack, this special sake Yokobue is also priced 300yen.

If you want some snack to keep your thirst going, try ordering some traditional Japanese drinking food, ranging from Tamagoyaki (Japanese flavored omlet), Asazuke (pickled vegetable), Edamame or Tofu. If you are brave enough, try the Stir fried gizzards with ginger, Sunakimo (deep fried chicken hearts), or Ikanuta (Japanese squid, seaweed, pickled cucumber). After all, you are in a traditional Japanese bar!

Location: Minatoku, Takanawa 3-11-5 Takanawa Biew Heights 1F
Access: 30 sec from Takanawadai station exit on Asakusa line
Recommendation: Beer + Tofu + Fried chicken

Dancing to A Life (with 500 yen drink in my hand)

Although Nishi-Azabu has an abundance of small restaurants, clubs, and bars all dispersed around its main intersection, it's a quieter area than the Roppongi circus up the road. ALIFE is located in the middle of Nishi-Azabu and Roppongi, but a quite bit closer to Nishi-Azabu and is certainly different from clubs in Roppongi.

ALIFE is one of the most successful disco style japanese club... which mean that they gather young Japanese office lady and salaryman with gorgeous decoration and shiny bar. It has 3 floors: The basement is the dancefloor with the usual mix of trendy hiphop, old disco and some trance as well, the 1st floor is the restaurante and a bar, and the second floor is the hiphop floor. As many of Tokyo's best clubs do, ALIFE too begin the night as restaurants before turning up the music after midnight.

Now if you are looking for underground club parties then its not for you but if you are looking for a typical popular japanese disco style spot then its the place to be. I had to say it was an experience to go to such Japanese disco after spending much time in Roppongi. It's really amazing, how the atmosphere, the drinks, people, dance style are completely different just a station away from Roppongi.

I must really give credit to ALIFE for their 500yen drinks. In addition, if you go early, that is before 11pm, the entrance fee is 1000 yen for girls and 2000yen for boys. With 2 drink tickets that they handout, the cover is really not that bad. Make sure to break your IDs since this place does check the ID for your age.

It is worth a visit if you 1. get there before 11pm 2. drink as much 500 yen drink as possible before they slowly raise the price starting from 2am 3. want to experience Japanese clubbing (i.e. saying "hai hai hai hai" when the dancefloor is heated, seeing Japanese girls and guys dancing completely separately like a school dance)

Location: Minatoku, Nishiazabu 1-7-2 Myojo Nishiazabu 70 bldg
Website:http://www.e-alife.net/

Stand 300yen of Joy in Daikanyama

At 5pm everyday, Espresson and Bagle cafe transforms itself into standing 300 yen bar Stand 300 yen of Joy that reminds me of an English pub...

This cozy quiet pub delivers a laid-back vibe with none of the attitude plaguing the neighborhood. Think modern, minimal furniture, exposed brick walls, small garden where a barrel serves as a table, and 300 yen drinks and snacks. You might want to settle in for the night!!

The drink menu includes beer, wine, cocktails, all for 300 yen, and also include expresso, cafe au lait at a cheaper price from the cafe menu.


Location: Shibuya-ku, Daikanyama 15-10-2 Hayashi bldg 101

Map: http://www.mapion.co.jp/c/f?uc=1&grp=all&nl=35/38/48.498&el=139/42/21.848&scl=10000&bid=Mlink

Recommendation: Cheese and salami mix plate + gin tonic

Around Japan with One Cup Sake!

Ebisu is the transit point for riders from the JR Yamanote line and Hibiya subway line. The area offers a good array of eating and drinking establishments, including the Ebisu Garden Plaza - a pleasant, slightly Kremlin looking open-plaza area with a variety of shops and restaurants. Around the Ebisu station too, there are countless izakaya and bars for business men and women to enjoy post-work drinks on the way to home. Ebisu is truly an oasis of good drinks and food.

Buri is an inviting neighborhood bar with great drink menu and gourmet yakitori. The big attractions: a bar that circles around the bartender, fast and friendly service and their gourmet yakitori.

This stand-up bar specializes in one-cup sake from around the country all priced around 500~600yen. Don't be afraid to ask for the bartender's recommendation. The bartender is equipped with most detailed information on each sake and will offer your the best fitted sake that will suit your taste. Yakitori are priced from 100~300 yen and are cooked in front of you and served hot and juicy. They have classic chicken yakitori but try their original menu of pork, vegetable yakitori as well.

It's rather small, and is always crowded with many of its faithful customers, yet its smallness and the large round table creates casual, friendly atmosphere where customers can easily start conversation with one another. If you are going with a large group, you should avoid 8~11 peak time, you will be on the line for hours!!

Location: Ebisu-Nishi 1-14-1

Map: http://www.mapion.co.jp/c/f?uc=1&grp=all&nl=35/38/40.448&el=139/42/39.488&scl=10000&bid=Mlink

Recommendation: One cup sake (ask for bartender's recommendation) + Negima yakitori (chicken and negi)

200yen Draft Beer Anyone?

At Tasuichi, literally meaning "plus one", everyone feels comfortable to ask for plus one of their draft beer. For just being 200 yen, Tasuichi's fresh Kirin draft beer is amazingly cheap and delicious. When you want to drink other drinks, don't be afraid and try their great collection of shochu and sake that are all priced 500 yen.

Tasuichi, a standing sports bar with 200yen beer, 500 yen drinks, and traditional Japanese bar food draws in everyone from Shibuya gals, salary men, couples, and gaijins. Yes, this bar is always packed with foreigners whenever I walk by. This gaijin-friendliness must have something to do with the ¥200 draft beers on the menu and the full-contact sports on the TV...
200 yen beer is truly magnetic for just anybody around.

Aside from traditional Japanese bar food of edamame, tofu, stewed beef and all, Tasuichi is proudly presenting tsukemono -pickled vegetable- from many different regions of Japan. Priced from 300 ~ 400 yen, the pickles are another cheap fun way to taste different regions of Japan.

Location: Shibuya-ku utadagawa 33-14 １F
Website: http://www.tasuichi.co.jp/shibuya.html
Recommendation: 200 yen beer + 300 yen tasuichi tebasaki (buffalo wings) + 400 yen Senmai zuke (Kyoto style pickle)

Map: http://www.mapion.co.jp/c/f?uc=1&grp=all&nl=35/39/27.691&el=139/42/01.018&scl=5000&bid=Mlink

Drinking and Eating for 300 yen in Shibuya

Shortly after my arrival in Tokyo, I learned that Tachinomi -standing bar- has gained quite popularity in Japan. Cheap, casual, fun bar where people don't have to worry about paying for entrance fee or for otoshi ( some izakaya automatically bring a small bowl of appetizer called tsukidashi or otoshi, which are often added to your bill at checkout). It is much like Western drinking pub where one can enjoy going to a pub for just "couple of pints" freely.

Although many of such standing bars have very standard menu of Japanese beer, sake, shochu, and some appetizers, Coins bar in Shibuya has unusually large selection of drinks and food, both Japanese and Western. Olive, edammame, cheese, nachos, kimchi, caesar salad, tsukemono (vegetable pickles), rice balls, dumplings ... the list goes on. The drink menu also include beer, shochu, cocktails, wine, chuhai, and liquors. And just for a reminder, they are all for 300yen.

In the middle of Shibuya, 5 minuites from Shibuya station, this stylish bar equipped with DJ booth serves 300yen quality food and drinks. Open from 16:00 to 23:30, if you can successfuly walk straight to the station at the closing time, you might even get lucky enough to catch the last train home! Or you can wonder off into the crazy streets of Shibuya for more fun.

Location: Shibuyaku, utadagawa-cho, 36-1 Noa shibuya bldg B1F
Website: http://www.suntory.co.jp/gourmet/shop/0334633039/index.html

Map: http://www.mapfan.com/index.cgi?MAP=E139.42.1.0N35.39.32.0&ZM=9